Use case or problem
We organize our lives in Obsidian, yet the current file explorer presents our notes as a mere list of titles–missing the rich visual context that makes note-taking apps like Craft, Google Keep and Evernote so delightful to use.
When working with dozens or hundreds of notes, being able to view snippets, images, and metadata at a glance becomes essential–not just convenient. While the hover preview is helpful, it’s inefficient for scanning through many notes quickly.
There’s a clear demand for more visual ways to browse notes. A grid/masonry layout would transform folders from simple file indexes into rich visual spaces that offer a bird’s eye view of our knowledge and creativity.
This would significantly improve the experience of:
- Visual thinkers who process information spatially
- Those managing large note collections
- Anyone who wants their knowledge system to feel more alive and explorable
- Teams collaborating on shared vaults
Proposed solution
Add a second, grid/masonry view mode for folders that, for each tile, displays:
- Note’s title
- First few lines/paragraphs
- Thumbnail preview of first image
- Key metadata (tags, date modified)
The layout should:
- Automatically adjust tile sizes based on content (masonry-style)
- Maintain snappy performance even with many notes
- Provide all currently available sorting options
The grid view could be accessed by clicking on folder name, replacing the current expand/collapse action, which would be relegated to the chevron button. (That’s how it’s implemented in Folder Note and MAKE.MD community plugins.)
Implementation could follow the successful patterns seen in apps like Craft and Google Keep, while staying true to Obsidian’s clean aesthetic.
Current workaround
While some community plugins offer grid layouts, they tend to:
- Live within dedicated notes rather than enhancing the core UI
- Lack polish and optimization
- Are hobbyist projects with little to no support
- Are purely visual and miss key features like note management
- Require extra maintenance overhead
A native implementation would provide the seamless, performant experience that such a view calls for.
List of community plugins in question
Related feature requests
This request goes hand in hand with the request for a flat view/“All Notes” folder, and joins similar requests to make the file explorer more informative and visually appealing:
- Option to separate folders from notes in file explorer
- Note list view with fragments of note body
- Canvas Gallery View
Related posts
- Plugin for 3-Pane File Explorer with Note Previews
- Note Previews Gallery/Grid View mode (with images if the note has an image near the top) and Note Preview mode in Graph view
- Enhancing Note Viewing and Navigation in Obsidian: Seeking Tips and Tricks : r/ObsidianMD
- How can I make Obsidian home page look like Google Keep? I like Google Keeps card view : r/ObsidianMD