Q: Is giving Chrome access to my Obsidian folder a privacy concern?

Technical reality: HoverNotes uses the showDirectoryPicker() API, which means it requests access only to the folder you explicitly choose. Technically, this permission includes the ability to read files in that folder. What actually happens: We only write new files—we never read or modify existing ones. Here's why: We don't know what custom plugins, markdown blocks, or syntax you're using Reading unknown formats risks data corruption if we can't save them back correctly Our tooling is optimized for structured markdown export, not editing existing files Recommended setup: Create a separate subfolder within your vault (e.g., /HoverNotes) for clean separation and easier organization. Our commitment: We built this for the Obsidian community—local-first, data-ownership folks like you. This question was discussed in our Reddit community →

Question 1

Can I still take notes and copy-paste them in Brave Browser?

Accepted Answer

Technically you could, but there's a huge risk of losing your notes since Brave Browser doesn't provide access to the File System Access API needed to automatically sync notes to your local Obsidian vault.

For this reason, we've currently blocked the page from opening in Brave Browser to prevent data loss.

This question was asked in our Reddit community →

Question 2

Is there a Firefox version available?

Accepted Answer

Currently, HoverNotes is only available for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers. Firefox doesn't support the File System Access API that allows us to save notes directly to your local Obsidian vault.

However, we're exploring Firefox support using Obsidian's app URL protocol (similar to how the Obsidian Web Clipper works). This would transfer notes to Obsidian through the app rather than direct file system access.

Firefox support is on our roadmap! We'll announce it as soon as it's ready.

Firefox support was discussed in our Reddit community →

Question 3

Does HoverNotes work with Brave Browser?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, Brave Browser doesn't provide access to the File System Access API needed to automatically sync notes to your local Obsidian vault.

While you could technically take notes and copy-paste them, there's a high risk of losing your notes since they can't be automatically saved. For this reason, we've currently blocked HoverNotes from opening in Brave Browser.

Supported browsers: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, and other Chromium-based browsers.

Question 4

What about Safari support?

Accepted Answer

Safari doesn't currently support the File System Access API required for HoverNotes to function. We're monitoring Safari's development roadmap and will add support if the necessary APIs become available.

Question 5

How does Chrome's Manifest V3 affect HoverNotes?

Accepted Answer

Great news! HoverNotes is already built on Manifest V3, so you don't need to worry about compatibility issues. We've designed the extension from the ground up to work with Chrome's latest security and performance standards.

Question 6

Is giving Chrome access to my Obsidian folder a privacy concern?

Accepted Answer

Technical reality: HoverNotes uses the showDirectoryPicker() API, which means it requests access only to the folder you explicitly choose. Technically, this permission includes the ability to read files in that folder.

What actually happens: We only write new files—we never read or modify existing ones. Here's why:

We don't know what custom plugins, markdown blocks, or syntax you're using
Reading unknown formats risks data corruption if we can't save them back correctly
Our tooling is optimized for structured markdown export, not editing existing files

Recommended setup: Create a separate subfolder within your vault (e.g., /HoverNotes) for clean separation and easier organization.

Our commitment: We built this for the Obsidian community—local-first, data-ownership folks like you.

This question was discussed in our Reddit community →

Question 7

Where is my data stored?

Accepted Answer

Your notes and screenshots are stored locally on your computer in your chosen Obsidian vault folder. No cloud storage is required or used for your notes.

What stays local:

All your notes (pure markdown files)
Screenshots and images
Timestamps and video references

What uses our servers: Only AI processing for generating notes from video content. The video content itself is processed but not stored.

Question 8

Can I use HoverNotes completely offline?

Accepted Answer

You can take manual notes and screenshots offline, but AI-generated notes require an internet connection since the AI processing happens on our servers. All your notes are still saved locally regardless of your connection status.

Question 9

How accurate is the AI-generated content?

Accepted Answer

Extremely accurate. Our AI uses multimodal understanding that combines visual, audio, and contextual analysis. For technical content, it properly extracts code with syntax highlighting, understands implementation context, and captures dependencies that matter.

The AI processes both what's said and what's shown in the video for comprehensive understanding.

Question 10

Do I need to manually take notes while watching?

Accepted Answer

Not at all! Enable AI Notes and HoverNotes automatically documents key concepts, extracts code snippets, captures visual elements, and generates clear explanations as you watch.

