Integration & Workflows

June 14, 2026

Obsidian Dataview for Tasks: Queries and a No-Query Alternative

Q: Does Dataview work for tasks on Obsidian mobile?

Dataview queries can render on Obsidian mobile, but there are no home screen widgets, no push notifications, and complex queries can be slow on a phone. For quick, glanceable, and actionable task views on iPhone, iPad, and Android, a dedicated app like TaskForge reads the same markdown tasks and shows filtered lists without any query code.

Q: Do I need to learn DQL to filter my Obsidian tasks?

For Dataview, yes, you write queries in DQL (Dataview Query Language). If you prefer not to, TaskForge offers the same kind of filtered and sorted task views through a visual filter builder with AND/OR logic, so you can save a 'due this week, high priority, #work' list by tapping options instead of writing a query.

Dataview is the go-to plugin for turning Obsidian notes into dynamic task lists. This guide shows the TASK queries that matter, where Dataview shines and where it stops, and how TaskForge gives you the same filtered views, on every device, without writing a single line of DQL.

TaskForge custom lists on macOS showing filtered Obsidian task views without writing Dataview queries

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What Dataview Does for Tasks

Dataview is a community plugin that treats your vault like a database. Its TASK query type scans every markdown checkbox across your notes and renders them as one live, interactive list inside whatever note holds the query. Instead of hunting through files, you write a small query and Dataview keeps the list up to date as you add and complete tasks.

The Dataview Task Queries Worth Knowing

Every example below goes inside a fenced code block with the dataview language tag. Start simple and add conditions as your needs grow.

All open tasks in the vault

```dataview
TASK
WHERE !completed
```

Lists every unchecked task across your notes. A good 'master list' to drop into a dashboard note.

Due today or overdue

```dataview
TASK
WHERE !completed AND due <= date(today)
SORT due ASC
```

Filters to open tasks due today or earlier and sorts them soonest-first, your daily 'do these now' view.

Tasks for one project or tag

```dataview
TASK
WHERE !completed AND contains(tags, "#work")
```

Narrows the list to open tasks carrying a specific tag. Swap in any tag, context, or inline field you use.

Grouped by source note

```dataview
TASK
FROM "Projects"
WHERE !completed
GROUP BY file.link
```

Pulls open tasks from the Projects folder and groups them under each note, a lightweight project overview.

Where Dataview Task Queries Stop

Dataview is excellent at one thing, querying your vault on the desktop. A few gaps show up the moment you want tasks to follow you around:

It is desktop-first: queries render inside a note and there are no home screen or lock screen widgets.
No push notifications or reminders, Dataview shows tasks, it never alerts you when one is due.
You have to write and maintain DQL; a typo in a query silently returns the wrong tasks.
Complex queries can lag on a phone, and the result is a rendered list rather than a fast, native task screen.
It reads your vault but isn't built for capture, quick-add, drag-and-drop, or kanban and calendar views.

The Same Views, Without the Query Language

TaskForge is a native app that reads the exact same markdown tasks in your vault. Instead of writing DQL, you build a filtered view by tapping options, and that view works everywhere.

Visual Filter Builder

Recreate any Dataview task query with AND/OR conditions on due date, priority, tag, context, project, status, and more, then save it as a custom list. No syntax, no debugging a query.

Lives on Your Home Screen

Pin any filtered list to a home screen or lock screen widget and complete tasks from it, the mobile view Dataview can't provide.

Reminders and Notifications

Tasks in your filtered views can fire due-date alerts and reminders that reach you even when Obsidian is closed.

More Than a List

View the same filtered tasks as a list, a drag-and-drop kanban board, or a calendar, and quick-add new tasks straight into the view.

Dataview vs TaskForge for Tasks

They solve overlapping problems in different places. Here is how they line up.

Dataview alone

Write DQL queries to build each task view
Results render inside a note on desktop
No widgets, reminders, or notifications
Great for static in-vault dashboards
Limited interaction and capture on mobile

TaskForge alongside your vault

Build filtered views by tapping, no query code
Native task screens on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android
Home screen widgets, reminders, and alerts
List, kanban, and calendar views of the same tasks
Quick-add and edit tasks directly in your vault

When to Use Each (or Both)

This isn't either-or. Dataview is unbeatable for building custom dashboards and reports inside Obsidian on the desktop, mixing tasks with metadata, tables, and notes. TaskForge is the better choice when you need tasks to be glanceable and actionable away from your desk, with widgets, reminders, and fast native views. Many people keep their Dataview dashboards for deep desktop work and use TaskForge for everyday capture and follow-through on mobile, both reading the same plain-markdown tasks, always in sync.

Get the Mobile View in Minutes

If your tasks already live in your vault, TaskForge can surface them without touching your Dataview setup.

Point TaskForge at Your Vault

Install TaskForge and open the same Obsidian vault. It reads your existing markdown tasks, no migration or reformatting.

Recreate a Query as a Filter

Build a custom list with the same conditions as a Dataview query, for example open tasks due this week tagged #work, using the visual filter builder.

Add a Widget and Reminders

Pin the list to your home screen and turn on reminders so due tasks reach you on the go.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I query tasks with Dataview in Obsidian?

Use a TASK query inside a ```dataview code block. For example, a block containing `TASK WHERE !completed` lists every open checkbox task in your vault. Add WHERE conditions to filter (by due date, tag, or folder) and SORT to order the results. The query renders a live, checkable task list inside the note on the Obsidian desktop app.

Can Dataview show tasks that are due today or overdue?

Yes. Combine a date comparison with the open-task filter: `TASK WHERE !completed AND due <= date(today) SORT due ASC`. This returns every uncompleted task whose due date is today or earlier, sorted soonest-first. Dataview must be able to read a due date from the task for it to match.

Does Dataview work for tasks on Obsidian mobile?