Read Only ViewKeep selected Obsidian notes in Reading view and prevent accidental edits.

Get started ​

In Obsidian, open Settings → Community plugins → Browse, search for Read Only View, then select Install and Enable. Requires Obsidian 1.10.3 or newer; supports desktop and mobile.

Find your workflow ​

• How do I keep all Obsidian notes in Reading view?: use All Markdown files or an Include glob **.
• Make one note read-only: keep a reference note in Reading view.
• Make a folder read-only: protect Reference/ or Archive/ while leaving drafts editable.
• Prevent accidental editing: separate reading from deliberate editing.
• Use Reading view on mobile: browse notes on a phone or tablet.

See Path rules for matching syntax and Path tester for diagnostics.

Questions about path rules ​

• How do I keep daily notes editable in a read-only vault?

• How do I protect a folder without its subfolders?

• Why is my note read-only or still editable?

• Can I protect a folder but leave one note editable?

• Can I use an Obsidian URL, system path, or vault path?

• Can I temporarily disable a rule without deleting its path?

• How do I check whether a note will be read-only?

• Can I use wildcards in path rules?

• Can I make path matching case-sensitive?

What protection means ​

Read Only View returns matching Markdown notes to Reading view and blocks editor input in supported Markdown editors. It changes Obsidian view behavior; it does not change filesystem permissions, rewrite your Markdown files, or prevent other applications from editing them. See the FAQ for limitations and temporary editing.