Obsidian 1.14 adds external Markdown file opening, kanban view, highlight colors, and more

Obsidian has officially released version 1.14, introducing several major improvements that expand how users interact with Markdown files beyond traditional vault boundaries. The headline addition allows users to open individual Markdown files from outside their vault in Obsidian, with files appearing in the current window on desktop platforms. The app now displays in operating system “Open with” menus and can be set as the default application for Markdown files. On macOS, users gain Quick Look preview support for Markdown files when the app is closed, complemented by new document icons for .md, .base, and .canvas files across macOS and Windows systems.

The update also enhances Bases with new organizational flexibility, including a group menu toolbar option that lets users choose properties for grouping, reorder, hide, and manually add groups across any view type. Kanban views specifically receive a “Hide column” option accessible through right-click menus. Additionally, highlight colors have been introduced for visual categorization. Supporting these flagship features are numerous improvements: fuzzy search in the quick switcher now ranks word-start letter matches higher, search extends across the file explorer, bookmarks, and more, with full-path matching, and performance optimizations eliminate input lag in large vaults. Full right-to-left language support now flips the entire workspace interface, while iOS 26 users gain Quick Capture for instant note creation from the lock screen, control center, home screen widgets, or Shortcuts without waiting for vault initialization.