Update Properties
vault_update_propertiesUpdate specific properties on an Obsidian note without modifying body content. Merges new properties, overwrites matching keys, and preserves unmentioned ones.
Instructions
Update properties on a single note. Merges with existing properties — new keys are added, matching keys are overwritten, unmentioned keys are preserved. Body content is never modified.
Example: vault_update_properties({ path: "Projects/todo.md", properties: { status: "active", priority: 1 } })
Read current properties first with vault_read_note({ properties_only: true }) — merge overwrites each key entirely (arrays are replaced, not appended to).
When to use: Changing tags, status, type, or any property without reading/rewriting the full note body. Saves tokens on large notes. Prefer vault_write_note when creating a new note or replacing the body.
Errors:
"note not found" — path does not exist; create the note first with vault_write_note
"path traversal blocked" — path escapes vault root
Obsidian syntax: Property values follow YAML conventions. Use arrays for multi-value fields (tags: [a, b]), quote wikilink values ("[[Note]]"), keep property types consistent across the vault (string/number/list mismatches cause silent query failures).
Returns: Confirmation message.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| path | Yes | Vault-relative path to the note | |
| properties | Yes | Properties to merge. New keys are added; existing keys are overwritten; unmentioned keys are preserved. |