Turn any folder into an independent, dockable File Explorer space in Obsidian — so you can focus on one context at a time.
Language: English | 繁體中文 | 简体中文
Desktop only. Requires Obsidian 1.13.0+.
- Why Folder Spaces?
- Visual Showcase
- Features
- View Presets Reference
- Cascading Panel Binding & In-place Drill-down
- Installation
- Usage & Quick Reference
- Use Cases & Workflows
- Settings
- Developer API
- Compatibility & License
Obsidian's default File Explorer shows your entire vault at once. As a vault grows into multiple projects, topics, and archives, the explorer becomes a crowded map where every folder competes for attention — even when you only care about one.
Folder Spaces lets you detach any folder into its own scoped explorer, so you see only the context you are working on:
- 🎯 One context at a time — Right-click any folder and open it as an independent file tree. Unrelated folders disappear from view, leaving only the project, topic, or task you care about. You keep the benefits of a single vault (links, search, and tags across everything) while working in a visually isolated space.
- 🪟 Distraction-free windows — Open a Folder Space in its own popout window to separate a task from the main workspace's sidebars and tabs. Work in a clean window without visual noise, and keep it on a second monitor if you like.
- 🔗 Composable with Window Spaces — Pair Folder Spaces with Window Spaces to save and restore these layouts. Together, they turn Obsidian into a single-vault, multi-project, multi-theme workspace: one vault, many independent focus windows, each arranged around its own folder context.
Chain parent and child Folder Spaces together in your workspace. Navigating folders in the parent panel automatically synchronizes bound child panels and opens notes in your active editor.
| 🎯 Single-Context Sidebar Focus | ⚙️ 7 View Presets & Flat Mode | 🔍 Header Controls & Live Filter |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| Dedicated, scoped sidebar explorer with custom icon and zero vault clutter | 7 tailored presets (Explorer, Navigate, Columns, Context, Contents, Files, List) + Tree/Flat modes | Compact single-row header with in-place live filter and instant query matching |
- Folder context-menu integration: right-click any folder and open a Folder Space from the
Folder Spacessubmenu:- Open in default location
- Open in left sidebar
- Open in right sidebar
- Open in editor area
- Open in new window
- Quick open: use the ribbon icon or the
Open Folder Spacecommand to search for a folder and open it in the default location. - Open from inside a popout: run the command or context-menu from within a popout window and the new Folder Space opens in that same popout — reusing or creating a full-height left/right sidebar pane, or opening in the popout's editor area — instead of jumping back to the main window.
- Search in the same window: when a Folder Space lives in a popout, the native Search in folder action shows its results in that same popout window.
- Sidebar views in popouts: open any native sidebar view — Tags, Outline, Backlinks, Outgoing links, Properties, Search, and more — in a popout window, draggable between splits and tab groups.
- Independent scoped views: dedicated folder-scoped explorer views that never alter Obsidian's built-in full-vault File Explorer.
- Tree & Flat view modes: toggle between a nested tree and a clean flat list per folder.
- Depth control: expand to 1 level, 2 levels, or all levels — per folder.
- Content control: show folders, files, or all items — per folder.
- View presets: seven named presets that combine view, depth, and content. Apply a preset per panel, or horizontally as a parent panel drives its cascade of children.
- Filter & sort: filter the current panel by a path substring, and sort by name, modified time, or created time (ascending / descending). Sort order is remembered per folder; the filter is an in-panel, immediate condition.
- Smart folder navigation: non-terminal folders keep native expand/collapse behavior. A terminal folder (for example, one at the selected depth limit or with no visible children) drills down in place; the header status icon becomes an Up-to-parent button.
- Workspace restore: all Folder Space views restore automatically when Obsidian restarts.
The Folder Space header is a compact single row that keeps the native file actions available:
- Shows the current root folder path, truncated with a hover tooltip for the full path.
- Click the root title to open a searchable picker over all vault folders — navigate up to the parent or down into any subfolder.
- Right-click the root title for the full native folder context menu (
file-menu) — including new note / new folder and other file actions. - Select subfolder / Up to parent actions to move the root scope.
- Header actions: dedicated controls for path filtering and sorting; the view-settings menu changes Tree/Flat, depth/content, and presets. Additional actions reveal/auto-reveal the current file, collapse/expand all, set a custom folder icon, or open Folder Spaces settings.
- Inline root-folder rename with Enter to commit or Escape to cancel.
- Per-folder settings (view, depth, content, sort, icon) are remembered and migrated when a folder is renamed or moved.
- Folder Space tabs are protected from generic note reuse, so sidebar and popout panels are never replaced by an opened note. Notes opened from a Folder Space are routed to a usable content/editor pane; pinned note targets remain protected and receive a new tab when appropriate.
- Smart content-area routing: in a Folder Space opened in the editor area, a normal file click targets the most recently active adjacent content panel in the same window, excluding tool views and popout side columns. If the target is pinned, a new tab is created in that group. When no other content panel exists, the Always open in other panel setting controls whether Folder Spaces split a new panel or create a tab in the current group.