You can focus on learning instead of note-taking, while still having the option to add your own manual notes and screenshots when needed.

Question 11

Can teams use this for shared learning?

Accepted Answer

Team collaboration features are coming soon! You'll be able to share learning notes, build collective knowledge bases from video training, and collaborate on technical documentation with teammates.

Currently, you can share your locally saved markdown files with team members through your preferred collaboration tools.

Question 12

How does this enhance my Obsidian knowledge graph?

Accepted Answer

HoverNotes creates notes that become part of your knowledge network. Videos become connected to your existing notes through Obsidian's linking system, allowing you to build connections between video content and your other knowledge sources.

Question 13

How is this different from other video note tools?

Accepted Answer

Unlike traditional video note-taking tools that just create isolated notes, HoverNotes integrates directly with your Obsidian vault. This means your video notes become part of your broader knowledge system, not just separate files.

Your notes live where your knowledge lives.

Question 14

How does HoverNotes work with Obsidian?

Accepted Answer

HoverNotes saves your notes directly to your Obsidian vault in pure markdown format. Here's how:

Notes are saved as .md files that open instantly in Obsidian
Screenshots are saved locally alongside your notes
You can use all of Obsidian's features like linking, tagging, and plugins
One-click to open notes in Obsidian for advanced organization

It's designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing Obsidian workflow while adding powerful video note-taking capabilities.

Question 15

What languages does the AI support?

Accepted Answer

HoverNotes can generate notes in up to 15 languages, including:

English
Spanish
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Chinese
Japanese

Korean
Vietnamese
Thai
Indonesian
Hindi
Russian
Arabic
Dutch

The AI can watch videos in any language and generate notes in your preferred language, making it perfect for international learners.

Question 16

Can I edit my notes after they're generated?

Accepted Answer

Since notes are saved as standard markdown files, you can edit them in Obsidian or any markdown editor. Your changes are preserved locally, and you have complete control over your notes.

Question 17

How does the AI understand video content?

Accepted Answer

Our AI doesn't just transcribe—it actually "watches" the video like you do:

Automatically captures code snippets, diagrams, charts, and tables
Works without requiring transcripts or captions
Understands visual context and generates relevant notes
Combines audio and visual information for comprehensive understanding

This means you get structured, meaningful notes that capture both what's said and what's shown in the video.

Question 18

What makes HoverNotes different from just using transcripts?

Accepted Answer

HoverNotes goes far beyond simple transcription:

Visual understanding: Captures code, diagrams, and visual elements
Structured notes: Organizes content into clear, readable markdown
Screenshots with context: Automatically captures relevant visuals
Timestamps: Links notes back to specific video moments
Local storage: Everything saved directly to your Obsidian vault

It's designed for active learning, not passive consumption.

Question 19

Are there plans for users to run AI processing locally for privacy?

Accepted Answer

Local AI processing isn't currently prioritized, but it's technically possible. You would need a fast transcription model (Fast Whisper), a video understanding model (Qwen2.5-VL-72B, VideoLLaMa2, or Gemma3), and an open source version of our note-taking code.

The challenge is that inference needs to be fast enough to run in real-time for 20MB video segments plus current note data input. Most users don't have the compute power to match cloud-based API speed.

This question was discussed in our Reddit community →

Question 20

Is HoverNotes open source?

Accepted Answer

HoverNotes is not currently open source. While we deeply respect the open-source ethos—especially in the Obsidian community—HoverNotes is still an early, self-funded project.

For now, we've chosen to keep it closed-source to focus on rapid development and iteration based on user feedback.

That said, all processing happens locally on your machine except for AI-generated notes. No video data is uploaded or stored in the cloud—your notes are kept by you.

Question 21

Can I run the AI processing locally?

Accepted Answer

Local AI processing isn't currently prioritized, but it's technically possible. You would need:

A fast transcription model (Fast Whisper should work)
A video understanding model (Qwen2.5-VL-72B, VideoLLaMa2, or Gemma3)
An open source version of our note-taking code (not yet available)

The challenge is that inference needs to be fast enough to run in real-time for 20MB video segments plus current note data input. Most users don't have the compute power to match the speed of our cloud-based AI processing.

Question 22

Have you tested this with local models?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we've tested local models extensively. Since we're doing both real-time video input and transcription, we found that local models weren't performing fast enough for a smooth user experience. The majority of users don't have the compute power to generate real-time notes at the same speed as cloud-based APIs like Grok and Gemini.

