Use Quick Entry (with Autofill) to create to-dos from anywhere on your Mac with just a few keystrokes. You don’t even have to leave the app you’re currently in.
Whether you’re browsing the internet in Safari, reading emails in Mail, or using any other app – Quick Entry and Quick Entry with Autofill allow you to capture a thought without switching away from what you’re doing.
Even better: All the keyboard shortcuts that you already know and love – adding tags, setting a start date, or moving something to a particular list – work inside of Quick Entry (with Autofill) as well.
In this article:
Quick Entry & Quick Entry with Autofill
Use simple, customizable keyboard shortcuts to bring up the Quick Entry (with Autofill) window, where you can create a to-do, send it to Things, and then immediately get back to what you were doing.
Quick Entry
Quick Entry allows you to capture a thought and save it in Things, no matter what you are currently doing on your Mac. This feature is enabled by default; you can use it immediately after you’ve installed the app.
- Press Ctrl Space to bring up the Quick Entry window.
- Add a title and any other details to your new to-do.
- Click Save.
Quick Entry with Autofill
Quick Entry with Autofill is an enhanced version of Quick Entry. It can capture the link to a website, email, or file that you’re currently viewing and add it automatically to the notes of the new to-do.
Enable Quick Entry with Autofill
- Go to Things → Settings → Quick Entry.
- Check the box for Enable shortcut for Quick Entry with Autofill.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the Helper application.
How to use
- While you’re in Safari, Mail, or Finder, press Ctrl ⌥ Alt Space. Your new to-do’s note will contain a link to the webpage, email, or file that you’ve selected.
- Add a title and any other details to your new to-do.
- Click Save.
Compatibility
While we’ve designed Autofill to work best with Mail, Safari, and Finder, the feature may also work in other apps. The easiest way to find out if your favorite app supports Autofill is to try. If the app doesn’t support Autofill yet, reach out to the makers of that app and let them know you’d like to see it supported.
Customize Quick Entry (with Autofill)
To change the keyboard shortcuts for Quick Entry or Quick Entry with Autofill, go to Things → Settings → Quick Entry. You can click into the shortcut fields and press the keys you prefer to use.
If you change the shortcuts, make sure to:
- Pick shortcuts that do not conflict with other apps or services on your Mac.
- Pick different shortcuts for each of the two Quick Entry options so they won’t conflict with each other.
Navigate Quick Entry (with Autofill)
- Keyboard shortcuts: All the shortcuts you are already familiar with from the main app also work in the Quick Entry window.
- Esc key: In the main app, the Esc key collapses open to-dos and saves changes. In Quick Entry, it dismisses the pop-over and discards what you’ve entered. Use ⌘ Cmd Return in Quick Entry to close the pop-over and save your input.
- Tab navigation: If you try to ⇥ Tab through Quick Entry (with Autofill) but can’t reach the Cancel or Save buttons, you’ll need to change a macOS setting.
Quick Entry with Autofill freezes (beach ball)
When you invoke Quick Entry with Autofill and Things becomes unresponsive, please follow these steps to resolve the issue:
- Invoke Quick Entry with Autofill again.
- Wait for 90-120 seconds until you see the error message appear.
- Confirm it by hitting OK.
- Immediately afterwards reboot your Mac per the on-screen instructions.