- Ctrl/Cmd-click and middle-click retain explicit new-tab behavior. In popout windows, native sidebar panels (backlinks, outline, outgoing links, search, and more) remain draggable between splits and tab groups.
- Native File Explorer core: Folder Space reuses Obsidian's native File Explorer tree, so drag & drop, keyboard navigation, right-click menus, and DOM extensions keep working.
- Third-party File Explorer extensions: CSS/DOM decorations and
data-*element attributes generally carry over through a compatibility bridge (event handlers and internal state are not copied). - Folder Notes aware: option to disable folder-note opening in folder-only views, so clicking a folder navigates instead of opening its note.
- Developer API: a stable public API for third-party plugins (e.g. Window Spaces) — see docs/api.md.
Folder Spaces provides seven named presets combining View Mode, Depth Limit, and Content Filter to match different organizational roles:
| Preset | Style | Depth Limit | Content | Primary Role / Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🗂️ Explorer | Tree | All levels | All | Standard Explorer: Default standalone view; identical to native full tree. |
| 🧭 Navigate | Tree | All levels | Folders | Parent Navigator: Directory-only tree; eliminates file clutter. |
| 🏛️ Columns | Tree | 1 level | Folders | Direct Navigator: Single-level folder list, like macOS Finder Column view. |
| 🔍 Context | Tree | 2 levels | Folders | Bridge Panel: Shows 2 levels of folder hierarchy for structural context. |
| 📑 Contents | Flat | All levels | All | Overview: Flat list grouped by subfolder with all files visible. |
| 📄 Files | Flat | All levels | Files | Recursive File List: Terminal panel showing all files under the tree. |
| 📋 List | Flat | 1 level | Files | Direct File List: Clean flat list showing direct files of the folder. |
Chain folder contexts across panels by linking Folder Space panels into a Parent → Child → Grandchild cascade:
flowchart LR
subgraph Parent["Parent Panel (Navigator)"]
P["Folder Hierarchy<br>Preset: Navigate"]
end
subgraph Middle["Bridge Panel (Context)"]
M["2-Level Subfolders<br>Preset: Context"]
end
subgraph Child["Terminal Panel (Content)"]
C["File List / Drafts<br>Preset: Files"]
end
Parent -->|Click folder to sync focus| Middle
Middle -->|Sync focus down the chain| Child
- Seamless Binding: Right-click a folder in any Folder Space (or the native File Explorer) and open a new panel — the new panel binds as a child of the source panel.
- Sync Focus Toggle: The child panel header features a "Sync focus with parent panel" toggle button. When enabled, clicking any folder in the parent automatically updates the child's root scope. Turn it off to freeze the child scope.
- Native File Explorer Support: The built-in File Explorer can also act as the root parent panel, driving child Folder Spaces.
- Infinite Chaining: A child panel can host child panels of its own, carrying focus down the whole chain with built-in cyclic binding protection.
Folder Space splits folder rows into three distinct hit zones to ensure predictable interaction:
| Hit Target | Single / Terminal Panel (Follow OFF or No Child) | Dual Panel (Child Following) | Behavior Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevron Arrow | Toggle folder expand / collapse | Toggle folder expand / collapse | Always preserves parent tree state. |
| Folder Name | Open Folder Note (if present) / Toggle | Focus / navigate child panel | If Folder Note exists, opens note (with persistent underline indicator). Otherwise toggles expand/collapse in single panel, or navigates child in dual panel. |
| Row Background | Drill-down in place | Focus / navigate child panel | Re-scopes panel root immediately; navigates child panel in dual-panel mode. |
| Long Press (450ms) | Drill-down into folder | Drill-down into folder | In-place root change directly in the active panel without affecting child panel or layout. |
In-place Drill-down is the core navigation mechanism that lets an active panel temporarily re-scope its root path to a subfolder without opening a new tab or splitting new panes:
- How It Works:
- Instant Scope Transition: Clicking the empty row background of a folder in a terminal or standalone panel (or long-pressing 450ms on any panel) immediately re-scopes the panel to that folder and automatically applies the child preset (e.g. switching to
Contentsflat view to list all contents). - History Stack & Dynamic Back Button: Every drill-down saves the previous folder path and view configuration to a drill-down history stack (
DrillDownStack). The left icon in the header dynamically turns into a "← Go up" back button. - Lossless Recovery: Clicking the
←back button pops the stack, returning to the previous folder level and restoring the earlier preset and view settings. Once back to the root level, the icon restores to the regular folder or link icon. You can also click the header title to pick any new folder.
- Instant Scope Transition: Clicking the empty row background of a folder in a terminal or standalone panel (or long-pressing 450ms on any panel) immediately re-scopes the panel to that folder and automatically applies the child preset (e.g. switching to
- Terminal Panels in a Cascade
- In a
Parent → Middle → Terminalcascading chain, the terminal panel (e.g.FilesorContents) is the end of the line with no further child panel attached. - When encountering a subfolder within the terminal panel, there is no need to split another pane and clutter the screen. Simply click the folder's row background to drill into it in-place; click the
←arrow in the header when done to return.
- In a
- Single / Standalone Panels
- When using a single Folder Space in the sidebar or a popout window without child panel binding, it serves as a lightweight, focused file navigator.
