How to Create Block Quotes in Obsidian

Obsidian, a popular note-taking app known for its markdown support and knowledge base creation, offers a range of formatting options to enhance your notes, including the use of block quotes.

Block quotes are a great way to distinguish quoted text, important references, or to highlight a particular piece of information in your notes. In this post, we’ll explore how to effectively use block quotes in Obsidian.

What is a Block Quote?

A block quote is a section of text that is set apart from the main text, usually indicated by a greater indentation and sometimes a different font or formatting style. It’s commonly used to quote passages, highlight significant points, or to visually separate a section of text for emphasis.

Create Block Quotes in Obsidian

Obsidian uses Markdown, a lightweight markup language, for formatting. Here’s how you can create a block quote in Obsidian:

Open or Create a Note

Launch Obsidian and either open an existing note or create a new one by clicking on the ‘New note’ icon.

Start with the Block Quote Syntax

To create a block quote, start a new line with a greater-than symbol > followed by a space. For example:

> This is a block quote.

Add Your Text

After the >, simply continue typing the text that you want to appear in the block quote. The text immediately following the > will be formatted as a block quote.

Customize Block Quotes

You can also customize the look of your block quotes in Obsidian. Here’s how:

Format the Text Within

Within a block quote, you can use other Markdown formatting like bold, italics, or code. Just use the regular Markdown syntax inside your block quote.

Nest Block Quotes

For deeper levels of indentation, use multiple > symbols. Each additional > symbol will create a further indented block quote. For example:

> This is the first level of the block quote.
>> This is a nested block quote.

Tips for Using Block Quotes Effectively

• Highlight Important Information: Use block quotes to highlight key points or important quotes in your notes.
• Keep it Readable: While block quotes are great for emphasis, use them sparingly to ensure your notes remain easy to read.
• Combine with Other Features: Try combining block quotes with Obsidian’s linking features to reference other notes or external sources effectively.

Block quotes in Obsidian are a fantastic tool for organizing your notes and emphasizing important pieces of information. By understanding how to use and customize block quotes, you can make your notes more effective and visually appealing.