Obsidian AI Agent: 5 Plugins That Read and Edit Your Vault
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Obsidian has no AI agent built in, but five free community plugins add one. An AI agent goes further than a chatbot: it searches your vault, reads notes, then creates or edits them over several steps, asking you before changes you haven't allowed. Because a vault is a folder of Markdown files, agents built for code work on notes too.
The five, all free to install:
- Copilot runs OpenCode, Claude Code or Codex as its Agent. The most downloaded AI plugin.
- Claudian runs six coding agents, including Claude Code and Codex, with an inline diff for edits.
- Agent Client runs any agent that speaks the Agent Client Protocol, such as Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI.
- Vault Operator, formerly Obsilo Agent, is its own agent on the model of your choice, local ones included, with undo checkpoints.
- SystemSculpt runs Claude Code or Codex on desktop, and its own hosted agent on desktop and mobile.
We make SystemSculpt, so this guide names where the others fit better. Plugin facts checked November 2 and 3, 2026, against each plugin's README and the Obsidian plugin directory; SystemSculpt steps match version 6.18.10.
Which agent fits
| Plugin | The agent it runs | Asks before changes | Phone | What it costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copilot | OpenCode, Claude Code or Codex | You pick a permission choice, such as Safe, Plan or Auto | Agent is desktop only | Free with your agent account, a key or a local model; Plus $14.99 a month adds hosted models |
| Claudian | Claude Code, Codex, Grok Build, OpenCode, Pi or DeepSeek Harness | Not listed in its README; inline edits show a diff | Desktop only | Free; needs the agent's subscription or API provider |
| Agent Client | Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI and any ACP agent | Before each action, unless you turn on auto-allow | Desktop only | Free; needs the agent's account |
| Vault Operator | Its own agent, on a cloud key, a ChatGPT or Copilot sign-in, Ollama or LM Studio | Before every write, unless you turn on auto-approve for that kind of action | Desktop only | Free; your provider may charge |
| SystemSculpt | Claude Code or Codex on desktop; hosted SystemSculpt AI on desktop and mobile | Mode you pick: hosted Auto asks before moves and deletes | Hosted agent works on mobile | Free with Claude Code or Codex; hosted AI 500 starter credits, then $9 a month |
Pick Copilot if you want the most-used option and the widest model choice. Pick Claudian if you already live in Claude Code or Codex and want its fullest features in Obsidian. Pick Agent Client for any other command-line agent. Pick Vault Operator for an agent on a local model, or one that keeps an undo history of every change. Pick SystemSculpt if you want the agent on your phone, next to transcription and related notes in one plugin.
Set up an agent in SystemSculpt
What you need:
- On desktop: Claude Code or Codex, installed and signed in. Claude Code comes with paid Claude plans, and the Codex command line with paid ChatGPT plans. Neither needs a SystemSculpt account.
- On your phone, or without Claude Code or Codex: a SystemSculpt account for hosted AI. Eligible new accounts get 500 one-time starter credits with no card.
Set it up in 4 steps:
1. Install SystemSculpt. In Obsidian, open Settings, then Community plugins. If you see Turn on community plugins, select it first. Select Browse, search for SystemSculpt, then select Install and Enable. Or open the SystemSculpt page in the Obsidian plugin directory.
2. Open chat. Select the chat icon in the left ribbon (Open chat), or run SystemSculpt AI: Open chat from the command palette.
3. Choose who answers. The run line below the message box shows the agent, the mode and the model. Choose Claude Code, Codex or SystemSculpt. If Claude Code or Codex shows as not signed in, sign in from a terminal, then choose Detect again.
4. Pick a mode. New chats start in Auto. Each agent has its own modes:
- SystemSculpt (hosted): Auto reads, creates and edits notes without asking, and asks before moving or deleting. Ask asks before every change. Full access makes every change without asking, including moves and deletes.
- Claude Code: Auto, Ask before edits, Accept edits, Plan only, or Claude Code settings to use your own rules.
- Codex: Auto, Ask, Read only, or Codex settings to use your own configuration.
When the agent asks, an approval card appears in the conversation, with a diff for edits. Each chat is saved as a Markdown note in your vault.
A safe first task
Start with Ask, or Plan only in Claude Code, so nothing changes until you say so. Then give the agent a task you can check in a minute:
- "Find my notes about [topic] and list them with one line each."
- "Read this week's daily notes and draft a summary in a new note."
- "Add a
statusproperty to the notes in this folder. Show me the plan first."
Once you trust how it works, move to Auto for the kinds of tasks you've checked. Keep your vault in a sync or backup service, or in git, so any change can be rolled back. Vault Operator also keeps its own checkpoints.
Use your vault as an agent's memory
Some people search "Obsidian AI agent memory" for the opposite setup: an agent that keeps what it learns in your vault. Claude Code and Codex both read an instructions file in the folder they start in, CLAUDE.md for Claude Code and AGENTS.md for Codex. Put one at the top of your vault with how your notes are organized, and every chat starts from it. Claudian's projects share a memory file that its agents keep current, and Vault Operator keeps session, long-term and profile memory files. Our post on writing an AGENTS.md covers what to put in one.
What leaves your computer
An agent sends what it reads to the AI behind it. Claude Code goes to Anthropic, Codex to OpenAI, and a plugin with your own key goes to that provider. A local model through Ollama or LM Studio keeps everything on your machine; see our local LLM in Obsidian guide. SystemSculpt's hosted agent goes through SystemSculpt's server and its model providers, and read results leave your machine in every mode; the privacy policy has the details.
Questions
Does Obsidian have an AI agent? Not built in. Community plugins add one: Copilot, Claudian, Agent Client, Vault Operator and SystemSculpt are all free to install.
What happened to Obsilo Agent? It's now called Vault Operator. Its GitHub repository moved from pssah4/obsilo to pssah4/vault-operator, and it's in the Obsidian plugin directory under the new name.
What is the best AI agent plugin for Obsidian? Copilot for most people, Claudian if you use Claude Code or Codex every day, and Vault Operator for local models. SystemSculpt is the one whose agent also runs on your phone.
Can an AI agent edit my Obsidian notes? Yes. Each of these can create and edit notes. Most ask before a change unless you allow that kind of change ahead of time.
Is it free? All five plugins are free to install. The AI costs whatever your Claude, ChatGPT or API plan costs, or nothing with a local model. SystemSculpt's hosted agent costs $9 a month after the starter credits.
Does an Obsidian AI agent work on iPhone? SystemSculpt's hosted agent does. Copilot's Agent, Claudian, Agent Client and Vault Operator are desktop only, because the agents they run are programs on your computer.
Install SystemSculpt free from the Obsidian plugin directory, or compare its plans for the hosted agent.
Sources
Checked November 3, 2026.
- Vault Operator: README, 3.8.2 release, documentation
- Plugin facts for Copilot, Claudian and Agent Client: Best Obsidian AI plugins in 2026, checked November 2, 2026
- SystemSculpt: Choose your AI, chat workspace guide, pricing, privacy policy