How to download and install Obsidian on Mac
Obsidian for Mac is free and comes from its own website as one installer for every Mac. Here is how to install it, create or open a vault for your notes and what to set up after the first launch.
Obsidian
- macOS 12 or later
- One file for Apple Silicon and Intel
- Free. Sync and Publish are paid
Or the installer straight from the developer’s server:
The links go to the developer’s website (obsidian.md, github.com). MacWashing is not affiliated with the developer and keeps no installers.
Open Terminal (Applications › Utilities) and run:
brew install --cask obsidianHomebrew downloads the app from the developer’s server, checks the file and puts the app in Applications.
No Homebrew yet? How to install Homebrew: one command from brew.sh.
Before you download
On the download page, under macOS, click Universal: the same file runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, so there is no version to choose. You don’t need an account to use Obsidian.
Obsidian needs macOS 12 Monterey or later. Download it only from obsidian.md: the download button there takes the file from Obsidian’s own release page on GitHub.
How to install Obsidian
- Open the downloaded Obsidian
.dmgin your Downloads folder. - In the window that opens, drag Obsidian to the Applications folder.
- Eject the Obsidian disk: click the eject button next to it in the Finder sidebar.
- Open Obsidian from Applications and click Open when macOS asks about an app downloaded from the internet.
- Create a new vault, or open a folder you already have as a vault.
What to set up after the first launch
- Where the vault lives. A vault is an ordinary folder of Markdown files, wherever you put it. Choose a folder you back up. To see the notes on an iPhone too, keep the vault in iCloud Drive or use Obsidian Sync.
- Folder access. If the vault is in Documents, Desktop or iCloud Drive, macOS may ask whether Obsidian can open it. Click Allow, or Obsidian won’t see your notes.
- Community plugins. They are off until you turn them on in Obsidian’s settings. Plugins are code written by other people: install only the ones you trust.
- The installer. Move the
.dmgfrom Downloads to the Trash once Obsidian runs.
If Obsidian won’t install or open
- «Obsidian is damaged and can’t be opened». The download was incomplete. Delete it and download it again from
obsidian.md. - Obsidian doesn’t start on an older Mac. Check your macOS version in About This Mac: it needs macOS 12 or later.
- Your vault isn’t in the list. Your notes are still in their folder: open that folder as a vault again from Obsidian’s vault switcher.
- An old copy gets in the way. Remove Obsidian and its settings and install it again. Your vaults are not touched: see how to uninstall Obsidian on Mac.
Alternatives to Obsidian
Keep your Mac tidy
System Junk in MacWashing finds the caches apps build up over time, Obsidian’s included, and shows how much space they take. And if you decide to remove Obsidian, the Uninstaller takes its files with it.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Is Obsidian free?
Yes. The app is free for personal and work use. Obsidian Sync and Obsidian Publish are optional paid services.
Is Obsidian in the Mac App Store?
No. For Mac, Obsidian publishes the app on obsidian.md. The App Store version is for iPhone and iPad.
Where does Obsidian keep my notes?
In your vault: a folder you chose, with each note as a plain Markdown file. You can open them in any text editor, and deleting the app doesn’t touch them.