“The best time to organize your digital brain is when it’s still empty.”
If you’re anything like me, your first day using Obsidian probably felt like you’d been handed the keys to a spaceship without the instruction manual. I installed it, created a vault, stared at the blinking cursor… and then thought Now what ?
Don’t worry—I’ve got you. This guide will walk you through how to set up Obsidian properly from day one, so you’re not just clicking around aimlessly (like I did). We’ll cover the vault, the settings, and the plugins—everything you need to feel confident right out of the gate.
Step 1: Create Your First Vault
Let’s start with the foundation.
🔧 What’s a “vault” in Obsidian?
A vault is just a folder on your computer that holds all your notes (which are stored as .md Markdown files). Obsidian reads this folder and turns it into your own little universe of ideas.
✅ How to set up your first vault:
- Open Obsidian
- Click “Create new vault”
- Give it a name (I called mine
🧠 Second Brain, because… why not?) - Choose a location on your computer
- Hit “Create”
That’s it. You now have a blank canvas. No complicated syncing, no login required. Your notes live on your device, and that’s what makes Obsidian so powerful.
📝 Pro Tip: Keep your vault in a Dropbox or iCloud folder if you want multi-device access later. You can also enable Obsidian Sync (paid), but it’s not required to get started.
Step 2: Adjust Key Settings for a Smoother Start
Let’s tweak a few settings so your Obsidian experience doesn’t feel like it was made for coders in 2004.
🔧 Must-Change Settings for Beginners:
Go to Settings (gear icon in lower left corner) and start here:
| Setting | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Editor → Reading View | Turn it off for live preview. You’ll see Markdown and styling at the same time. |
| Files & Links → Default Location for New Notes | Set it to the root or a specific folder like Inbox to keep new notes organized. |
| Core Plugins → Daily Notes | Turn this on and set a default folder for your journal entries. Life saver. |
| Appearance → Theme | Install a beginner-friendly theme like Minimal or Blue Topaz. Default is okay, but these feel nicer. |
| Hotkeys | Customize shortcuts so you can move quickly. You’ll thank yourself later. |
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t go plugin-crazy yet. Focus on the basics. You’ll have time to experiment later.
Step 3: Install These Must-Have Beginner Plugins
Plugins = superpowers in Obsidian. But there are hundreds. Let’s stick to the essentials that are stable, easy to use, and make a huge difference.
🧩 Enable Community Plugins
- Go to
Settings → Community Plugins - Toggle ON “Safe Mode” (you can turn this off later)
- Click “Browse”
🚀 Top Beginner Plugins to Install:
| Plugin | What It Does | Why You Want It |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar | Adds a simple calendar view | Makes Daily Notes feel like a planner |
| Templater | Lets you insert dynamic templates | Speeds up repetitive notes (like meeting or book summaries) |
| Advanced Tables | Makes Markdown tables easier to manage | Trust me, tables are a pain without this |
| Tasks | Manage to-dos inside notes with dates and tags | Great for simple productivity without another app |
| Hotkeys++ | Enhance hotkey options for better workflow | Optional, but great for keyboard junkies |
🛑 Warning: Don’t install 15 plugins at once. It’s tempting, but you’ll get overwhelmed and crash something. Start with two or three, then build up.
Bonus: Create a Starter Note Structure
Not required, but helpful. I created these folders on day one:
📁 Inbox 📁 Daily 📁 Notes 📁 Projects 📁 Templates
Then I added a few starter notes:
📄 Daily Note Template📄 Project Ideas📄 Books to Read📄 How to Use Obsidian
It gave me a jumping-off point instead of staring at the void.
Conclusion
Setting up Obsidian the right way from day one will save you hours of frustration. And honestly, it’s way more fun when the app works with you instead of against you.
To recap:
- Make one vault (not five)
- Tweak the basic settings to suit your style
- Install only a few smart plugins
- Create a few starter notes or folders to guide your flow
Obsidian doesn’t need to be complicated to be powerful. Start simple. You’ll be amazed at how fast your digital brain grows.
Coming soon is the next step that goes into note taking principles on How to Take Smart Notes in Obsidian
💬 What plugin or setting helped you the most when starting with Obsidian? Share your answer in the comments!