Default Template
raeperd9k downloadsAutomatically apply templates to new notes with user-configurable template selection.
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Automatically apply your chosen template to every new note. No more manual template insertion—just create notes and get consistent structure instantly.
For minimalists: You don't need the complexity of Templater just for default templates. This plugin does one thing and does it well—fast, simple, no bloat.
Features
- Set once, forget forever — Choose any template file, never manually insert again
- Works everywhere — Ctrl+N, clicking non-existent links, any note creation method
- Folder templates — Different templates for different folders with hierarchy fallback
- Ignore paths — Skip template application for specific folders
- Template variables — Processes
{{date}},{{time}},{{title}}like the official Templates plugin - Zero interference — No template selected? Plugin does nothing
Quick Start
- Enable the plugin in Settings → Community Plugins
- Go to plugin settings and click Select template
- Choose any
.mdfile from your vault — done!
Template Variables
| Variable | Output | Description |
|---|---|---|
{{title}} |
My New Note |
Note filename |
{{date}} |
2024-01-15 |
Current date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
{{time}} |
14:30 |
Current time (HH:mm) |
Format strings supported:
| Example | Output |
|---|---|
{{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} |
2024-01-15 |
{{date:dddd, MMMM Do YYYY}} |
Monday, January 15th 2024 |
{{time:HH:mm:ss}} |
14:30:25 |
{{time:h:mm A}} |
2:30 PM |
Uses Moment.js format tokens — same as Obsidian's official Templates plugin.
Example Template
---
created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}}
---
# {{title}}
## Notes
Folder Templates
Assign different templates to specific folders. Notes in Projects/ can use a project template while notes in Journal/ use a daily template.
Hierarchy fallback: If Projects/Work/ClientA/ has no template, it checks Projects/Work/, then Projects/, then falls back to default.
Wildcards: * matches any part of one folder name, and ** matches any number of folders.
| Pattern | Matches |
|---|---|
Clients/*/People |
Clients/Acme/People/, not Clients/Acme/Team/People/ |
Clients/Acme* |
Clients/Acme/, Clients/Acme Corp/ |
**/People |
every folder named People, at any depth |
When several entries match, the one matching the deepest folder wins, the same as hierarchy fallback. Clients/** counts as matching Clients/, so Clients/Acme still wins inside Clients/Acme/. At the same depth, an exact path wins over a pattern. Other glob syntax such as ? or {a,b} is not supported.
Ignore Paths
Exclude folders where templates shouldn't be applied. Useful for scratch notes, temporary files, or areas where templates would be intrusive.
Installation
Community Plugins (Recommended)
- Open Settings → Community Plugins
- Click Browse and search for "Default Template"
- Click Install then Enable
Manual Installation
Download the latest release and extract files to VaultFolder/.obsidian/plugins/obsidian-default-template/
BRAT (Beta Testing)
Add https://github.com/raeperd/obsidian-default-template in BRAT settings.
References
- Templates Plugin - Obsidian Help
- Feature request thread (3+ years of user requests)