How to Use Obsidian

Getting started with Obsidian

After reading this guide, you'll be able to set up Obsidian and create your first notes with links, making it easy to build a web of interconnected ideas.

Step 1: Sign up and set up

1. Go to obsidian.md.
2. Click on the "Download" button for your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android).
3. Install the application by following the prompts.
4. Open Obsidian and select "Create a new vault" to start fresh, or "Open an existing vault" if you have notes to import.
5. Choose a name for your vault and select a location on your device where the notes will be stored. Click "Create".

Step 2: Your first note

1. Once your vault is created, click the "+" button in the left sidebar to create a new note.
2. Type a title for your note at the top, followed by your content in Markdown format (e.g., bold, italic, code).
3. To create a link to another note, type [[ and then the title of the note you want to link to. If the note doesn’t exist yet, it will create a new one when you click on it.
4. Press "Ctrl + P" (or "Cmd + P" on Mac) to open the command palette, then select "Open graph view" to visualise your linked notes.

Step 3: Get better results

1. Use tags by typing #tagname anywhere in your notes to categorise and easily find related notes later.
2. Explore community plugins by clicking on "Settings" (gear icon) > "Community plugins" > "Browse". Enable "Safe mode" to allow safe plugins, then install any that suit your workflow.
3. Use the "Daily notes" feature by clicking on the calendar icon in the sidebar to create a new note for each day, helping you maintain a journal or log.

Pro tip

Use the "Quick Switcher" feature (Ctrl + O or Cmd + O) to rapidly switch between notes without needing to navigate through the sidebar.

Common mistake to avoid

Avoid creating too many separate vaults for different topics. Instead, keep related notes within the same vault to maximise the benefits of linking and graph views.