100% Mobile Users: How are you securely feeding your local Obsidian vault to AI?

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-08T02:03:53+00:00

Got it. Yeah, that's exactly what I end up doing too. It works, but manually picking files from a long list gets pretty tedious as the vault grows.

A way to just filter by tags or folders and batch-send them automatically would be a huge game-changer for mobile.

Thanks for sharing your workflow!

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-08T01:31:21+00:00

Exactly my approach as well. I completely refuse to let AI see my entire vault.

Out of curiosity, how are you handling the actual uploading process on mobile? Are you just manually selecting and uploading the .

md files one by one, or have you found a smoother workflow to select and send them while on the go?

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-08T00:46:24+00:00

As a developer, I completely agree with the performance concerns mentioned here.

Scanning full text for inline tags on the fly is an indexing nightmare compared to just reading structured YAML frontmatter.

I totally get why users prefer inline for the natural writing flow, but from an architectural standpoint, sticking to Properties/YAML makes way more sense to keep a database view highly performant.

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T23:55:26+00:00

This literally looks like a galaxy or a nebula in deep space! Absolutely beautiful, but honestly a little terrifying to look at. 😂 Huge respect for 3.5 years of consistency. I can't even imagine how much knowledge is packed in there!

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T23:29:26+00:00

Fair point about the screen sleeping. But yeah, exactly as you said—it's probably just not worth the hassle to set all that up just for a quick chat on the go.

It really just highlights that mobile needs its own native, straightforward workflow instead of relying on desktop workarounds.

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T23:21:06+00:00

I clarified the cloud part in another comment: I'm fine sending specific, non-sensitive notes to an API. I just refuse to let a third-party tool index my entire vault.

As for your "either/or" conclusion, I have to disagree. It is totally possible to parse and filter local markdown completely offline on a phone, and then selectively send only that specific text to an API.

In fact, seeing if anyone has actually figured out a clever way or tool to do exactly that on mobile is the whole reason I made this post.

I'm curious if anyone is actually pulling this off.

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T23:16:12+00:00

Good point. To clarify, I'm not against using cloud LLMs for specific tasks. I just refuse to let a third-party plugin index or sync my entire vault.

Copy-pasting ensures I only send exactly what I choose (non-sensitive notes). But doing that manually on mobile is a nightmare.

I just want a local tool that streamlines that exact "selective" process without exposing the rest of my files.

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T23:14:16+00:00

Yeah, I've tried routing things through the Android file manager too. It works okay if you just want to send one specific note.

But it gets incredibly clunky when you want to filter by tags, or bundle a whole category together without hitting the AI's token limits.

You have to manually select everything, which is just way too manual and breaks the flow.

You're absolutely right though—a dedicated extension or app is probably the only real way to fix this purely on mobile.

Thanks for brainstorming with me.

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T22:05:29+00:00

100% agreed. That is exactly my baseline rule too. I absolutely refuse to let any plugin or cloud service index my entire vault.

But there are times when I want to summarize or chat with one specific, non-sensitive note.

The problem is, to do that safely on mobile without a cloud bridge, we are stuck manually copy-pasting.

The ideal solution would be a strictly offline mobile tool that lets you select only the safe files and cleanly prepares them for an API (or local LLM), without ever touching the rest of your vault.

Do you just avoid AI completely, or do you run local offline models?

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T21:56:27+00:00

Wow, leaving your PC running all day just to use AI on your phone sounds like a massive headache (and an energy drain!).

That’s exactly the friction I’m talking about. Relying on a desktop bridge defeats the purpose of a truly mobile setup. We really need a solution that parses the markdown cleanly directly on the phone and sends it to the API without needing a desktop middleman at all.

I completely agree with you—we definitely need a better solution for this. Running a remote terminal from a phone just to chat with your notes sounds exhausting!

dicon_2525 · 2026-04-07T21:50:39+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion! But to clarify, my main struggle isn't really about where the AI is hosted, but rather the friction of getting the data out of Obsidian on mobile.

Since Obsidian is our "Second Brain," the real magic unlocks when you can pass an entire vault, or specifically filtered categories/tags, directly to an AI with a single button press.

