# Files & Folders

wander opens your notes three ways, from plainest to smartest. The rule is simple: wander never writes anything into your files or folders unless you ask.

## A single file

Open one markdown file (⇧⌘O, or drag it in, or File ▸ Open File…) and wander edits just that file, saved right back where it lives. No sidebar, no extra files — a plain editor for one note. Create a fresh one with New Document (⌥⌘N) and Save As… (⇧⌘S) it anywhere you like.

## A plain folder

Open a folder (⌘O) and browse and edit all its notes from the sidebar. It stays a plain folder: wander writes nothing extra to it — no hidden files, no index. Ideal for a folder of articles kept next to their images and research.

In a plain folder you get the file tree, the editor, and ⌘K to jump to a file by name. What you don't get — history, full-text search, tags, backlinks — needs an index, so it's off until you turn it on.

## A vault

A vault is a folder with the smarts switched on: full-text ⌘K, version history, comments, tags, and backlinks. To keep these, wander stores them in a hidden `.wander` folder inside your folder — and that folder is created only the moment you turn history & search on, never before.

## Turning a folder into a vault

Three places, all the same switch:

- the mode chip at the bottom of the sidebar — click "Plain folder" to enable
- the History panel — its Settings tab
- Settings ▸ This Folder

A folder that already contains `.wander` (or an Obsidian `.obsidian` folder) opens as a vault automatically. Turn it back off from Settings ▸ This Folder and it's a plain folder again — your `.wander` folder is left in place; delete it yourself if you want it gone.

## Nothing leaves your Mac

Plain or vault, wander runs locally — no account, no cloud, no telemetry. Your notes stay plain markdown in folders you control. To reach another device, put the folder wherever you already sync (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, git); wander just edits the files.

Next: [Getting Started](/docs/getting-started) · [Keyboard Shortcuts](/docs/keyboard-shortcuts)