Obsidian and Claude: how to connect your vault, and a simpler way to share notes with your AI

Obsidian keeps your notes as Markdown files on your own computer, which makes it a natural match for Claude: plain text, organised in folders, yours. There are a few ways to connect the two. Here is how they work, what each is good for, and when something simpler does the job.

Three ways to connect Obsidian to Claude

1. Point Claude at the vault folder. In Claude Code, open the vault folder as your project and Claude reads and writes the Markdown files directly. In Claude Desktop, Anthropic's reference Filesystem MCP server can give Claude access to the folder. No plugin needed.
2. A community MCP plugin. Plugins such as Local REST API (with its MCP server) let Claude search and edit notes through Obsidian itself, which keeps links and metadata intact. They run on your computer, on a local port, and you add them to Claude as an MCP server. Use a current version and read the plugin's own setup notes, since it gives a program access to your whole vault.
3. Copy and paste. Still the safest for a single note.

What it is good for

• Finding things. "Which notes mention the kitchen renovation?" across hundreds of files.
• Tidying. Claude can add links, fix headings or merge duplicate notes.
• Writing from your own material. A summary or a plan built from notes you already wrote.

What to watch out for

• It only works where the vault is. Both ways run on the computer that holds the vault. On your phone, or when the computer is asleep, Claude can't reach it.
• Access is all or nothing. A folder or plugin connection usually gives the AI the whole vault. Keep private notes elsewhere if that matters.
• Back up first. An AI that can write can also overwrite. Obsidian Sync or Git history makes that harmless.

When a simpler setup fits better

If what you want is a shopping list, a training plan or this week's family dates that Claude or ChatGPT writes and you read on your phone, a vault is more than you need. Pinpal Notes is a plain Markdown notes app for iPhone, iPad and Mac with its own connector at https://notes.mypinpal.com/mcp. Your AI signs in once, from Claude, ChatGPT or Grok, on any device, and writes into the folder you tell it. Nothing runs on your computer, and the note is on your phone the moment it's written.

Many people use both: Obsidian for the long-term knowledge base, and a simple notes app for the things they and their AI work on every day. Pinpal Notes is free for up to 20 notes, then $1.99 a month for unlimited, with the first week free.