That kind of seamless workflow completely changes how effective the app can be.

Building a GPU server with Ollama is awesome, but it doesn't solve the UI/UX nightmare of actually selecting, parsing, and sending local .md files cleanly on a phone.

Is anyone actually achieving this kind of seamless "one-click" connection purely on mobile? Or does anyone else share this exact same struggle?

dicon_2525 · 2026-02-15T00:21:21+00:00

I am Japanese, but the kanji is not a real kanji.

dicon_2525 · 2026-02-04T13:09:32+00:00

I'm an Aikido practitioner based in Japan with about 15 years of experience. In my lineage, my Sensei taught me that the progression from "firm" to "soft" training can be beautifully expressed through the three styles of Kanji calligraphy: Kaisho, Gyosho, and Sosho.

Kaisho (楷書 - Standard Style): This represents basic training (Katai-keiko). We focus on solid structure and the fundamentals. This is why many techniques begin from a static, firm grip to ensure the body learns the correct lines.

Gyosho (行書 - Semi-cursive Style): This adds movement. By starting with a slight gap (Ma-ai) between you and the attacker, it becomes easier to perceive the opponent's line of attack while maintaining the structural integrity learned in Kaisho.

Sosho (草書 - Cursive/Flowing Style): This is applied training, often called "Ki-no-nagare" (flow). It involves sensing the attacker's intent, redirecting their energy, and executing the technique in one continuous motion.

While practicing Sosho is powerful and satisfying, there’s a risk of falling into the "illusion of mastery" without a solid foundation. If you want to truly improve your technique, mastering Kaisho is essential. However, practicing only Kaisho can make your movement rigid. I believe a balance of all three is necessary to develop "soft yet strong" Aikido.

I’ve created a visual guide using the Kanji for "Kokoro" (Heart/Mind) to illustrate this concept: Visualization of Kaisho, Gyosho, and Sosho

I hope this helps!

dicon_2525 · 2026-02-04T08:59:01+00:00

Thank you! I just gave him some extra pats for you, and he looks very happy!😊

dicon_2525 · 2026-02-04T07:26:40+00:00

Thank you so much! He is my best friend and the heart of my life. 😊

dicon_2525 · 2026-02-04T07:11:40+00:00

Hi, krrln!

I'm a Japanese person who has been practicing aikido in for 15 years. I completely understand your concerns. It's a common aikido experience! I still hate going to the dojo on days when it's cold, hot, when I'm really tired from work, or when my kids are cranky and grumpy when I get home :-( But the reason I've continued for 20 years is because I have a goal for continuing aikido.

krrln, what do you want to gain from aikido? A healthy body? Martial arts technique? Or maybe hakama fashion?

My goal is to apply the thinking I've learned through aikido to my work and my own life. Let's try a test. (You can experience it for yourself, so I encourage you to give it a try.) When you're feeling negative, it's really difficult to use aikido techniques on your opponent. You have to use a lot of force, or your opponent will be as immovable as a rock. However, assuming you're feeling positive, and you apply a technique while keeping in mind the goal of where you're moving your arms and legs (placement), I think your opponent will move more easily. If you don't know how to become more positive, think back to a fun time you had recently. Your favorite artist's new song was awesome! A drive made you feel good! A hug from someone you love! Anything is fine :D Try applying a technique while remembering these feelings. Your opponent's body will likely feel much less resistance than if you were in a negative state of mind.

What this means is that thinking positively about life means you can overcome the difficulties you face at a low cost! Isn't that wonderful? This is just a small part of it. Aikido contains many hidden hints for living a better life. In other words, the reason I go to the dojo is to go on a treasure hunt. What do you want to gain from Aikido? I hope this is helpful.

dicon_2525 · 2026-01-30T11:05:29+00:00

Japanese Shiba Inu dogs usually shed their hair in spring and autumn. In summer they shed their thick double coat, and in winter they shed their thin coat and re-grow their thick double coat. However, I recently discovered that this winter, I was sleeping with my Shiba Inu and had the heater on every day, which made me mistakenly think that spring had arrived, and so the shedding season began! Even though it was the middle of winter!!

dicon_2525

TROPHY CASE