External Files

Import and reference PDFs, spreadsheets, and other documents alongside your notes. External Files brings non-native file types into your workspace so everything lives in one place.

How It Works

Imported external files are stored in a .files folder within your workspace. Reference them in notes using wikilink syntax, just like internal notes. Clicking a reference opens the file in your system's default app—PDFs in your PDF reader, spreadsheets in Excel, and so on.

This keeps your workspace organized and ensures all files travel together when syncing via iCloud, Dropbox, or Git.

Referencing External Files

Link to external files using wikilink syntax:

[[Filename.pdf]]
[[project-budget.xlsx]]
[[meeting-recording.mp3]]

Type [[ and start typing the filename to see available files. Select one or press Enter to insert the reference.

Adding External Files

There are three ways to add external files:

• Drag and drop — Drag a file directly into the editor and it will be imported automatically.
• Slash command — Type / and select Attach Files to open a file picker.
• Wikilink — If the file is already in your .files folder, type [[ to search for it and insert a reference.

Viewing Linked Files

The Meta Sidebar includes a Linked Files section showing all external files referenced in the current note. Click any file to open it in your default app.

Supported File Types

Octarine supports these file types by default:

• Documents — PDF, DOC, DOCX, ODT, RTF, TXT
• Spreadsheets — XLS, XLSX, CSV, ODS
• Presentations — PPT, PPTX, ODP
• Audio — MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG
• Archives — ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR

Adding Custom Extensions

For specialized file types, go to Settings > Files > External Files, add extensions (without the dot), and click Add.

Natively Supported Types

These file types are handled natively within notes and cannot be added as external files:

• Markdown — MD
• Images — PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, WEBP, SVG
• Videos — MP4, MOV