iOS
[ x] Android
Obsidian Mobile version: v0.0.xx
1.4.2 (94)I would like to quickly capture an idea without any overhead. That means, I do not want to think about a title or so, just key in a snippet. This note should go either to root or a dedicated folder. At home on the PC, I could add Title and any structural information.
Do you have any hint/workflow to use Obsidian on my mobile that way?
For me this is a huge one!
Like many others, I was switching from Logseq only because of mobile app and this stumbling step annoys the hell out of me every time I use it.
I want to swipe something out of my mind as quickly as possible, and I will have to follow up for a moment anyway next time at the PC.
Please 
give us a share-ObsidianINBOX target and I will 
I have a little workaround: GitHub - djsudduth/keep-it-markdown: Convert Google Keep notes dynamically to markdown for Obsidian, Logseq, Joplin and Notion using the unofficial Keep API. Also, import simple markdown notes back into Google Keep.
This non-registerd Python program allows me to download the Notes from Google Keep and play it into Obsidian.
Be careful. Not all functions work and Google might change the access to keep without notice one day.
But at present it is there and I have it running on my PC. Does a nice job. The good thing: Google Keep has very nice extra options, like taking pictures from within the app, tags and much more. It starts much easier than than Obsidian (sorry!) into a quick note.
The Lumberjack plugin was created for this purpose.
Install it and enable it. Then, create a shortcut on your homescreen to the url obsidian://timber. Tap that shortcut to create a new blank note with a UUID title and with the cursor ready to go for you to start typing.
As someone whoās been trying to limit plugins/apps on my smartphone (also Android), Iāve been thinking about exactly this and came up with the following:
Setup:
Mine looks like this:
---
date: {{date}}
tag: unsorted
alias:
---
but you could also have something like
{{date}} #unsorted
In use:
Optional:
Upside:
Downside:
Note: Iām using a separate vault on my mobile and laptop. If you have yours synced, this may not be a good option for you.
(My logic: I intend for my mobile vault to be pretty much just a way to capture thoughts, and maybe some task lists that I can carry around more easily/without the distractions my laptop brings with it. My laptop has my main vault, and many sources of distraction/procrastination.)
Iām sorry this is far longer than Iād anticipated, hopefully it might help someone in the same situation we are, for me there being a tag to retrieve the note later is the most needed feature for a āthought capturingā note, or it could get lost very quickly.
Obsidian is superb on desktop, but I find it a little too clunky on mobile, especially with all the plugins I have installed.
Sometimes, while scrolling on social media, I find something interesting to add in a zettelkastel noteā¦ But instead of directly opening Obsidian mobile, I just save it in Google Keep first or just screenshot it, and then later transfer it to Obsidian, usually via the desktop app. Taking a screenshot or making a note on google keep is just easier on mobile
So my suggestion is, why donāt we have a Quick Capture Bar in the notifications area for the mobile app? (I have Android in mind, I donāt really know how it will work on iOS)
Basically, in this bar we can have commands like āAdd Note,ā āScreenshot,ā etc., and with the option to save it in a specific Obsidian folder.
Yes,took the thought out of mind too. Am tired of switching from one app to obsidian for the quick capture.
I would like to quickly create notes.
An option in the context menu (long press in the app icon) with an option to create a new note.
I use the Lumberjack plugin on iOS. I see there is a discussion on how to use it on Android as well here.
To use the URLās of Lumberjack (obsidian://log and obsidian://timber) on Android you can use Automate (Free), Tasker (Paid) or Shortcut to URL (Free).
- Run the
obsidian://logcommand to open Obsidian and log a new thought in your daily note at an appended line and start writing immediately.- Run the
obsidian://timbercommand to create a new draft in a designated inbox folder and start writing immediately.
And with MacroDroid (free / paid).
