Live Preview of Link Suggestions in Dropdown

Feature requests
1

Use case or problem

When creating links in Obsidian using the [[]] syntax, I find it difficult to preview different options before making a final selection. The current system immediately replaces my query text when I navigate through suggestions with arrow keys, but doesn’t update the editor text until I commit with Enter or click, at which point the dropdown disappears.

This is particularly problematic when:

  • Dealing with similarly named notes where visual preview would help disambiguation
  • Trying to find a specific place within a note, such as a heading or block reference (e.g., [[Note Title#Heading]] or [[Note Title#^blockID]])
  • Working with Markdown links disabled, where selecting an option immediately converts to the format [Note Title](path/to/note.md)

I need a way to browse through suggestions and see how each would look in my document before committing to a selection.

Proposed solution

Implement a “live preview” feature for the link dropdown that separates navigation from selection:

  1. When navigating through dropdown suggestions using arrow keys:

    • Update the link text in the editor in real-time to match the currently highlighted suggestion
    • Keep the dropdown open for continued browsing
    • Visually indicate this is a “preview” state (perhaps with subtle highlighting)

  2. Only finalize the selection when:

    • Enter is pressed
    • A suggestion is clicked
    • Tab is pressed

  3. Only after selection is finalized:

    • Close the dropdown
    • Apply any format conversion (if Markdown links are enabled)
    • Return to normal editing

This would create a smoother workflow where users can see each option in context before making a decision, similar to how autocomplete works in many IDEs.

Current workaround

Currently, I have to:

  1. Select an option that seems close to what I want
  2. If it’s not right, delete it and start over with a new search query
  3. Repeat until I find the right link

This is inefficient and disrupts writing flow, especially when working with complex note structures where specific sections or blocks need to be referenced.

Related feature requests

I’ve searched through the Obsidian forum for similar requests using various terms like “linked note autofill” and “dropdown preview” but didn’t find any directly related discussions. A search at

site:https://forum.obsidian.md/c/feature-requests/ linked note autofill

didn’t yield any related issues.

Environment Information

  • Obsidian Version: v1.8.9
  • Installer Version: v1.8.4