Excalidraw + folders
Excalidraw with folders: 5 ways to organize your drawings
Excalidraw is the best free canvas for sketching diagrams, but it has no built-in way to organize what you draw. No folders, no projects, no library. This guide covers every real option for adding folder organization to Excalidraw - from free browser extensions to dedicated tools - with honest pros and cons for each.
Why Excalidraw drawings get messy
Excalidraw treats every drawing as a standalone canvas. There is no sidebar with your drawings, no way to group related diagrams, and no search. This is fine when you have two or three diagrams, but most people hit a wall around ten.
Here is what that typically looks like:
- Diagrams live in browser tabs until you close them by accident.
- Exported
.excalidrawfiles land in Downloads with names likedrawing (3).excalidraw. - Finding last month's diagram means opening files one by one to see which is which.
- You end up with duplicates because it is easier to redraw than to find the original.
The Excalidraw team knows this is a gap. There is an open feature request on their GitHub (issue #8746) asking for enhanced file management and workspace features, and a discussion thread (#5284) about nested collections. Until those ship, you need something external.
Below are the five real options available today, ranked from simplest to most full-featured.
1. Your filesystem
The manual approach
The simplest approach: export each drawing as a .excalidraw file and organize those files in regular folders on your computer. You already know how folders work, and there is nothing to install.
Best for
A handful of drawings, or people who prefer local files
What works
- No tools needed besides your OS file manager
- Full control over where files live
- Infinite nesting, same as any folder structure
- Works offline, no account required
What doesn't
- Manual export after every session (easy to forget)
- No preview - files look the same until you open them
- No cloud sync unless you add Dropbox, iCloud, or similar
- Reopening means dragging a file back into excalidraw.com
2. Chrome extensions
ExcaliHub, Excalidraw Organizer, Excali Organizer
Several Chrome extensions add folder-like organization on top of excalidraw.com. ExcaliHub lets you save scenes and organize them into folders. Excalidraw Organizer adds folders, renaming, and drag-and-drop. Excali Organizer adds color-coded project folders. All are free.
Best for
People who work mostly in Chrome and want quick access to saved drawings
What works
- Works directly on excalidraw.com without changing the canvas
- Free
- Quick save and reopen from the extension popup
- No account required
What doesn't
- Data lives in your browser's local storage only - clear your data and it is gone
- No cloud sync across devices
- Most only support one level of folders, not deep nesting
- Chrome only (no Firefox, Safari, or mobile)
3. Obsidian + Excalidraw plugin
For people already using Obsidian for notes
The Excalidraw plugin for Obsidian stores each drawing as an .excalidraw.md file inside your vault. Since Obsidian already has a folder system, your drawings get organized the same way your notes do. You can embed drawings inside notes, link between them, and use Obsidian's search to find them.
Best for
Note-takers who want drawings embedded alongside their markdown notes
What works
- Full folder structure, same as your vault
- Drawings live alongside related notes
- Plugin is free and actively maintained
- Supports git-based version history if you use Obsidian Git
What doesn't
- Requires Obsidian (desktop app) - not browser-based
- Cloud sync requires Obsidian Sync (paid) or a DIY setup
- Drawing experience is slightly different from excalidraw.com
- Steeper learning curve if you do not already use Obsidian
4. Excalidraw+
The official paid service
Excalidraw+ is the paid tier from the Excalidraw team. It adds cloud storage, collections (top-level groupings), collaboration, and shareable links. It is the most polished option if you need multiple people drawing on the same canvas in real time.
Best for
Teams that need real-time collaboration and sharing links
What works
- Official product from the Excalidraw team
- Real-time collaboration
- Cloud storage with shareable links
- Clean, polished UI
What doesn't
- Paid (no free tier for the organization features)
- Collections are flat - no deeply nested sub-folders
- Focused on collaboration, not on organizing a solo library
- No named version history
5. CanvasKeep
Folders and version history around the same canvas
CanvasKeep is built on the open-source Excalidraw canvas and adds the project layer it lacks: workspaces, nested folders to any depth, named version history, and cloud sync. The core organization features are free (up to 20 diagrams). Drawing feels identical because it is the same editor.
