Import
Move your Obsidian vault to Readbird
Obsidian keeps your notes as Markdown files in a folder. Zip that folder and give it to Readbird: every file becomes a note with its headings, lists, checklists and tags, and pictures can come along.
How the move works
There is nothing to export in Obsidian: the vault is a normal folder. Compress it into a ZIP and load that. Readbird skips Obsidian’s own settings and plugins, so only your notes are read.
In Readbird each file becomes a note in the Notes section: text, headings, lists and checklists keep their shape, tags become labels, and everything is searchable. Notes can also be shared with others and edited together.
Servers are in the EU, there are no ads, and every feature is free while Readbird is in beta.
How to move your vault
Zip the whole vault folder (or just the part you want). The ZIP is recognised by its Markdown files; the folder’s own configuration inside it is ignored.
How to move the file
- No export is needed: in your file manager compress the vault folder into a ZIP.
- Open Readbird, choose “Add content” and go to the “Move everything to Readbird” block.
- Pick the ZIP as it is. Leave “Transfer note images” on if you want your pictures to come along.
- Wait for the report: how many notes were found, imported and skipped, and why.
What moves over from Obsidian and what does not
| What | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Notes | Moves over | Each Markdown file becomes a note. The title comes from the front matter or the file name. |
| Text and structure | Moves over | Headings (down to three levels), bullet and numbered lists, checklists with their ticked state, quotes, links, bold, italic and strikethrough. |
| Tags | Moves over | Tags from the front matter (tags, labels) and #tags written in the text become labels (up to 100 new labels per import). |
| Date | Partly | The creation date is read from the front matter, or from a file name like 2024-01-15 for daily notes. A note with neither gets the date of the import. |
| Pinned | Moves over | A note with pinned in its front matter stays pinned. |
| [[Wikilinks]] | Partly | They arrive as plain text with the link’s name or alias. Readbird has no link graph, so no clickable links between notes. |
| Pictures | Partly | Pictures embedded by name or by path are moved when the option is on, up to 20 per note. Other attachments are not, and the report counts them. |
| Tables, code blocks and callouts | Partly | Tables and code arrive as plain lines of text, without table or code formatting. A callout arrives as a quote that keeps its [!note] marker in the text. |
| Folders and settings | Does not move | The folder structure is not kept, and Obsidian’s own settings, plugins, canvases and drawings are skipped; the report counts them. |
Limits to know about
- A ZIP can be up to 256 MB with pictures on, 64 MB without them. A bigger vault has to be split into several ZIPs.
- One note keeps up to about 120 KB of text; a longer one is cut and the report counts it.
- The Notes list loads up to 5,000 notes and draws the first 500, then more as you scroll or tap “Show more”. If the import takes you above 5,000, the report says how many of the oldest are not visible in the list; they stay saved and are included in the export.
- Import the same ZIP again and nothing is doubled: notes already in Readbird are recognised and skipped.
Import
Questions about moving from Obsidian
Do I have to export from Obsidian?
No. The vault is a plain folder of Markdown files: zip the folder and load the ZIP.
What happens to my links between notes?
They stay readable as text. Readbird does not have a link graph, so they are not clickable.
Will my plugins and settings come along?
No. The .obsidian folder is skipped on purpose, so that only your notes are read.
Does importing cost anything?
No. Import is free, and so is leaving: one button in Settings exports everything you have in Readbird.
Switching
Bring your vault over
Start with the import window, or simply write your first note.