Markdown syntax · Obsidian

Markdown Callouts
Note, tip, and warning boxes, Obsidian-style

You want a callout in Markdown, one of those colored note, tip, or warning boxes with an icon. The syntax is a blockquote with a special first line: > [!NOTE]. Here is how to write them, the types you can use, and how they render.

One honest note up front: callouts are an Obsidian-flavored extension, not part of standard Markdown, so where they turn into a nice box depends on the tool.

The callout syntax

A callout is a blockquote whose first line is > [!TYPE]:

> [!NOTE]
> This is a note callout.
> It can run across several lines.

The type name is case-insensitive, so [!note], [!NOTE], and [!Note] are the same. Because it is built on the blockquote, a tool that does not understand callouts simply shows it as a normal quote with [!NOTE] as the first line. GitHub supports a smaller version of this called alerts; Obsidian has the fuller set that NoteLoom follows.

The callout types

NoteLoom renders 13 canonical types, each with its own icon and color, and several accept aliases that map to the same style:

Type Aliases
note (default)
abstract summary, tldr
info (none)
todo (none)
tip hint, important
success check, done
question help, faq
warning caution, attention
failure fail, missing
danger error
bug (none)
example (none)
quote cite

An alias shows the title of the type it maps to. For example [!important] renders with the tip style and title, not a separate "Important" one.

Collapsible callouts

Add a sign right after the type to control whether the box can fold:

  • [!note]+ is collapsible and open by default.
  • [!note]- is collapsible and starts collapsed, showing just the title bar.
  • [!note] with no sign is a static card that does not fold.

Opening or closing a callout by hand is a view state only, and it is not written back to the .md file, the same as in Obsidian. Reopen the note and it returns to the default set by the + or -.

Custom titles

Put text after the type, and the optional + or -, to replace the default title:

> [!tip] A handy shortcut
> The body of the callout goes here.

> [!warning]- Click to see the caveats
> This one starts collapsed, with a custom title.

One honest limit: the custom title shows as plain text for now, so Markdown inside the title (bold, links) is not rendered.

How they render, and the honest limits

NoteLoom renders callouts Obsidian-compatibly, so a note you wrote in Obsidian shows the same boxes when you open it in the browser, and vice versa. A few boundaries worth knowing:

  • Unknown types do not break: an unrecognized type like [!madeup] still renders as a card, using the note style with the type name as its title. This matches Obsidian; on GitHub the same thing degrades to a plain quote.
  • The [!type] must be alone on the blockquote's first line.
  • Only top-level blockquotes are read as callouts; a callout nested inside another quote (>> [!note]) is not recognized.

Because callouts are just a blockquote underneath, they stay plain, portable Markdown. If yours are showing as a raw [!NOTE] line, the tool is not rendering callouts, which is the same class of issue as Markdown not rendering.

Related reading

How to write a blockquote in Markdown Callouts are built on the blockquote, so this is the foundation. Are Obsidian notes just Markdown? Where callouts fit among Obsidian's non-standard, still-plain-text extras. Open an Obsidian vault without Obsidian? Read and edit your vault, callouts and all, in the browser. Markdown not rendering? The common gotchas When a callout shows as a raw [!NOTE] line.

FAQ

How do you make a callout in Markdown?
Start a blockquote whose first line is "> [!TYPE]" on its own, then put the content on the lines below: "> [!NOTE]" and then "> your text". The type, such as NOTE, TIP, or WARNING, sets the icon and color of the box.
Are callouts standard Markdown?
No. The "> [!TYPE]" syntax is an Obsidian-flavored extension; GitHub supports a smaller set of the same idea called alerts. It is built on the blockquote, so a tool that does not support callouts shows it as a normal quote with "[!TYPE]" as the first line of text.
What callout types can I use?
NoteLoom supports 13 types: note, abstract, info, todo, tip, success, question, warning, failure, danger, bug, example, and quote. Several also accept aliases, for example summary or tldr for abstract, hint or important for tip, and caution or attention for warning.
How do you make a collapsible callout?
Add a "+" or "-" right after the type: "[!note]+" is collapsible and open by default, "[!note]-" is collapsible and starts collapsed, and "[!note]" with no sign is a static card. Note that opening or closing it by hand is a view state and is not written back to the .md file, the same behavior as Obsidian.
Can I set a custom callout title?
Yes. Put text after the type (and the optional + or -): "> [!tip] My own title". In NoteLoom the custom title shows as plain text; Markdown inside the title is not rendered for now.
Will my Obsidian callouts render outside Obsidian?
In NoteLoom, yes, they render Obsidian-compatibly, so a note written in Obsidian looks the same. In a plain Markdown tool they degrade to a normal blockquote with the "[!TYPE]" line shown as text. Nothing is lost either way, it is all still plain text in the .md.

See your callouts render in the browser

Open NoteLoom in Chrome / Edge / Arc, open a .md file with callouts, and watch the note, tip, and warning boxes render, Obsidian-compatibly, saved straight back to the file. No install and no account.

Open NoteLoom and try it