Files, folders & attachments
Fable manages your vault as real files and folders on disk. This page covers the File explorer, creating and organizing notes, where attachments go, and what happens when you delete something.
What can live in a vault
Notes are Markdown, but a vault can hold many kinds of files. Fable recognizes these and can link, embed, or open them:
| Kind | Extensions |
|---|---|
| Notes (Markdown) | .md |
| Canvas | .canvas |
| Images | .avif .bmp .gif .jpeg .jpg .png .svg .webp |
| Audio | .flac .m4a .mp3 .ogg .wav .webm .3gp |
| Video | .mkv .mov .mp4 .ogv .webm |
.pdf |
Other file types still appear in the vault and can be linked, but open in your system's default app rather than inside Fable. Media playback depends on the codecs your device supports.
The File explorer
The File explorer, in the left sidebar, shows your vault's folder tree exactly as it is on disk. Folders expand and collapse, and the tree updates the moment files change, whether you changed them in Fable or somewhere else.
Create, rename, move and delete
| Action | What happens on disk |
|---|---|
| Create note | Writes a new .md file. New notes start as Untitled; the file name is the note title. |
| Create folder | Creates a real directory. |
| Rename note | Renames the file. If Automatically update internal links is on, every link pointing to the note is rewritten across the vault. |
| Move note or folder | Moves the file or directory, by drag and drop. Internal links are updated the same way. |
| Delete | Follows your Deleted files setting, described below. |
Right-click any file or folder for these actions plus a few more, such as creating a new canvas inside a folder.
Sorting
Sort the tree by name, modified time, or created time, each ascending or descending, giving you six ways to order files.
External edits stay in sync
Add, edit, rename, move or delete files with another editor, your OS file manager, or a backup tool, and Fable notices and refreshes the tree, the index, and any open views. One caveat: a rename made outside Fable cannot trigger automatic link updates, because Fable did not perform the rename.
Where attachments go
When you paste or drag an image or other file into a note, Fable copies it into your vault and inserts a link or embed at the cursor. Where the copy lands is controlled by Settings → Files and links → Default location for new attachments:
| Option | Where attachments are saved |
|---|---|
| Vault folder | The vault root. This is the default. |
| In the folder specified below | One folder you choose, for every new attachment. |
| Same folder as current file | Next to the note you are editing. |
| In subfolder under current folder | A named subfolder beside the note, for example assets. |
If the target folder does not exist yet, Fable creates it. To embed and size attachments in your notes, see internal links & embeds.
Deleting safely
Settings → Files and links → Deleted files decides what happens when you delete inside Fable:
| Option | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Move to system trash | Sends the file to your operating system's recycle bin or trash. This is the default. |
| Move to Fable trash | Moves the file to a hidden .trash folder at the vault root. Because it is a normal folder in the vault, it is included in your backups; restoring recreates the file's original path. |
| Permanently delete | Deletes immediately, with no way to recover from within the app. |
System-trash support can vary by platform and version; if a delete does not reach your recycle bin, the Fable trash option is a reliable fallback.