- Clicking folder backgrounds lets you dive deeper level-by-level like macOS Finder column drill-down or browser navigation, keeping the interface uncluttered without expanding large, messy folder trees.
- Layout-Preserving In-Place Inspection (Long Press 450ms)
- When working in a parent panel linked to a child panel, if you want to quickly inspect a subfolder without displacing the child panel's active context, long-press for 450ms. The parent panel will drill down locally without triggering or interrupting the child panel.
- Open Obsidian Settings > Community plugins.
- Turn off Restricted mode and click Browse.
- Search for Folder Spaces.
- Click Install, then click Enable.
- Install the BRAT plugin from Community Plugins.
- Open Command Palette (
Ctrl/Cmd + P) and runBRAT: Add a beta plugin for testing. - Enter the repository URL:
https://github.com/edwardsayer/obsidian-folder-spaces. - Click Add Plugin and enable Folder Spaces once installed.
- Download
main.js,manifest.json, andstyles.cssfrom the latest GitHub Release. - Inside your vault, create the plugin folder:
<vault>/.obsidian/plugins/folder-spaces/. - Copy the downloaded files into this directory.
- Reload Obsidian (
Ctrl/Cmd + R) and enable Folder Spaces in Settings > Community plugins.
- Open Obsidian's default File Explorer.
- Right-click any folder.
- Hover over
Folder Spacesand choose where to open it: default location, left sidebar, right sidebar, editor area, or new window. - Browse that folder as its own file tree. Click the folder title in the header bar to switch the root via the folder picker, toggle Tree/Flat view, or apply a preset.
| Action | How to Trigger | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Open | Ctrl/Cmd + P ➔ Open Folder Space |
Open searchable folder modal to launch in default location |
| Ribbon Icon | Click ribbon icon on left sidebar | Open searchable folder modal |
| Folder Menu | Right-click folder ➔ Folder Spaces |
Open in left/right sidebar, editor area, or new window |
| Change Root | Left-click Header title | Open searchable folder picker to select new root or go up |
| Native Menu | Right-click Header title | Call full native folder context menu (new note, folder, etc.) |
| Inline Rename | Focus title + Enter (or double click) |
In-place folder rename (Enter to save, Esc to cancel) |
| Sync Focus | Header sync toggle button | Toggle parent-child focus following on/off |
| Filter Path | Header filter button | Live substring search within current folder scope |
| Sort Items | Header sort button | Sort by Name, Created, or Modified (Ascending / Descending) |
| View Settings | Header settings icon | Switch Tree/Flat, Depth (1/2/All), Content, or Presets |
Think of each Folder Space as a focus room for one project, topic, or workflow:
- Project workbench (
Projects/<name>): Root a Folder Space at the active project. Every spec, note, and resource of that project is one tree away, while unrelated projects stay out of view. - Writing & content (
Writing/): Open the writing folder in its own space — useContents/Filespresets or Flat view to see all drafts as a clean list. - Research & literature (
Research/): Isolate a literature or topic folder so reading notes and sources stay in one focused context. - Flat-structure scanning: For deeply nested folders, switch to Flat view to see every subfolder (labeled with its relative path) and its files in one glance.
- Side-by-side reading: Place a Folder Space in the editor area and enable Always open in other panel so normal file clicks open in the adjacent content pane.
- Multi-panel cascade: Chain a
Navigate(orColumns) folder-only navigator → aContextbridge → aContents/Filesterminal to drill through a large structure step by step while keeping each level focused. - Distraction-free deep work: Open a Folder Space in a new window on a second monitor to keep a task fully separated from the main workspace.
- Single-vault, multi-project workspace: Combine Folder Spaces with Window Spaces — each project gets a folder-scoped explorer and a saved window arrangement, switched like project "rooms".
- General
- Show ribbon icon: Show a Folder Space icon in the ribbon to open the folder picker.
- Always open in other panel: When a Folder Space is in the editor/content area, open normal file clicks in an adjacent content panel; if none exists, split a new panel. Turn it off to create a tab in the current group instead.
- Default open location: Where new Folder Spaces appear, set separately for the main window and popout windows (left sidebar, right sidebar, editor area, or new window).
- View presets
- Default view preset: The preset applied to new standalone panels.
- Disable folder notes in folder-only view: Keep folder-only navigation focused on hierarchy; Ctrl/Cmd-click can still open a folder note.
- Cascade & linking: Choose the default child-panel preset, auto-apply it, enable adaptive parent mode, choose the parent navigation preset, and set the default follow behavior separately for same-window and new-window child panels.
- Preset configurations reference: The settings page includes a table describing the seven built-in presets and their Tree/Flat, depth, and content dimensions.
Third-party plugins can access the public API via:
const api = app.plugins.plugins["folder-spaces"]?.api;
if (api) {
const isFolderSpace = api.isFolderSpaceView(leaf);
const folderPath = api.getFolderPath(leaf);
const spaces = api.getFolderSpaces();
await api.openFolderSpace("Projects/Active", "left-sidebar");
}See docs/api.md for the full API reference.
- Obsidian version:
1.13.0+ - Platform: Desktop only (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- License: MIT