+1, because it is still not possible, ugh
I don’t know how relevant this is to the problem, but this discussion was brought to my attention, so I’m passing on my suggestion. Canvas Link
Curious request.
Maybe not a bad idea, to link some [[folder]] in notes.
Ideally, I’d expect a kind of temporary “card view”, where you could do this:
- search notes
- single / double click to open notes
- add properties
Yes I second this idea, a separate view for seeing notes inside the linked folder (perhaps powered by bases) would be cool.
I would like to suggest a new feature in Obsidian that allows users to insert direct links to folders within notes, so that clicking on them would open the folder in the File Explorer sidebar.
This feature would greatly improve project and file organization, making it easier to navigate between folders without manually searching through the vault structure.
Thank you for your continuous efforts in developing Obsidian. I hope you will consider this suggestion for future updates
i want to mention the Folder, not only navigate to it
Does posting a comment here help with adding weight to the request? Because this would be very nice to have.
Yes, it does.
+1 to support this feature request.
+1 
Needed it today
Does this work ?
+1, wanted to use it today
+1, needed it today.
I didn’t find direct mention of this. Folder notes plugin is ages old and allows folder-linking through hidden note. GitHub - LostPaul/obsidian-folder-notes: Create notes within folders that can be accessed without collapsing the folder, similar to the functionality offered in Notion. · GitHub. Awesome for graphs too. Minimal overhead. One of top plugins in community plugins catalogue.
I would recommend checking out Notebook Navigator. It has made my life in Obsidian a lot easier and it comes with folder notes as well
Treat Folders as First-Class Linkable Entities
Architectural Inconsistency
Obsidian already indexes every supported file in the vault—from Markdown documents to binary attachments (PDFs, images, audio, video)—making them valid link targets within the graph. However, folders remain the only filesystem entity excluded from the linking model, restricted to being passive containers despite being first-class objects in the filesystem.
Current Model:
├── Files (Markdown & assets) ✔ Linkable
└── Folders (Directories) ✘ Container only
In many local-first workflows, folders are not just storage buckets—they represent primary conceptual entities (e.g., a project, client, legal case, research dataset, or CAD workspace).
Scope Clarification
Note: This proposal does not introduce folder metadata, editable folder documents, or new object types. It simply extends the existing wikilink resolution system so directories become valid link destinations, just as files already are.
The Problem with Current Workarounds
Because folders cannot be linked, users are forced to create artificial placeholder files solely to make a directory referenceable.
Projects/
Apollo/
CAD/
Documents/
Photos/
Today:
[[Projects/Apollo]] ✘ Invalid
Users must create:
Projects/Apollo/Apollo.md
...solely to make the project linkable.
This creates two major issues:
- Structural Noise: Placeholder files exist only to compensate for a missing filesystem abstraction rather than representing actual knowledge, cluttering both the vault and the graph.
- External Tool Pollution: It pollutes directories shared with external software (IDEs, media software, CAD tools, scripts) with implementation artifacts.
Proposed Solution
Core Feature
- Folders become valid link targets in the wikilink resolution system.
Natural Consequences
By granting folders first-class status in the index, they naturally inherit standard Obsidian behaviors without new UI paradigms:
- Autocomplete: Native path resolution for directories (
[[Folder/]]). - Rename Propagation: Updating folder paths automatically updates incoming links.
- Backlinks: Track references to folders across the vault.
- Graph View: Option to render directory nodes and incoming structural links.
- Embeds & Hover Previews: Support
![[Folder/]]and hover cards to render inline tree previews of directory contents.
Why This Matters
- Architectural Consistency: Unifies the linking model so that every indexed filesystem entity is linkable (
Files
, Folders). - Plugin Ecosystem: Because folders would become indexed entities, plugins could build on a stable core API instead of implementing custom filesystem traversal and folder-reference conventions.
- Interoperability: Keeps vault directories clean and standard for external local-first applications.
- Complementary to Bases / Dataview: While databases query properties, folder links express structural and containment relationships. They solve fundamentally different problems.
- Cross-Platform Parity: Delivers a reliable, native experience across Desktop and Mobile without relying on fragile community plugin workarounds.
Backward Compatibility
- Existing vaults require no migration.
- Existing wikilinks remain unchanged.
- Folder links introduce a new valid target type without affecting existing file behavior.
- Existing placeholder files continue to work normally.
Proposed Principle: Every filesystem entity indexed by Obsidian should be a valid link target. Files and folders would then share the same fundamental linking model.