Shortcuts and Widgets Improvements for macOS and iOS

Use case or problem

Currently, Shortcuts and widgets are limited to iOS only and are not available on macOS.

In Shortcuts, it is not possible to set the name of a newly created note. It is also not possible to add properties. It is also not possible to create a note based on a template by filling in data in specific places (e.g., updating values in properties).

Widgets do not fulfill their function because they do not display note content and are not interactive. They only serve as buttons.

Proposed solution

Extend support for widgets and Shortcuts to macOS.

Shortcuts:

  • Ability to change the name of a newly created note.
  • Ability to create a note based on a template.
  • Ability to add properties to a note.
  • Greater support for built-in plugins (e.g., Audio Recorder, Commands).

Widgets:

  • Display note content in a widget (including bases and canvas) – the note should be displayed in reading mode.
  • Display values from selected properties in the widget, e.g., date, aliases, etc.
  • Ability to select several notes whose links will be displayed in the widget, and clicking on them will open the selected note.
  • Interactive widgets, e.g., the ability to check checkboxes, scroll through note content, etc.

Current workaround

Some of the effects described above can be achieved using Actions for Obsidian. However, this is not an ideal solution, and it is unclear how long support for this application and new Obsidian features will last.

Related feature requests

There’s too much stuff going on in this feature request.

The shortcut part should go into its own FR and is already partially overlapping with this and this

The widget should go into its own FR and is already partially overlapping with this.

The macos part should go into its own FR thread.

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