Question 23

What video formats and platforms does HoverNotes support?

Accepted Answer

HoverNotes works with any video that plays in your browser, including:

YouTube, Udemy, Coursera
Vimeo, Bilibili
University portals and internal training sites
Any website with HTML5 video players

The extension automatically detects video elements on any webpage, so there are no platform limitations or special requirements.

Question 24

Who is HoverNotes designed for?

Accepted Answer

Based on our user feedback, HoverNotes helps people when the stakes are high, time is limited, and they can't afford to forget what they're learning:

Medical students with complex lecture content
Law students and CPA candidates navigating dense study materials
Stock traders reviewing technical analysis
International learners generating notes in their native languages
Developers leveling up with Udemy and coding tutorials
Anyone who wants to turn video learning into permanent knowledge

Question 25

How do I get started with HoverNotes?

Accepted Answer

Getting started is simple:

Install the Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store
Set up your local storage folder (we recommend a subfolder in your Obsidian vault)
Navigate to any video and start taking notes
Your notes are automatically saved as markdown files
Open them in Obsidian for advanced organization and linking

Install HoverNotes →

Question 26

Can I use HoverNotes without Obsidian?

Accepted Answer

Yes! While HoverNotes is optimized for Obsidian users, it saves notes as standard markdown files that can be opened in any markdown editor. You'll still get all the benefits of local storage, AI-generated notes, and screenshots—you just won't have Obsidian's advanced linking and organization features.

Question 27

Will Firefox support be added using Obsidian's app URL protocol?

Accepted Answer

Firefox support is being explored using Obsidian's app URL protocol (similar to how the Obsidian Web Clipper works). This would transfer notes to Obsidian through the app rather than direct file system access.

However, there may be memory issues saving image-heavy notes in RAM initially as we wait until they're saved. This approach is different from the current workflow but could enable Firefox compatibility.

This approach was discussed in our Reddit community →

Frequently Asked Questions

Browser Support

Can I still take notes and copy-paste them in Brave Browser?

Is there a Firefox version available?

Does HoverNotes work with Brave Browser?

What about Safari support?

How does Chrome's Manifest V3 affect HoverNotes?

Privacy & Security

Is giving Chrome access to my Obsidian folder a privacy concern?

Where is my data stored?

Can I use HoverNotes completely offline?

Features & Functionality

How accurate is the AI-generated content?

Do I need to manually take notes while watching?

Can teams use this for shared learning?

How does this enhance my Obsidian knowledge graph?

How is this different from other video note tools?

How does HoverNotes work with Obsidian?

What languages does the AI support?

Can I edit my notes after they're generated?

How does the AI understand video content?

What makes HoverNotes different from just using transcripts?

Technical Details

Are there plans for users to run AI processing locally for privacy?

Is HoverNotes open source?

Can I run the AI processing locally?

Have you tested this with local models?

What video formats and platforms does HoverNotes support?

Getting Started

Who is HoverNotes designed for?

How do I get started with HoverNotes?

Can I use HoverNotes without Obsidian?

Development & Future

Will Firefox support be added using Obsidian's app URL protocol?

Ready to Transform Your Video Learning?

Frequently Asked Questions

Browser Support

Can I still take notes and copy-paste them in Brave Browser?

Is there a Firefox version available?

Does HoverNotes work with Brave Browser?

What about Safari support?

How does Chrome's Manifest V3 affect HoverNotes?

Privacy & Security

Is giving Chrome access to my Obsidian folder a privacy concern?

Where is my data stored?

Can I use HoverNotes completely offline?

Features & Functionality

How accurate is the AI-generated content?

Do I need to manually take notes while watching?

Can teams use this for shared learning?

How does this enhance my Obsidian knowledge graph?

How is this different from other video note tools?

How does HoverNotes work with Obsidian?

What languages does the AI support?

Can I edit my notes after they're generated?

How does the AI understand video content?

What makes HoverNotes different from just using transcripts?

Technical Details

Are there plans for users to run AI processing locally for privacy?

Is HoverNotes open source?

Can I run the AI processing locally?

Have you tested this with local models?

What video formats and platforms does HoverNotes support?

Getting Started

Who is HoverNotes designed for?

How do I get started with HoverNotes?

Can I use HoverNotes without Obsidian?

Development & Future

Will Firefox support be added using Obsidian's app URL protocol?

Ready to Transform Your Video Learning?