Finder PDF

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Export Markdown from the macOS Finder context menu using Obsidian's native PDF renderer and your vault's export settings.

• Export .md and .markdown files from any folder, without importing them into a vault or opening the notes.
• Save a PDF with the same name beside the source file by default.
• If that name already exists, save as name(1).pdf, name(2).pdf, and so on, without opening a save dialog.
• Export without activating Obsidian's main window when the target vault is already running.

The plugin provides one Finder entry, with no settings page, standalone app, additional renderer, or background service. Read Compatibility and limitations before use, especially the cold-start behavior.

Installation and use

Requires macOS, Obsidian 1.14.4+, and a local vault where community plugins can be enabled. Python 3 is needed to generate the Finder Quick Action; routine exports do not require Python or Node.js.

Install from Obsidian (0.2.1+)

Starting with 0.2.1, the preferred installation route is the Obsidian community directory. A release must complete the directory's review and be published before it becomes installable in Obsidian. App search can take up to 24 hours to reflect a successful review, according to the official announcement. If Finder PDF does not appear in search yet, use the manual alternative below.

1. Open Settings → Community plugins in the vault you want to use for PDF rendering. Turn on community plugins if needed.
2. Select Browse and search for Finder PDF.
3. Open the Finder PDF entry for Schnee013/obsidian-finder-pdf, select Install, then Enable.
4. Continue with Set up the Finder Quick Action below. Installing the plugin does not create the macOS Finder action.

Manual alternative

1. Download finder-pdf-VERSION.zip from GitHub Releases and extract it.
2. Place the finder-pdf folder in the target vault's .obsidian/plugins/ directory. Replace .obsidian if your vault uses a custom configuration folder.
3. Enable Finder PDF in Obsidian's community plugin settings.

Set up the Finder Quick Action

For either installation method, download and extract the ZIP from the matching GitHub release to obtain the setup script. If you installed from Obsidian, use the ZIP's script without copying its plugin files into the vault again.

1. In the package's finder-pdf folder, run the following command. Replace Your Vault Name with the name of the vault where you enabled the plugin; use a vault ID if names are ambiguous.

python3 scripts/finder-action.py --vault 'Your Vault Name' \
  --output "$HOME/Library/Services/Export PDF with Obsidian.workflow"

2. Enable Export PDF with Obsidian in macOS System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions → Finder. The location can vary by macOS version.
3. Select Markdown files in Finder, then right-click → Quick Actions → Export PDF with Obsidian. Some macOS versions also list it under Services.

You can assign a keyboard shortcut, such as ⌃⌥⌘P, in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Services. The script does not change shortcuts or enable the plugin for you.

Plugin messages follow Obsidian's app language: Chinese languages use Chinese messages, and other languages use English. The Finder action's menu language is chosen when you generate it: English is the default; add --language zh for Chinese. This choice is independent of Obsidian's language. Use one workflow bundle, and regenerate the same --output path when changing its menu language.

The selected vault supplies the theme, CSS, plugin rendering, and PDF export settings. Exporting leaves the source Markdown unchanged. Existing PDFs are preserved: the plugin tries name.pdf, then name(1).pdf, name(2).pdf, and so on until it can create a new file. It uses the first available name, including gaps in the numbered sequence. Concurrent exports retry the next number without rerendering or asking for a filename.

To update a community-directory installation, open Settings → Community plugins → Check for updates, then select Update beside Finder PDF. For a manual installation, replace the release files in the plugin folder and re-enable the plugin. Rerun the generation script when updating the Quick Action. To uninstall, disable and remove the plugin, then delete ~/Library/Services/Export PDF with Obsidian.workflow, or the workflow path you chose.

Compatibility and limitations

• Background export: when the target vault is open, exports skip the URI's foreground activation. Filename conflicts are resolved automatically in the source folder. Rendering may still require native trust prompts.
• Cold start: the Quick Action starts Obsidian when needed. In the original manual checks, a cold start still showed the main window despite hidden, background launch options: the main app creates it before the plugin loads. Keep the target vault running in the background if the main window must stay hidden.
• Internal APIs: native PDF export and URI dispatch use Obsidian's internal interfaces. The minimum version is the tested 1.14.4. Future upgrades need retesting; compatibility with all future versions is not guaranteed.
• Platform: macOS only. The plugin uses Node.js and Electron and is marked desktop-only in the manifest. There is no Finder entry on Windows, Linux, or mobile.
• External references: notes outside the vault use Obsidian's external-file support. Images, links, and embeds remain subject to native resolution and access permissions. The plugin does not search the whole disk for notes with matching names.

