**Created**:: [[2023-01-22 Sunday]] **Link**:: https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo **Duration**:: 5:23  # Summary In the latest version of Obsidian Excalidraw, several quality of life improvements have been introduced, including support for YouTube thumbnails and image URLs. Users can now drag videos and images directly into Excalidraw, creating linked thumbnails and image references without cluttering their vaults. These features aim to enhance the user experience by simplifying how content is managed within the application. # Key Takeaways - Support for YouTube thumbnails allows users to insert clickable video links directly into Excalidraw. - Mouse wheel functionality can be customized to either zoom in/out or scroll, depending on user preference. - Images can be dragged into Excalidraw as links, helping to save space in the vault while allowing for easy insertion of external content. # Content Hey everyone, I'd like to quickly walk you through some of the quality of life improvements in the newest version of Obsidian Excalidraw. Let's start with the first one: support for YouTube thumbnails. So now if I have a video and I drag it over to Excalidraw and hold down the control key while dropping the video into Excalidraw, then a thumbnail is inserted with an element link pointing to the video. So if I click here on the element link, then the video will open and play. Now if I go over to markdown view, then what you will see here is this: this is the thumbnail that was inserted. So this is what you need to notice here—that this is a web URL, meaning the thumbnail is not saved to your Vault; it is just a link to the thumbnail here. [* ](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=0) Now similarly, if you're watching a video and you click on share and you copy the link for the video like this, and then you head back to, let's call it raw, then if you click paste or you press Ctrl V, then automatically the thumbnail is inserted with the shared link as an element link again here in the top right, and you can click this, and the video will open. If for some reason you want the link in Excalidraw raw and not the thumbnail image, then what you need to do is double-click so that you start to edit a text element and then you need to press Ctrl V to paste the link, and with this, instead of a thumbnail image, the link was inserted. [* ](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=45) Now, another new feature is the mouse wheel and pinch zoom in pen mode. So by default, when you use the mouse wheel in Excalidraw, it will scroll the image, and you need to hold down the control key to zoom in and out. Now if I go over to Excalidraw's raw plugin settings and scroll down to display, you can see the two new settings here that are disabled by default. If I turn this on, then the default behavior of the mouse wheel will be to zoom, and you will need to hold the Ctrl key to scroll up and down. Additionally, I'm not going to show you that feature, but if I turn on the "allow pinch zoom in pen mode" button, then if I'm writing with a pen, like an Apple Pencil, and I'm drawing a free-draw object, the default behavior of Excalidraw is to disable pinch zooming. If you turn this on, then pinch zooming will be enabled in that case as well. [* ](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=107) So, let's get back to our image. Of course, you cannot see this, but I can show you my hand; I'm not touching the keyboard, and so the mouse wheel will zoom in and out. Then the final feature is very similar to YouTube thumbnails. Now Excalidraw or Obsidian supports image URLs. So say, for example, you're looking at books on Amazon and you want to save this book cover for yourself in a drawing. Then you can simply drag the cover over here and hold down the Ctrl key, and with that, the image is inserted as a link to the Amazon image. In this case, it is not a copy; it is only a link again. You need to keep in mind that this has the benefit that it will not take space up in your Obsidian vault, which you might want to save for whatever reason. But if you don't have internet access, or if Amazon moves this image, then this is going to become a broken link. So I can see some use cases when you want links like this, but I can also see that this has some risk, so you will need to keep in mind if you want to drag images like this or if you just want to do the legacy approach. [* ](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=189) If I drag the image again, the image was inserted, but now if we go to markdown view, then here you can see that the second one is a pasted image, so this was inserted into my Obsidian Vault. I've saved this image, and the first one is just the link to the image. So again, the difference was that in one case I held down the control key while dropping the image; in the other case, I did not. So if I don't hold the Ctrl key, then a copy of the image is saved to my vault. If I hold down the Ctrl key while dropping the image, then a link is created. So those are the new features with Obsidian Excalidraw 1.8.11. I hope you find them useful, and I hope to see you next time. Thank you. [* ](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=312) # YouTube Details ## YouTube Description #excalidraw #obsidianmd Timestamps: [00:00](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=0) Intro [00:08](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=8) YouTube thumbnail support Drag & Drop [00:54](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=54) YouTube thumbnail support Paste [01:47](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=107) Mouse wheel zoom default & pinch zoom in pen mode [03:12](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=192) Image URL ------- If you find the plugin and/or my videos helpful, please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt If you'd like to request a feature or report a bug, please raise it on GitHub: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin If you want to connect, you can reach me (@zsviczian) in the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord or on Twitter. Links: --------- Visual Thinking Workshop: https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/ My blog: https://zsolt.blog/ Obsidian: https://obsidian.md Excalidraw-Obsidian 1.8.11 release notes: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin/releases/tag/1.8.11 --------- ## YouTube Transcript [hey everyone I'd like to quickly walk](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=0) [you through some of the quality of life](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=2) [improvements in the newest version of](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=4) [obsidian excalator let's start with the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=6) [first one support for YouTube thumbnails](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=9) [so now if I have a video and I drag it](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=12) [over to excalator and hold down the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=15) [control key while dropping the video](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=18) [into excalator then a thumbnail is](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=20) [inserted with an element link pointing](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=23) [to the video so if I click here on the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=27) [element link then the video will open](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=29) [and play now if I go over to markdown](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=31) [view then what you will see here is this](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=35) [is the thumbnail that was inserted so](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=39) [this is what you need to notice here](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=42) [that this is a web URL meaning the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=44) [thumbnail is not saved to your Vault it](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=47) [is just a link to the thumbnail here](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=50) [now similarly if you're watching a video](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=54) [and