# Obsidian Editing Modes [[Obsidian]] displays a note in one of three modes, and confusion between them is the number one beginner stumbling block I see when teaching. | Mode | What you see | When to use | | --- | --- | --- | | **Live Preview** | Markdown renders as you type; syntax appears only around the cursor | The default. Best of both worlds for daily writing | | **Source mode** | Raw Markdown, nothing rendered | Debugging syntax, editing frontmatter by hand, working with complex tables or [[Obsidian Embeds\|embeds]] | | **Reading view** | Fully rendered, read-only | Reviewing, presenting, clicking through checkboxes and links without accidental edits | ## Switching - `Ctrl/Cmd + E` toggles between editing and Reading view. - Live Preview vs Source mode is toggled from the tab's three-dot menu or the command palette (see [[Obsidian Command Palette]]). - The default mode for new tabs is set in **Settings → Editor**; each tab keeps its own mode, so you can pin a rendered copy next to a source-mode editor of the same note. ## Good to know - Some syntax renders differently between Live Preview and Reading view (complex nested [[Obsidian Callouts|callouts]], some plugin blocks). When output looks wrong, check it in Reading view before blaming the syntax. - Editing frontmatter is friendlier in Live Preview since Properties render as a form (see [[Obsidian Properties]]); Source mode shows the raw YAML. ## References - Edit and preview Markdown: https://help.obsidian.md/Editing+and+formatting/Edit+and+preview+Markdown ## Related - [[Obsidian]] - [[Obsidian Flavored Markdown]] - [[Obsidian Properties]] - [[Obsidian Callouts]] - [[Obsidian Command Palette]] - [[Obsidian Keyboard Shortcuts]]