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Capture a Task from Anywhere

Add a task in a couple of seconds, paste a whole list, or save something from another app on iPhone, iPad or Mac.

By Mustafa Yusuf4 min read
On this page
  1. Add one task
  2. Paste a whole list
  3. Capture from other apps
  4. Every related feature

The fastest task is the one you write down the moment you think of it. Tasks gives you a quick way in from wherever you are, so you can capture now and organise later.

Add one task

  1. On the Home screen, pull down, or tap + at the bottom and choose Task. Inside a project, tap the Create Task button at the bottom.
  2. Type the action, such as Prepare client presentation.
  3. Check the project at the bottom of the sheet. Tap it to pick another one, such as California.
  4. Tap the arrow to save.
Three iPhone screens: the Create Task sheet open over the Work board, with chips for Planned, Date, Tags and Priority and Work as the project; the project menu listing California, Home, Work and Inbox, with Work checked; and the status menu with Planned checked, then Active, Completed and Canceled.Open full size in a new tab
Create Task opens over the board you are on. Tap Work to move the task to another project, or Planned to start it in another status.

The chips under the title set details before you save. Tags, Priority, Assets and Assigned to each open a short list, and Assets attaches a picture from Photo Library or a file from Choose Files. Swipe the row to see the rest.

Four iPhone screens of Create Task in Work: the Tags menu with Add, then finance, strategy, sales, design, engineering and human-resources; the Priority menu with High, Medium and Low; the Assets menu with Photo Library and Choose Files; and the Assigned to menu listing Alex, Jordan, Sam, Sarah and Taylor.Open full size in a new tab
Each chip opens its own list. Choose Add at the top of Tags to make a new tag without leaving the sheet.
  1. Press ⌘N, or click + in the window toolbar. You can also hover a board column and click its + to add straight to that column.
  2. Type the action, such as Prepare client presentation.
  3. Check the project and the chips, then click Add or press ⌘Return.

When you are looking at a filtered board, the new task picks up that board’s project, tags, assignee and date for you.

A short title is enough. Add a date, tag or link only when it helps you act. You can also type them straight into the title, which is covered in Type or say a task.

Paste a whole list

Planning a trip or a shopping run? Paste the list instead of typing each task.

  1. Copy a list from Notes, Mail or a document. One line becomes one task.
  2. Open Create Task, tap More (…) and choose Paste a Task List. To type them one per line instead, choose Add Multiple Tasks.
  3. Check the tasks on the Add Multiple Tasks screen. Tap Add for another line, or tap the project under the title to change it.
  4. Tap the checkmark to add them all.
Two iPhone screens: the More menu in Create Task with Paste a Task List and Add Multiple Tasks; and the Add Multiple Tasks screen for Work with Prepare Client Presentation and Review Project Deliverables on their own lines, an Add button and a checkmark at the top.Open full size in a new tab
Each line becomes its own task. Fix any line before you tap the checkmark to add them to Work.

Capture from other apps

Where you are What to do
Safari, Photos or Files Tap Share, then Tasks. Text, a web page or up to five files or images come with you.
Anywhere Add the Add Task control to Control Center or the Lock Screen.
Home Screen Long press the Tasks icon and choose New Task or one of your top projects.
Hands busy Ask Siri: “Add a task in Tasks”. See Siri and Shortcuts.

What you share lands in the title of a Create Task sheet, where you can add your own words, set the chips and pick the project before you tap the arrow.

Three iPhone screens: the Safari share sheet for thetasks.app with Tasks next to News, Reminders and Safari; the Tasks Create Task sheet holding the link https://thetasks.app/ with Work as the project; and the same sheet after adding a note before the link: Found this really cool app that we should use to collaborate with each other.Open full size in a new tab
Share a page from Safari and the link becomes a new task. Add a note around it so you remember why you saved it.
Where you are What to do
Any app Press Add Anywhere, ⌃Space by default. A small Create Task window opens over the app you are using. Press Esc to close it.
Selected text Right click, choose Services, then Create task in Tasks.
The menu bar Click the Tasks icon and choose Add Task.
Safari or Finder Use Share, then Tasks.
The Dock Right click the Tasks icon for New Task and your top projects.

Turn on Add Anywhere and change its keys in Settings (⌘,) under Keyboard Shortcuts. New tasks go to the project you opened last.

The Add Anywhere window over the Mac desktop, with Team meeting every monday at 4pm typed in, chips for Planned, Date, Tags, Priority, Assets, Assigned to and Location, a suggestion reading Event will occur every week on Monday at 4 PM, Work as the project and an Add button.Open full size in a new tab
Add Anywhere opens over the app you are already in. Phrases like every Monday at 4pm still become suggestions you can click.

That is all you need to start. Next, learn to type a date or repeat right into the title.

Explore all 12 related features

Browse the related features below for more detail, or search every feature.

Quick capture

Add a task without setting up the whole project first.

Bulk Add

Paste plain text or Markdown and review several tasks before saving.

Project-aware creation

Shows the fields and statuses that belong to the selected project.

Share extension

Turn content from another app into a task.

Action extension

Create a task from supported system action menus.

Add Anywhere on Mac

Use a configurable shortcut to capture from anywhere.

Mac Services capture

Create a task from selected text through the macOS Services menu.

Create Task control

Open task creation from Control Center on supported systems.

Paste images and PDFs

Paste supported media directly into task creation.

Tag and date suggestions

Surfaces useful choices while a task is being created.