Symlinked Custom Dictionary.txt file is overwritten when adding new words

Help
1

Steps to reproduce

  1. Install Obsidian on Linux
  2. Navigate to ~/.config/obsidian
  3. Rename the Custom Dictionary.txt file
  4. Create a symlink to the renamed file, called Custom Dictionary.txt
  5. In Obsidian, add a new word to the dictionary using the right click context menu

Expected result

The new word would be added to the renamed Custom Dictionary.txt through the symlink named Custom Dictionary.txt

Actual result

The symlink named Custom Dictionary.txt is deleted, and a new Custom Dictionary.txt is created

Environment

SYSTEM INFO:
Obsidian version: 1.15.0
Installer version: 1.15.0
Operating system: #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:32:40 +0000 7.2.14-arch1-1
Login status: not logged in
Language: en
Insider build toggle: off
Live preview: on
Base theme: dark
Community theme: Atom 0.0.0
Snippets enabled: 3
Restricted mode: off
Plugins installed: 7
Plugins enabled: 7
1: Latex Suite v1.13.4
2: Multi-Column Markdown v0.9.1
3: Quick Explorer v0.2.21
4: Git v2.41.1
5: Excalidraw v2.28.1
6: Linter v1.33.0
7: Filename Heading Sync v1.11.1
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Custom theme and snippets: for cosmetic issues, please first try updating your theme and disabling your snippets. If still not fixed, please try to make the issue happen in the Sandbox Vault or disable community theme and snippets.
Community plugins: for bugs, please first try updating all your plugins to latest. If still not fixed, please try to make the issue happen in the Sandbox Vault or disable community plugins.

Distro Name: Endeavor OS
Distro Version: VERSION=2025.03.19
Desktop Environment: Niri + Dux Shell
Installation method used: Tested with Appimage

Additional information

If this is intentional behavior, it would be nice if it were changed. Linux users like to back up configuration in “dotfile” directories, so being able to store Custom Dictionary.txt in a different location and symlink to it would allow this.
Cheers!

2

I don’t consider this a bug because we never claimed to support what you are doing.

That aside, this process is likely something managed by chromium/electron and we haven’t touched it.

3

That’s not how you should do it. A hash line is to be added to the end of the file.
Check how others did it: