Smart Connections FAQs
Does Smart Connections cost anything?
#Smart Connections Core is free for Obsidian. You can install Smart Connections for free. Optional advanced workflows are available through Pro plugins.
Do I need an API key?
#Not for Smart Connections Core semantic retrieval.
Core can surface related notes using the default local semantic retrieval path without an API key. API keys only matter if you intentionally enable provider-backed workflows or integrations that require them.
See Getting Started.
Does Smart Connections send my notes to the cloud?
#Smart Connections Core retrieval uses local embeddings by default. Provider-backed workflows are separate and explicit. A configured cloud embedding provider receives eligible source text during embedding; a cloud chat provider receives the prompt and context sent for that request.
Review:
What data does Smart Connections collect?
#Your notes are used by the plugin inside your vault for local retrieval by default. Website, subscription, support, and provider-backed workflows may involve operational data or user-selected context as described in the Privacy Policy.
If you enable a cloud provider, review that provider's terms too.
Does Smart Connections work offline / without internet?
#Connections can stay useful offline after local indexing for the local retrieval path.
Internet may still be needed for installation, updates, model downloads, documentation, subscription services, or provider-backed workflows. Remote integrations remain separate from Core local retrieval.
Can I use Smart Connections on mobile?
#Smart Connections is available on mobile, and Footer connections are included in Core for note-end use without a sidebar. Available controls can vary by platform. If Smart Environment loading is deferred, select Load Smart Environment and wait for Smart Environment ready or Ready.
Will it slow down my vault?
#Initial indexing can be heavier for large vaults. Limit the work with source eligibility, exclusions, result type, and result limits, then evaluate the current vault with a representative retrieval task.
Use:
The current Pro page describes a faster local performance index for 1000+ note workflows. To evaluate the effect in your vault, compare the same representative retrieval task before and after the change.
How do I install Smart Connections?
#Install Smart Connections from Obsidian Community Plugins, enable it, and open one real note. If prompted, select Load Smart Environment and wait for Ready. Then run the command for your edition:
- Core:
Smart Connections: Open: Connections view - Pro:
Smart Connections Pro: Open: Connections view
Preview one result, then drag or open it if useful.
Use the edition label and row action to finish activation. Active means the plugin is loaded; complete any prerequisites and test Connections with a meaningful note.
What is the first thing I should do after installing?
#Open one real note with meaningful text.
Open Connections.
Preview one result.
If the result helps, drag it into the note or open it.
You know it worked when one useful related note from your own vault becomes actionable before you reorganize anything.
Start with one meaningful note, review one readable result, and open the source before acting on it. The mini graph appears when the Pro Graph + List component is selected.
What is the difference between Connections and Lookup?
#Connections is note-first.
Lookup is question-first.
Use this rule:
Current note -> Connections.
Question -> Lookup.
Exact phrase -> Obsidian search.
Learn more:
How is this different from keyword search?
#Smart Connections surfaces notes by meaning, not just matching exact words.
Use Connections when the note you are looking at is the anchor. Use Lookup when a question is the anchor. Use Obsidian search when the exact word, filename, heading, tag, syntax, or regex matters.
Does Smart Connections replace exact search?
#No.
Connections complements exact search. It is for related notes from the current note. Lookup is for question-first semantic search. Obsidian search remains the right tool for exact phrases, filenames, headings, tags, syntax, and regex.
Do I need to reorganize my vault first?
#No.
Your vault can be useful before it is perfectly linked, tagged, or foldered. Start with one working note, preview one result, then drag or open the useful result.
Does Smart Connections replace backlinks?
#No.
Backlinks show links you already made. Connections can surface semantically related notes even when no link exists yet. When a result is useful, drag it into your note to turn relevance into an explicit link.
What does the score mean?
#Score is a ranking signal, not a grade.
Higher scores generally mean a result is closer to the current Connections target according to the selected scoring path, but you should preview the result before acting on it.
The mini graph appears when the Pro Graph + List component is selected.
What the numbers identify:
- The current target.
- The candidate neighborhood in the mini graph.
- The expanded result identity and relative score.
- Source text available for review.
A high score is a reason to inspect the result, not a command to use or link it.
See Connections settings.
What are Pro plugins / what does Connections Pro add?
#The main Connections view and Footer connections are included in Core. Inline connections and Connections in Bases require Pro. Connections Pro also adds advanced controls when a specific need appears.
Examples include:
- Inline connections inside the editor
- Connections in Bases
- advanced result rendering
- path and frontmatter filters
- exclude inlinks/outlinks
- scoring algorithm selection
- ranking/reranking
- larger-vault readiness and index diagnostics
- Smart Graph handoff and additional graph features
What the numbers identify:
- Inline markers can be enabled for paragraph-level discovery.
- The threshold controls when an Inline marker appears.
- Code blocks can be skipped.
- Footer uses its own note-end component choice; its enable toggle is visible above.
Inline controls and Connections in Bases require Pro. Footer remains included in Core even when Pro is active.
See Pro plugins.
Is Footer connections Core or Pro?
#Footer connections are included in Smart Connections Core and remain available when Connections Pro is active.
Use Footer when you want related notes at the bottom of the note without managing a sidebar.
Footer remains a Core feature even when Pro is active.
See Connections footer.
Is Graph Core or Pro?
#The mini graph is available through the Pro Version 4.0 (Graph + List) component. Pro also adds Smart Graph handoff, including opening Connections results as a scope in Smart Graph.
Check the current Connections settings and Smart Graph docs for the exact availability in your installation.
Where does Smart Connections store embeddings / index data?
#Smart Environment stores local index data in your vault, including under .smart-env/.
Review storage, source, model, and exclusion settings in Smart Environment settings.
Syncthing / third-party sync: what should I ignore?
#If you use Syncthing or similar third-party sync, consider adding .smart-env/ to ignore patterns to reduce conflicts.
How do I exclude folders/files from indexing?
#Use Smart Environment exclusions when you want notes or folders excluded from indexing/embedding.
Use Connections filters when you only want to hide or focus displayed results after the dataset exists.
Start with Smart Environment settings, then tune Connections settings.
Notice the global source, exclusion, Embed blocks, and minimum-length controls. After changing them, inspect the affected note before testing Connections again.
How do I hide notes that are already linked from the current note?
#In Connections Pro settings, enable Exclude outlinks. It hides notes already linked from the current note from that note's displayed Connections results. It does not delete the links or remove those notes from Smart Environment.
What the numbers identify:
- The exact Exclude outlinks label and its displayed-result boundary.
- The enabled toggle.
Return to the same anchor. Linked notes should be absent while unrelated results remain. Disable Exclude outlinks when linked notes should be eligible again. See the full procedure.
I installed Smart Connections but do not see results yet. What should I check?
#Use this order:
Notice Needs embedding and the Sources and Blocks coverage cards. Finish preparation before changing Connections Pro ranking settings.
Embedding health and coverage provide the quickest vault-wide readiness check.
- Open a real note with meaningful text.
- If the status says Smart Environment not loaded or Idle, select Load Smart Environment.
- If embedding is paused, open the status view and select Resume embedding. If it shows queued re-import work, select Run re-import.
- Continue when the status view shows Smart Environment ready or Ready, then run the command for your edition:
- Core:
Smart Connections: Open: Connections view - Pro:
Smart Connections Pro: Open: Connections view
- Core:
- If one meaningful note is missing, keep it active and select Inspect active note from the Smart Environment status menu.
- If several notes are missing, select Show stats from the status menu, or Environment stats from the status view, and check eligibility and current embeddings.
- Leave auto-refresh running when results should follow the active note. Use Refresh connections after major edits or settings changes.
What does Sources vs Blocks mean?
#Sources return whole notes for broader, faster context. Blocks return smaller sections for more precise matches when block indexing is configured.
Set Connection results type in Connections settings. Do not confuse this setting with Change target -> History / Blocks, which changes the reference target instead of the result type.
What the numbers identify:
- The Sources or Blocks result type.
- The visible result limit.
- The sidebar location.
- The Connections list component; Graph + List is a Pro option.
Configure this in Connections settings.
How do I tune relevance?
#Do the first win before tuning.
Then adjust the minimum layer that matches the symptom:
In the scoring image:
- Scoring algorithm is the candidate-fit control.
- Cosine Similarity is selected.
- The menu shows the other shipping scoring choices.
- Ranking algorithm remains a separate step below scoring.
In the ranking image:
- Cosine Similarity remains the selected scoring method.
- Ranking algorithm controls the final ordering step.
- None leaves the scored order unchanged.
- The menu shows the available reranking choices.
Change scoring only after the candidate scope is useful. Add ranking only when the right candidates remain in the wrong order, then compare the same note before and after the change.
| Symptom | Try first |
|---|---|
| Results are too broad | Lower limits, switch Sources vs Blocks, or add filters where available. |
| Results come from the wrong area | Use include/exclude filters where available, or Smart Environment exclusions for indexing scope. |
| Results are relevant but ordered poorly | Use Pro scoring/ranking controls where available. |
| Same low-value notes keep returning | Hide noise, then use Connections Pro feedback-aware scoring where available. |
| Similar results look like repeated work | Use Smart Dedupe for review. |
See:
How do I refresh or re-embed a specific note?
#Use Refresh connections when results for the current note feel stale.
For a model or source-rule change, open the Smart Environment status view. Select Resume embedding if embedding is paused, or Run re-import when re-import work is queued. Use Reset data only when Environment source data must be rebuilt.
I changed embedding models but results did not change. Why?
#Selecting a new Default embedding model does not make its embeddings ready immediately. Wait until the status view shows Smart Environment ready or Ready, then use Environment stats to confirm current embedding coverage. See the model-change checklist.
What embedding model does Smart Connections use by default?
#Read Default embedding model in Smart Environment settings. Core provides a built-in local Transformers path, but the selected model can differ by release and profile. Use the model marked Current instead of relying on a remembered default or a retained model card.
Where is Smart Chat?
#Smart Chat is a separate Obsidian plugin.
Smart Connections focuses on related notes. Smart Lookup is another plugin for question-first retrieval. Smart Chat handles chat workflows, thread continuity, and provider routing.
Can I mix Smart Plugins with Obsidian Copilot?
#Yes, you can run Smart Connections alongside Obsidian Copilot. If features overlap, adjust hotkeys and keep the workflows you prefer.
Is Smart Connections open source?
#Smart Connections is source-available under the Smart Plugins License. It is not OSI open source because the license includes restrictions on direct general-purpose competing Obsidian offerings.
See the GitHub repository and license page.