# Create your first note

Notes in Obsidian are stored as plain text files. This means your data is durable and not locked into a proprietary format. By writing your notes in plain text, they'll outlive any app—even Obsidian itself.

To create a new note:

1. Press Ctrl+N (or Cmd+N on macOS) on your keyboard.
2. Type "Obsidian" as the name of your note and press Enter.
3. Copy and paste the following text into your note:

Obsidian is the private and flexible writing app that adapts to the way you think.

Manage notes > ^blockquote system limitation

Obsidian supports Markdown syntax to make text bold, italic, and add links and headings.

1. Copy and paste the following text at the top of the Obsidian note:

   # Sharpen your thinking.

   The hash symbol (#) turns a line of text into a heading.

2. In your note, select any text and press Ctrl+B (or Cmd+B on macOS) to make it bold.

To learn more about how to format your notes using Markdown, refer to Basic formatting syntax.

Learn how to link notes to create a network of connected thoughts.

You may also want to check out the Sandbox vault to explore other features of the application.