Best for
Solo users or small teams who want nested folders, version history, and cloud sync on a free plan
What works
- Same Excalidraw canvas, identical drawing experience
- Nested folders to any depth
- Named version history: save checkpoints and restore any version
- Cloud sync with Google sign-in, no local files to manage
- Free plan includes folders, workspaces, and version history
What doesn't
- Free plan capped at 20 diagrams
- No real-time multi-user collaboration (yet)
- Newer product, smaller community
Side-by-side comparison
A quick look at what each option does and does not give you.
| Feature | Filesystem | Extensions | Obsidian | Excalidraw+ | CanvasKeep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free to use | |||||
| Nested folders | 1 level | Collections | |||
| Works in browser | |||||
| Cloud sync | With plugin | ||||
| No install needed | Extension | ||||
| Version history | Via git | ||||
| Excalidraw canvas | Export only |
Based on each product's publicly documented features as of 2026. Excalidraw and Excalidraw+ are products of the Excalidraw team. CanvasKeep is an independent tool built on their open-source editor.
How folders work in CanvasKeep
If you decide CanvasKeep is the right fit, here is how to get organized in three steps.
1. Create a workspace
Start with a top-level home for each context: a client, a product, a course. Everything for that project lives in one place instead of scattered across your Downloads folder.
2. Nest folders however you think
Inside a workspace, add folders and sub-folders to any depth: by feature, by system, by sprint. The structure mirrors how you already organize the work in your head.
3. Find any diagram in seconds
Because every diagram has a place, last month's sketch is a couple of clicks away, not a hunt through a pile of look-alike .excalidraw files.
Which option should you pick?
You have a few drawings and like local files: Just use your filesystem. Export each drawing and organize the files in folders you already have. No tool needed.
You work in Chrome and want something quick: Try a Chrome extension like ExcaliHub or Excalidraw Organizer. Free and fast, but tied to your browser.
You already use Obsidian for notes: The Excalidraw plugin is a natural fit. Your drawings live alongside your notes with the same folder structure.
You need real-time collaboration: Excalidraw+ is the best option. It is built for teams drawing together.
You want nested folders, version history, and cloud sync without paying: That is what CanvasKeep was built for. Same Excalidraw canvas, with the organization layer it lacks.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Excalidraw have folders?
- No. The free excalidraw.com canvas treats every drawing as a standalone file. There are no projects, folders, or library views built in. Each drawing lives in a browser tab or as a downloaded .excalidraw file. To organize drawings into folders you need an external tool: a Chrome extension, an app like Obsidian, the paid Excalidraw+ service, or CanvasKeep.
- What is the best way to organize Excalidraw drawings?
- It depends on how many drawings you have and how you work. If you have a handful, your filesystem works fine. If you have dozens across multiple projects, a dedicated tool like CanvasKeep gives you nested folders and cloud sync without leaving the Excalidraw canvas. Obsidian is a good fit if you already use it for notes and want drawings alongside them.
- Can I use folders in Excalidraw without paying?
- Yes, several free options exist. You can organize exported .excalidraw files in regular folders on your computer. Chrome extensions like ExcaliHub and Excalidraw Organizer add folder-like organization for free. CanvasKeep also offers workspaces and nested folders on its free plan, with up to 20 diagrams.
- How do I organize Excalidraw drawings in Obsidian?
- Install the Excalidraw plugin for Obsidian. Each drawing is stored as an .excalidraw.md file in your vault, so you can organize them into folders the same way you organize your notes. The plugin supports embedding drawings in your notes and linking between them.
- Can I nest folders inside folders for Excalidraw drawings?
- In CanvasKeep, yes. Folders nest to any depth, so you can mirror however you already think about a project: by client, by feature, by sprint, or by system. Most Chrome extensions only support one level of folders. Excalidraw+ supports collections but not deep nesting.
- Do I lose the normal Excalidraw drawing experience with these tools?
- No, not with any of them. Chrome extensions overlay organization on top of excalidraw.com without changing the canvas. Obsidian uses the same Excalidraw renderer. CanvasKeep is built directly on the open-source Excalidraw canvas. Drawing feels identical in all cases.
- Does Excalidraw+ have folders?
- Excalidraw+ has collections, which work like top-level folders. As of 2026, deeply nested sub-folders are not available. Excalidraw+ is a paid service focused primarily on real-time collaboration and sharing rather than file organization.
- Is it free to organize Excalidraw drawings in CanvasKeep?
- Yes. Workspaces and nested folders are on the free plan, which includes up to 20 diagrams. No credit card required.
Give your diagrams a home
Draw on the same Excalidraw canvas, then keep it organized in folders. Free to start, no credit card.