Using Grok Bot with an Obsidian vault: local access, Git, or a workspace copy

Grok Bot has no Obsidian plugin, and it does not need one. An Obsidian vault is a folder of Markdown files, so a Bot can read it on your computer, clone it from a private Git repository, or work on a copy in its cloud workspace. Whichever route you pick, start read-only and give the Bot exactly one place to write.

Obsidian's help confirms that notes live as Markdown files in a vault folder on your local file system. Grok Bot runs on a cloud computer, so the only real question is how your notes get there. The routes below are our editorial setups built on documented features; we have not recorded a run of them.

At a glance#

Pick your route in 30 seconds#

• Need it to run while your laptop is closed? Git.
• Asking a quick question while you are at your desk? Local access.
• One project folder, one time? Copy in /workspace.
• Vault holds things no cloud computer should see? Local access with Ask every time, or nothing.

Route 1: Local access on your own computer#

The desktop app lets Bots act on your machine: run commands, read files, and move files between the cloud computer and yours. The docs describe it for Mac and Windows. Control it under Settings → General → Bot → Execution on Local Computer, or per machine under Settings → Computer → Computers.

The default, Ask every time, shows an approval card with the exact command. That fits a Bot that reads a handful of notes on request. The docs recommend Never allow unless a Bot has a specific reason to touch local files, and the first prompt applies to every Bot on your account. Reading your vault counts as a reason, but keep it on Ask every time and point the Bot at the vault path.

Mac caveat#

Cursor staff said on October 5, 8 and 9 that a locked screen, or a Grok Bot window left in the background for about 10 minutes, makes the app treat the Mac as away. Its local helper can stop and does not restart on its own. Bringing the window to the front reconnects within about a minute. Staff called it a known issue with no setting to disable it, and on October 13 could not confirm any release, including 0.70.2, fully fixes it.

Version 0.71.2 (October 14) improved the surroundings: a sleeping computer shows as disconnected within two minutes, tasks resume right after a network change, commands survive brief stalls, and work for an offline computer is no longer rerouted to another without asking. The notes do not say the background issue is fixed. Plan on reading the vault while you are at the Mac.

Copy-paste brief: local, read-only#

On my local computer, read only the notes in [vault path]/[folder].

Do not open anything outside that folder.

Summarize [topic] across those notes and list the note titles you used.

Do not create, edit, move or delete any file on my computer.

Ask me before every command.

Route 2: A private Git repository#

Obsidian's help lists Git among its sync options. If your vault already lives in a private repository, a Bot can clone it to its cloud computer, which also works for routines while your laptop sleeps.

GitHub is built into Grok Bot through your connected Cursor GitHub account (staff, September 28). Since 0.75.2 (October 22), the GitHub connector can list repositories, compare commits and read branch and issue comments. That lets a Bot see what changed in the vault since its last run.

Setup steps#

1. Confirm your Cursor GitHub account is connected and can see the vault repo.
2. Ask the Bot to clone it over HTTPS, not SSH. Since about October 1, some Bot computers allow only outbound HTTPS on port 443. Staff called it unintended and tracked on October 2; users still reported it October 22. HTTPS cloning still works.
3. Tell the Bot to commit only to its own branch, or only inside an Inbox/ folder.
4. Review and merge its changes yourself.

Two writers on the same files, you in Obsidian and a Bot on its computer, is exactly the conflict Obsidian's help warns about when it says not to sync one vault through several services at once.

Route 3: A copy in the Bot's workspace#

For a single job, hand the Bot a copy. Since 0.71.2 one message can carry up to 20 attachments totaling 200 MB, with files up to 250 MB. The docs' files page still listed six attachments and 25 MB documents on October 25, so zip the vault or a single folder to stay under both.

The Bot keeps durable project files in a shared workspace at /workspace. If your vault syncs to Google Drive (a third-party option in Obsidian's help), the Google Drive plugin can search and read files the connected account can open; see our connectors vs browser guide for choosing that route.

The copy drifts from your real vault, so treat anything the Bot writes as a draft to paste back. Every Bot on your account can read /workspace, so delete private notes when you are done. Our shared computer guide explains what persists there.

What does not work#

An Obsidian MCP server on your laptop. A Cursor staff member said on August 13 that Grok Bot does not attach MCP servers running on your own machine, over stdio or localhost. Custom servers must be reachable over public HTTPS, and exposing an Obsidian server to the internet exposes your notes with it. We do not recommend it. Details in our plugins and MCP guide.

Common mistakes#

• Switching local access to Always allow to stop the approval cards. That applies to every Bot on your account. See permissions.
• Letting the Bot edit notes in place while Obsidian Sync or iCloud also syncs the vault.
• Leaving a zipped vault in /workspace after a one-off job.
• Cloning over SSH while the port 443 restriction is still open.
• Scheduling a routine against local access, which fails whenever your computer is off or the Mac is locked.

Safety checklist before you start#

• The Bot can read only the folder or repository it needs.
• It writes to one inbox folder or branch, and you do the merge.
• Execution on Local Computer is Ask every time, not Always allow.
• No private notes remain in /workspace after the job.
• The vault syncs through one service, not several.

Our take#

For most people, Git is the right route: it works on a schedule, keeps a full history of every Bot edit, and makes merging a deliberate step. Use local access only for quick reads while you are at the keyboard, especially on a Mac. Skip the local MCP idea entirely; making it public to satisfy the HTTPS rule is a bad trade for a personal knowledge base.

Frequently asked questions#

Is there an Obsidian plugin for Grok Bot?#

Not an official one. Obsidian does not appear in Grok Bot's documentation or Cursor's plugin help, and no Obsidian thread existed on the Cursor forum's grok-bot tag as of October 11, 2026. Community Bots built around Obsidian vaults exist, but they still need local access, a Git repository or a workspace copy to reach your notes.

Can Grok Bot use an Obsidian MCP server on my computer?#

No. A Cursor staff member said on August 13 that Grok Bot does not attach MCP servers running on your own machine, over stdio or localhost, because Bots work on a cloud computer. A custom server must be reachable over public HTTPS, which would mean exposing your notes to the internet. We do not recommend doing that.

Will Grok Bot edits conflict with my Obsidian sync?#

They can. Obsidian's help warns against syncing the same vault through more than one service at once. If a Bot writes to your vault, give it a single inbox folder or a dedicated Git branch, and merge its changes yourself instead of letting two sync paths edit the same files.

Can a Grok Bot routine work on my vault overnight?#

Not through local access, which only works while your computer is on and the desktop app is running. On a Mac it also drops when the screen locks or the app sits in the background for about 10 minutes. For overnight routines, keep the vault in a private Git repository the Bot clones over HTTPS.

How big a vault can I upload to Grok Bot?#

Since 0.71.2 on October 14, one message can carry up to 20 attachments totaling 200 MB, with individual files up to 250 MB. The docs' files page still listed six attachments and 25 MB documents on October 25. Zipping the vault or a single folder keeps you under either limit.