Zettelkasten Archive Import brings your card index into Markdown

Name: Zettelkasten Archive Import
Author: theluckystrike

Import version 3.8 archives with positions, keywords and links.

Install in Obsidian

Directory page Source on GitHub

MIT · no telemetry · core features free

An imported note with its position, keywords, links and note sequence. — Open larger

version: 1.1.0
released: 2026-10-21
downloads: 18
review: Passed
health: Excellent
license: MIT
listed for: Desktop, Mobile
obsidian: 1.13.4 or later

Phone and tablet use, live GitHub sign-in and paid sponsorship were not tested in this build.

Directory facts fetched 2026-10-23 07:28 UTC from community.obsidian.md/users/theluckystrike.

About Zettelkasten Archive Import

You have a Zettelkasten 3 card index and want to move its supported text and links into an Obsidian vault.

Zettelkasten Archive Import converts a version 3.8 .zkn3 archive into Markdown notes. Preview live notes and conversion warnings before creating files. The import reads your archive locally and leaves it unchanged.

Preview a Zettelkasten 3 archive, then read imported notes with links and a note sequence

Free features

Preview live notes and the report

Check live notes, deleted slots, new notes, existing notes and conflicts before writing. The preview table shows up to eight notes. The report lists missing targets, unsupported markup and source warnings.

Stable file names, links and note sequences

File names follow original one-based positions, so deleted slots do not renumber later notes. Supported note links become wikilinks, with cross-references and ordered sequences in separate sections. Missing targets keep source text and appear in the report.

Exact keywords and basic markup

Keep exact keyword values in a list property. Convert supported line breaks, emphasis, headings, quotes and note links, while unsupported markup stays as source text. Remarks go into their own section.

Saved keyword and file name rules, tag creation and archive comparison need Pro.

Pro features

Pro costs $5 a month or $15 one time through GitHub Sponsors. One sponsorship turns on Pro in every plugin that has it.

Saved keyword and file name rules Pro

Add titles to position-based file names, choose another keyword property or also create tags. Save these rules for the next import. When Pro turns off, imports use the free rules again.

Compare two archives before a later import Pro

Compare earlier and later archives by position to list added, changed and removed notes. Comparison writes nothing. A later import creates added notes and skips existing notes rather than updating them.

See how Pro works

Set up Zettelkasten Archive Import

needs

Obsidian 1.13.4 or later

steps

Save your Zettelkasten 3 data and keep a copy of the archive.
Run Import a Zettelkasten 3 archive and select the .zkn3 file.
Check the folder, preview counts and report; preview again if you change the folder.
Select Create notes and read the result counts and import errors.
Open the first note to compare the result with the source.

If the app can't find a new plugin yet, try again later. Obsidian says a plugin that passes the review shows in the app within 24 hours.

How to import ZKN3 archives into Obsidian

Known limits of Zettelkasten Archive Import

The reader accepts version 3.8 archives with a 20 MiB file limit and a 100 MiB expanded-data limit.
Authors, attachments, images, bookmarks, desktop outlines and the BibTeX file are not copied.
Unsupported markup stays as source text, and timestamps remain text properties.
Repeat imports skip existing notes and do not update changed notes.
Renamed notes are found by zkn3_position only directly inside the import folder.
Stopping between batches leaves created notes in place; import writes are not rolled back.
Phone and tablet use, a real archive with note sequences and a 23,000-note archive were not tested.

Questions about Zettelkasten Archive Import

Will a repeat import overwrite my edits?

Existing notes in the import folder are skipped. Renamed notes are found through zkn3_position, but notes moved elsewhere or missing that property are not found.

Which parts of my archive stay out?

Authors, attachments, images, bookmarks, desktop outlines and the BibTeX file are not copied. Source timestamps remain text properties, and the report lists attachment links and authors.

Which archive version can I use?

The reader accepts version 3.8 archives. Input is limited to 20 MiB, with a 100 MiB expanded-data limit.

What happens if I stop or a write fails?

Created notes stay in the folder, and the result reports skipped notes, errors and unchecked notes. Correct the problem and retry; the import skips notes that exist.

Network use

After you choose Sign in with GitHub, github.com receives the public client ID, profile scope and device-flow polling requests. After sign-in, api.github.com receives an authenticated query for your sponsorship tier and total payment; neither host receives vault data. Successful checks last seven days; network failures can retry after six hours, and Refresh requests an earlier check.

Read the full network disclosure