Would like a way to quick capture some text in order to create a note from anywhere using intents with a certain template, or use QuickAdd prompts. (Asking for iOS too, but donāt know if this feature is available in this OS already via shortcuts)
The process of waiting for my vault to load all plugins and index all notes is kinda tedious everytime I want to capture something, so maybe it would be easier to create an overlay in order for the app to capture and maybe add as data in the intent the destination for the input or let the user choose it.
Here is the way ToDoist solves this with an integrated overlay that can run anywhere in the system.
And it is triggered using the following activity: activity.QuickAddItemActivity
I know this topic was a while ago but I have to tell yall about Zettelnotes. Itās FOSS, and on the playstore and F-Droid. Itās what I use on Android to do quick notes to obsidian.
I think itās meantto be its own Markdown notebook, but I keep my obsidian vault on my tablet so I can just designate an Obsidian folder as My repository. | can share Inbox notes to an inbox, drawing to a drawing folder, I can choose to send an append to a note or a new note. I can determine the template of the Zettelnote ārepositoryā ( which for me is an obsidian folder). I can determine that the first line of my note is mytitle and not have to mess with title properties. I can send code and anything else markdown.
Add tothis the app Mardownr. This app is only on F-droid and itās amazing. It will convertthe webpage you are onto markdown. so often I:
Nowthe webpage is in my obsidian in perfect markdown format.
Itās really closed the gap in workflow for me. I use it entirely for Obsidian in an Android setting.
Iām doing this on iOS through iA Writer. I really like that it doesnāt make you create a note title. Setup a shortcut using the iA Writer URL commands that lives on my homescreen to quickly create a note in an Inbox folder in my Vault (iCloud Drive)
Did a short writeup about the shortcut on my blog: Quick Capture Setup for Obsidian on iPhone Using iA Writer and Apple Shortcuts ā BeauCarpenter.net
Quick capture on obsidian mobile has been a bit of a high friction task for me, especially with the long app loading times and opportunities for distraction that come with using a mobile device.
iOS 18 will be bringing customizable, app specific controls to the control center and lock screen, allowing for a quick, low friction, and distraction free quick capture solution.
As an individual with ADHD, the less friction required to get ideas out of my head into my vault, the more likely I am to take notes in the first place. A built in quick capture solution would be a well appreciated feature.
During Apples WWDC event, the new Controls API were showcased, accessible through the command center, the lock screen (via the customizable camera and flashlight buttons) and the Action Button on iPhone 15.
An integrated Quick Capture Control would allow users to ideally quickly write a new note, give it a title, and optionally select a non default location for the note. Appending content to the current daily note (and maybe under a specific header) would also be very useful.
This may be able to circumvent requiring the app to fully load before taking notes and could simply append the content to a markdown file in the background.
Optionally or additionally, a quick capture home screen or lock screen widget may be able to accomplish the same task.
I would love to see this feature come to the iOS mobile app if possible, and i think it would greatly benefit many users, especially those who rely on fleeting notes and quick capture.
(For me, this often also involves re-indexing.)
I donāt recall the details of android app lifecycles off the top of my head, but it seems reasonable that a widget or shortcut could open a plain text editor of either a specific page, or the daily note, without starting the whole of Obsidian. (If you want to load that in the background, thatād be nice, I guess, but the important thing is to let me take notes, QUICKLY.)
Use Google Keep instead, as a temporary intermediate. (Yes, that sucks)
Mobile quick capture is on the roadmap. There are a few existing quick capture apps that work with Obsidian. On iOS, I use Bebop.
Exactly what I wanted! Thanks.
Hope the planned āMobile quick captureā comes soon, though.
Just in case, Iāve implemented a similar quick note-adding feature for Obsidian via the notification panel in a separate app: A new way to quickly save notes on android
Having come from UpNote which has excellent quick capture (including nice android widget and document scanner) Iām missing this feature on Obsidian.
However, while we await the planned feature I have settled on the following, which is pretty much giving me the functionality I need. Some setup required, but the day to day operation is pretty smooth.
The latter works really well and would apply to any other capture apps that save their files to the android filesystem.
If anyone requests it Iāll post details of the tasks I created to achieve the above.
