HemSupportDownload

A lighter tool than Obsidian · macOS · free and open source

An Obsidian alternative for the file that is not in a vault

Obsidian is a home for your notes. Hem is for the other case: a .md file in Downloads, in a repository or from an AI chat that you want to read, fix and send on, without importing it anywhere

Download for macOS

Version 1.2 · 5.7 MB · macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple silicon

A report saved as a .md file, open in Hem straight from Finder: a heading, a table of regions, a list and numbered next steps.

Two different jobs

Hem does not replace Obsidian, and many people use both. This is where each one fits

HemObsidian
Made forOpening any single .md fileA linked collection of notes
Where files liveWherever they already areIn a vault folder you set up
Double-click in FinderOpens the pageWorks best for files inside a vault
Finder preview (Quick Look)IncludedNot included
Links between notes, graph, backlinksNoYes
Plugins and syncNoA large plugin ecosystem; paid sync
Markdown dialectGitHub Flavored MarkdownMarkdown plus [[wiki links]] and other extensions
PriceFree, open source (MIT)Free to use; paid add-ons; closed source
PlatformsmacOS 14+, Apple siliconMac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

As of autumn 2026; check Obsidian’s site for current terms

When the lighter tool is the right one

Someone sent you a .md file

Or ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini saved one. Double-click and read it as a page; there is no vault to create first

ChatGPT gave me a .md file →

The file belongs to a repository

A README, AGENTS.md or a spec should stay standard Markdown with a clean diff. Hem edits only what you change and adds nothing of its own to the folder

Markdown and git diffs →

You just want a look

Press Space in Finder for a rendered preview, in any folder, including inside your Obsidian vault

Quick Look for Markdown →

Using Hem with an Obsidian vault

A vault is a folder of Markdown files, so Hem can open any note in it and preview it in Finder. Standard formatting, tables, code, Mermaid and LaTeX render as usual

Obsidian’s own syntax is not standard Markdown: [[wiki links]], embeds and callouts appear in Hem as plain text or as ordinary quotes. If your notes lean on those, Obsidian remains the place to read them

Nine Markdown apps for Mac, compared →

Questions about Hem and Obsidian

Can I open a .md file without Obsidian?

Yes. A .md file is plain text, and any Markdown app can open it. On a Mac, Hem opens it as a formatted page with a double-click and previews it in Finder with the space bar

Is Hem a replacement for Obsidian?

Not for a knowledge base. Hem has no vault, links between notes, graph or plugins. It replaces Obsidian only for the job of opening, reading and editing individual Markdown files

Can Hem preview the notes in my vault in Finder?

Yes. Its Quick Look extension works on any .md file, including those in a vault. Wiki links and embeds are shown as text

Will Hem change my Obsidian notes?

Only if you edit them, and then only the part you edited. Opening or previewing a note never modifies it

Which Macs does Hem run on?

macOS 14 Sonoma or later, on a Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or newer). The download is 5.7 MB

Related guides

For the .md file that just needs opening

Download for macOS

Version 1.2 · 5.7 MB · macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple silicon