Why can’t I create a wikilink with selected text?

I select some text and type [[. I understand that the selected text should then turn into a wikilink, but instead it is deleted and I am presented with a popup list of existing wikilinks. (I have selected Use [[Wikilinks]] under Files & Links in the Preferences.) What am I doing wrong?

In case it is relevant, I am running Monterey on a Mac and am a fairly new user of Obsidian.

Try Smarter Markdown Hotkeys

You can bind a command (Smarter Internal link, i think) which does that and more (partial, multiple, list, multiple lines selections)

Thank you. I was able to set a hotkey to do what I want.

It should and it does. No idea why it shouldn’t or doesn’t.

Settings > Editor > “Auto pair brackets” needs to be on.

1 Like

“Auto pair brackets” is on, which is why I am puzzled that it is not working as it should.

Can you try in the Sandbox vault (Help / F1 -> Sandbox vault) or in a new test vault?

Other troubleshooting steps for your main vault are here.

When I try it in the Sandbox vault or in a new test vault, I am presented with a popup list with the selected text at the top. Is this how it is meant to work? I tried the other troubleshooting steps on my main vault, but they didn’t seem to help. But at least I have a workaround with a hotkey.

For me it makes it a potential link. If it doesn’t exist, then I can ctrl-click to create.
My settings have autopair on and wikilinks preferred. No popup lists involved.

Yes, that’s normal — it behaves the same as if you’d typed the name between brackets.

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.