diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c2e30f3..389587f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,3 +14,11 @@ to install, clone this repository into a directory in `[vault]/.obsidian/plugins
 in the plugin directory, run `npm i` and `npm run build`. you will need node.js 14 or higher.
 enable the plugin and set the openai api key in the `Loom` settings tab
 
+**for those new to obsidian:** the loom ui, containing a tree of the selected note's nodes,
+is not open by default. to open it, you can either:
+
+1. open the command palette with `Ctrl+P`, then search for and run the "open loom pane" command
+2. open the right sidebar -- there is a toggle in the top right of the screen -- and switch to
+the loom tab*
+
+*the tab looks like this: