Organizing your notes with backlinks made them much easier to navigate

If your notes feel like a jumbled web of information rather than an organized resource, you’re not alone. Without a clear system, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of ​​scattered ideas and elaborate thoughts. This used to be my daily struggle – until I discovered the power of backlinks.

What are backlinks and why do they matter when writing notes?

Backlinks are text links that redirect you to another page. Since it’s easier than ever to take quick notes every day, backlinks are a great way to keep them organized. This is especially true if you don’t like using folders for notes, or if your note-taking app doesn’t have folders at all.

Most popular note-taking apps allow you to link back to your notes. Apps like Obsidian take this a step further, featuring seamless feedback and the way it turns your notes into a dynamic network of interconnected ideas. In this piece I will use Obsidian to demonstrate the backlink.

How do I use backlinks in My Notes?

I’m currently working on a big personal blog project and the number of sites I’m using is growing every day. To give you an idea of ​​how you can use backlinks in your note-taking app, I’ll show you how I keep everything organized. But first, let’s look at the specific steps you should take.

1. In any note, enter double opening square brackets ([[[[[[[[).
2. Start typing the name of the note you want to link to. Obsidian will suggest appropriate notes as you type.
3. When you see the correct note, press Enter to create a link.

I recommend using backlinks to notes for studying and work. I also use them if I need to buy multiple items in different categories, such as when moving to a new house. One of the ways I use note backlinks is to manage my blog, which is growing by the day. With so many ideas and things that I manage, it is much easier for me to create backlinks for the organization.

As you will see below, this is what the home page looks like with backlinks added.

Below is an example of one of my backlinks. Obsidian also displays linked and unlinked mentions.

While I used Obsidian in this example, other note-taking apps – like Notion – are just as good for backlinks. Before you choose your tool, check out this full comparison between Notion and Obsidian.

Why I recommend backlinking your notes

Adding backlinks to my notes has had a noticeable impact on my productivity, and I’m sure it will do the same for you. Here are two main reasons why I highly recommend you try to link your notes back.

Easier project organization

I hate having my thoughts scattered and have always found it much easier to group related things together when possible. This means I’m much less likely to forget something important, and it also means I’m more likely to act on my most important thoughts.

I often use one main note as a hub for all its related offshoots, to which I then add backlinks. I’ve tried building a second brain, but it’s too complicated for me, and backlinks are a nice middle ground.

You don’t need to search for notes manually

Apple Notes and Notion have excellent search capabilities, and you’ll rarely have trouble finding what you need. At the same time, it is still tedious to search for notes manually. By adding backlinks, I know exactly where to go for something and can get started on my tasks faster.

Backlinks are even more useful if you invest in a note-taking app without such a good search function. For example, I find it much easier to add backlinks to OneNote than to search for things.

If you’re not already using backlinks to organize your notes, I highly recommend giving it a try. Most note-taking apps offer this feature, letting you manage everything from keeping track of big projects to creating daily to-do lists.