File and network access

The plugin reads external Markdown and its referenced resources in response to Finder requests. It writes a new PDF beside the source, using a numbered name when necessary, then removes the export's temporary files. It does not modify notes, overwrite existing PDFs, scan the whole disk, collect telemetry, use accounts, upload files, or make its own network requests.

The desktop plugin uses Node.js filesystem APIs to validate the requested source path and save PDFs outside the vault. This is necessary for exporting Markdown selected in arbitrary Finder folders; it can trigger the directory's Direct Filesystem Access warning. Obsidian's developer policies allow outside-vault access when its purpose is disclosed.

When a document includes remote images or other resources, Obsidian's native renderer may access those URLs. The plugin preserves Mermaid and third-party rendering plugins' trust and execution permissions.

The Finder workflow passes paths through the local obsidian://finder-pdf URI and does not start an HTTP service. Users generate the workflow manually. The plugin does not install or update itself, other plugins, or dependencies.

Development and structure

Development requires Node.js 22.6+ and Python 3. Dependency versions are pinned in package-lock.json and use the official npm registry.

npm ci --ignore-scripts --registry=https://registry.npmjs.org
npm test
npm run package

npm run package type-checks and builds the TypeScript source, validates versions and the license, then writes release files to dist/. Use npm run build to compile without packaging.

The build produces the CommonJS main.js loaded by Obsidian. Build output, dependencies, and local configuration are kept out of the source repository. The plugin has no third-party runtime dependencies; it uses the interfaces provided by Obsidian and Node.js/Electron.

The native adapter briefly replaces a Modal method while synchronously capturing the exporter, then restores it immediately. Files are first exported to a temporary folder in the destination directory. After the print window closes, processing resumes on the browser event loop. PDF validation, exclusive numbered copying, and cleanup then use synchronous filesystem operations to avoid an older Electron child-window callback issue that can leave asynchronous operations unfinished. This final file-processing step runs on the desktop main thread. The project does not copy or distribute Obsidian's implementation code.

Validation scope

Manual validation of the original 0.1.0 exporter: macOS 26.0.1, Obsidian 1.14.4 (installer 1.8.9 / Electron 34.3.0), on 2026-10-13.

• The Finder Quick Action exported Markdown outside the vault to a same-name PDF beside the source.
• Consecutive exports, exports with the app running, and cold-start exports produced valid PDFs. Window behavior is described under Compatibility and limitations.
• Chinese text, tables, math, code, callouts, and relative-path images were checked. Native Mermaid trust prompts were retained.

Native Finder checks of 0.2.2 on the same machine verified two consecutive exports with existing PDFs. Both saved valid numbered PDFs, preserved the original Markdown and PDF bytes, and cleaned their own temporary directories.

Automated checks cover ascending filename numbering, gaps, concurrent exports, occupied names, failure protection, localized errors, workflow metadata, menu languages, and argument encoding. A plugin integration test uses mocked Obsidian interfaces to exercise numbered exports and rejects Electron dialog or window-focus requests. CI does not run Obsidian and cannot replace checks of native rendering. The English interface, a fresh system installation, and other macOS/Obsidian versions have not been manually validated.

Versions and releases

Version changes are recorded in CHANGELOG.md. To release:

1. Synchronize the version in manifest.json, package.json, and package-lock.json. Maintain the corresponding minimum Obsidian version in versions.json, and update the changelog.
2. Run the checks above, commit and push the source, and confirm CI passes. Run the Release artifacts workflow on main, download its finder-pdf-release artifact, and verify the build attestations before publishing. The tag must exactly match the manifest version, for example 0.2.1, without a v prefix.
3. Upload the verified main.js, manifest.json, finder-pdf-VERSION.zip, and SHA256SUMS to the GitHub Release, targeting the workflow's exact source commit. Obsidian downloads the first two files. The ZIP contains the Finder setup script, license, and both installation guides; the ZIP and checksums are supporting downloads, so the directory may recommend ignoring them for in-app installation.

The package uses fixed file metadata, checksums let users verify downloads, and GitHub build attestations establish the assets' source and build workflow. Release review and publication in the community directory follow the official submission guide, developer policies, and plugin requirements.

License

MIT © 2026 Schnee013. This is an independent community plugin and is not affiliated with Obsidian.