# 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.

# Create a new note

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.

# Formatting text

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 more

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.