you click on share and you copy the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=57) [link for the video like this and then](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=61) [you head back to let's call it raw then](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=64) [if you click paste or you press Ctrl V](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=67) [then automatically the thumbnail is](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=71) [inserted with the shared link as an](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=75) [element link again here in the top right](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=78) [and you can click this and the video](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=80) [will open](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=82) [if for some reason you want the link in](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=83) [X colored raw and not the thumbnail](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=87) [image then what you need to do is you](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=90) [need to double click so that you start](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=92) [to edit a text element and then you need](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=94) [to press Ctrl V to paste the link and](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=98) [with this instead of a thumbnail image](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=101) [the link was inserted](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=104) [now another new feature is the mouse](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=107) [wheel and Paint Zoom in pen mode so by](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=112) [default when you use the mouse wheel in](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=116) [excalator then it will scroll the image](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=119) [and you need to hold down the control](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=122) [key to zoom in and out](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=124) [now if I go over to xcolored row plugin](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=127) [settings and scroll down to display you](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=131) [can see the two new settings here that](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=135) [are disabled by default if I turn this](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=137) [on then the default behavior of the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=141) [mouse wheel will will be to zoom and you](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=145) [will need to hold the Ctrl key to scroll](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=148) [up and down and similarly I'm not going](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=151) [to show you that feature](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=153) [but if I turn on the allow pin zoom in](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=155) [pen mode button then](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=160) [if I'm writing with a pen like an apple](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=163) [pencil and I'm drawing a free draw](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=166) [object the default behavior of excalator](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=169) [is to disable pinch zooming if you turn](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=172) [this on then pin zooming will be enabled](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=176) [in that case as well so let's get back](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=179) [to our image and of course you cannot](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=181) [see but I can show you my hand I'm not](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=184) [touching the keyboard and so the mouse](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=186) [wheel will zoom in and out and then the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=189) [final feature is very similar to YouTube](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=193) [thumbnails now](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=196) [ex college or obsidian supports image](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=198) [URLs so say for example your](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=201) [looking at books on Amazon and you want](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=204) [to save this book cover for yourself in](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=208) [a drawing then you can simply drag the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=211) [cover over here and hold down the Ctrl](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=213) [key](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=216) [and with that the image is inserted as a](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=217) [link](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=222) [to the Amazon image so this case it is](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=224) [not a copy it is only a link again you](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=228) [need to keep in mind that this has the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=231) [benefit that it will not take space up](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=233) [in your obsidian vault which you might](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=236) [want to save for whatever reason but if](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=239) [you don't have internet access or if](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=243) [Amazon moves this image then this is](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=246) [going to become a broken link so I can](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=248) [see some use cases when you want links](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=251) [like this but I can also see that this](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=254) [has some risk so you will need to keep](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=258) [in mind if you want to drag images like](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=259) [this or if I just do the Legacy approach](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=264) [I drag the image again the image was](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=267) [inserted but now if we go to markdown](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=270) [view then here you can see that the](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=273) [second one is a pasted image so this was](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=275) [inserted into my obsidian Vault I've](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=278) [saved this image and the first one is](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=281) [just the link to the image so again](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=284) [the difference was that in one case I](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=287) [hold down the control key while dropping](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=290) [the image in the other case I did not so](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=293) [if I don't hold the Ctrl key then a copy](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=297) [of the image is saved to My Vault if I](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=300) [hold down the Ctrl key while dropping](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=303) [the image then a link is created](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=306) [so those are the new features with](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=309) [obsidian escalator 1 8 11 I hope you](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=312) [find them useful and I hope to see you](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=317) [next time](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=320) [thank you](https://youtu.be/rBarRfcSxNo?t=321)