Dictate into Obsidian and Markdown notes on Mac
Parlo for Mac dictates directly into Obsidian like any other app. Hold Option, speak, and release, and the cleaned text lands at your cursor in the open note. You can also export your Parlo notes as Markdown into a folder, such as an Obsidian vault, with Export All or auto-export. Markdown export is Mac only.
Obsidian's own description of itself is that it "stores your notes locally as plain text Markdown files." That makes it a natural fit for a dictation app that can either type directly into it or hand it files from the outside. Parlo for Mac supports both paths. This guide covers dictating straight into an open note and exporting existing notes into a vault.
Why does a Markdown-based app fit Parlo well?
Obsidian stores each note as its own text file, so nothing about how Parlo hands over text needs to change to work with it. A direct dictation lands as typed characters, the same as if you had typed them yourself. An exported note lands as a file in the exact format Obsidian already expects. Neither path depends on Obsidian-specific integration work, which is also why the same flow works for any other Markdown-based notes app.
How do you dictate directly into Obsidian?
Parlo for Mac treats Obsidian like any other app on your Mac, since it inserts text at your cursor rather than integrating through a plugin.
- Open the note in Obsidian where you want the text to land, and place your cursor.
- Hold Option and speak. Release Option when you are done.
- The text is transcribed and cleaned on your Mac, then inserted at your cursor, the same as it would be in any other app.
You can also double-tap Option to lock hands-free dictation for a longer stretch of writing, then double-tap again to stop.
Does Parlo need to confirm Obsidian is in front first?
Yes. Before inserting, Parlo checks that Obsidian is the frontmost app, then sends the text as a paste. If that check fails, for example because focus moved to another window mid-dictation, the text stays on your clipboard instead. Parlo tells you it was copied to the clipboard rather than silently failing.
How does Markdown export work?
Markdown export writes your Parlo notes as plain Markdown files, which is exactly the format Obsidian reads. Filenames are deterministic per note, so exporting the same note twice overwrites the existing file rather than creating a second copy.
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Export All | Writes every note in your history as a Markdown file into a folder you choose |
| Auto-export | Writes new and edited notes into that folder automatically, going forward |
| Filenames | Deterministic per note, so re-export overwrites instead of duplicating |
| Network use | None. Export writes local files only |
Point either feature at your Obsidian vault folder. Exported notes appear there as ordinary Markdown files, readable and searchable inside Obsidian like any note you wrote by hand.
Are exported files encrypted?
No. Exported files are plain Markdown in the folder you chose. They are not encrypted, so protect that folder the way you protect the rest of your vault. That is different from a note still inside Parlo, which stays encrypted at rest on the device. It also differs from a synced transcript, which is end-to-end encrypted in your private iCloud. Once a note is exported to disk, it takes on whatever protection the folder itself has, such as FileVault or your Obsidian vault's own settings.
Does auto-export slow anything down or need a connection?
No. Auto-export writes files to disk on your Mac. It does not use the network, and it does not depend on any external service being reachable. A note is written out as soon as it is created or edited, whether or not you have an internet connection at the time.
Can I search my notes from outside Obsidian and the Mac app?
Yes, on Mac. Settings can install an MCP server that lets tools such as Claude Desktop search, list, and read your dictation history directly. It runs over a local stdio connection, with no network involved. That is separate from exporting to Obsidian: the MCP server reads your notes in place, while export writes them out as files. Its search is keyword based, so every word in your search has to appear in a note, not a search by meaning.
Is dictating into Obsidian different from dictating into Notes-style apps?
Not from Parlo's side. Parlo for Mac inserts text into whatever app has focus. Obsidian, a plain text editor, and a notes app all receive text the same way, through the hold-Option hotkey and a confirmed paste. What is specific to Obsidian is that its native file format happens to match what Export All and auto-export already produce.
Does exporting work on iPhone too?
No. Markdown export writes files to disk on the Mac, which the iPhone app does not do, so export itself is a Mac feature. Dictating into a Markdown-based app on iPhone still works through the Parlo keyboard, the same as in any other app with a text field. What does not carry over is writing your history out as files.
Can you search your notes before deciding what to export?
Yes. The Mac Notes window is a searchable list of your notes with editing and the same on-device transforms available on iPhone. One of those turns a rough dictation into a shorter draft. You can find the notes worth keeping in Obsidian before running Export All, rather than exporting everything in your history at once.
What should you use if you only want new notes going forward?
Turn on auto-export instead of running Export All repeatedly. Auto-export writes new and edited notes into your chosen folder as you create them. Your Obsidian vault stays current without a manual export step each time. Export All suits a one-time move of your existing history into a vault you have just set up. It is not meant for ongoing, everyday use once that first move is done.
Is this reliable in a beta?
It is a beta. Dictating into Obsidian, the hold-Option hotkey, and Markdown export all work every day for our testers. Rough edges are listed on the beta page. If export or dictation behaves differently than this guide describes, reply to beta@parlokey.com with what happened, which feature was involved, and your macOS version.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a plugin to dictate into Obsidian?
No. Parlo for Mac works with any app, including Obsidian, through the same hold-Option hotkey. No Obsidian plugin is involved.
How do notes get from Parlo into my vault?
Either you dictate directly into an open Obsidian note, or you export existing Parlo notes as Markdown files into a folder you point at your vault.
What happens if I export the same note twice?
Filenames are deterministic per note, so re-exporting overwrites the existing file rather than creating a duplicate.
Can I choose which folder auto-export writes to?
Yes. Point Export All or auto-export at any folder in Settings, including your Obsidian vault.
Are exported files encrypted?
No. They are plain Markdown files in the folder you chose, so protect that folder the way you protect the rest of your vault.
Can I search my notes from outside Obsidian and the Mac app?
Yes, on Mac. Settings can install an MCP server so tools such as Claude Desktop can search, list, and read your dictation history locally.