tags: [system/windows, obsidian/workflow, technical/linking] created: 2026-01-05 updated: 2026-01-06

File Linking: Symlinks & Junctions

Obsidian operates in a security sandbox (Electron) that often prevents it from rendering or editing files located outside of the vault, especially when those files reside on a different drive (e.g., C: to D:).

1. Same-Drive Linking (D: to D:)

When the source file and the vault are on the same drive, a standard Symbolic Link is sufficient.

Command: mklink "Path\In\Vault\LinkName.md" "D:\Source\Path\ActualFile.md"
Benefit: Allows semantic renaming (e.g., CLAUDE-monorepo.md) without changing the original filename.

2. Cross-Drive Linking (C: to D:)

Obsidian often sees cross-drive Symlinks as empty 0-byte files. To fix this, use a Junction Bridge.

The Technique: Link the Folder using a Junction (/J), then link the File from that junctioned folder to your vault root.
Rule: Junctions (/J) only work for Folders. Files must use standard mklink.

3. Semantic Naming (Differentiate Global vs Project)

To have multiple files named CLAUDE.md appear in your vault with unique names (like CLAUDE-global.md), the link must exist outside the source folder.

The “Two-Step Bridge” Example (C: to D:):

Run these in Command Prompt (Admin) to link a Global Config from C: to a D: vault:

Create the Folder Bridge: mklink /J "D:\FSS\KB\...\Claude_Config_Folder" "C:\Users\Admin\.config\claude"
Create the Semantic File Link: mklink "D:\FSS\KB\...\CLAUDE-global.md" "D:\FSS\KB\...\Claude_Config_Folder\CLAUDE.md"

4. Cleaning the UI (The “Hidden Bridge”)

Technical “Bridge” folders (like Claude_Config_Folder) can be hidden from the Obsidian Sidebar to keep the workspace clean.

Action: Go to Settings > Files & Links > Excluded files and add the bridge folder path.
Result: Only the semantically labeled .md files remain visible.
Note: Obsidian’s native “Excluded files” setting hides folders from Search/Switcher but not the Sidebar. To hide from the Sidebar, use the File Hider plugin or a CSS Snippet.

Summary Table

Feature	Symlink (`mklink`)	Junction (`mklink /J`)
Target	Files or Folders	Folders Only
Cross-Drive Rendering	Unreliable in Obsidian	Highly Reliable
Naming	Can be custom (LinkName.md)	Matches Source Folder
Best Use	Individual files on same drive	Bridging different drives (C: to D:)

Critical Rules

Naming: Links MUST end in .md (e.g., CLAUDE-global.md) to render.
Ampersands: Never use & in folder names; it breaks CMD commands. Use “and”.
Permissions: Always run CMD as Administrator.