Obsidian 1.14 Desktop (Public)
By Steven Van ·
Desktop users can open Markdown files outside a vault, organize Bases in kanban columns, and choose from six highlight colors.
Markdown files outside a vault can now open in Obsidian, with local images and links resolved from the file’s folder. The 1.14 Desktop public release also adds a kanban view for Bases and six highlight colors.
Open files outside a vault
The new “Open file from outside the vault…” command opens a Markdown file in the current window. Obsidian also appears in the operating system’s Open with menu and can be set as the default app for Markdown files. Outline lets users navigate headings, while Outgoing links lets them browse linked files.
On macOS, Quick Look can preview Markdown files even when Obsidian is closed. Opening individual Markdown files requires the latest installer: users need to download Obsidian from its website and reinstall the app.
Organize Bases into columns
The new kanban view organizes notes into columns, with cards that can be dragged between groups. A Group menu lets users choose a grouping property and reorder, hide, or add groups in any Bases view. Groups can also be collapsed in table, cards, and list layouts.
Choose highlight colors
Highlights now support six colors, selected through the formatting menu or by adding a colored emoji at the start of a highlight. Typing == in the editor suggests colors. In Live Preview, moving the cursor into a highlight reveals a clickable swatch for changing its color.
Search and workspace improvements
- Link suggestions and the quick switcher now use fuzzy matching in vaults of any size, with matches at the start of words ranked higher.
- Search in File Explorer, Bookmarks, Outline, Tags, and Sync now matches full paths and keeps the contents of matching items visible.
- The whole workspace, including sidebars, now flips for right-to-left languages. Bases table views also gain right-to-left support.
- New commands increase or decrease font size. Base font size is saved per device and no longer syncs through Obsidian Sync.
- Performance fixes address periodic input lag and freezes when searching headings in large vaults, alongside faster fuzzy search and popout window closing.