Using AppleScript on your Mac, you can create scripts to automate actions in Things.

Consider using Apple Shortcuts instead. It provides functionality that isn’t possible via AppleScript (e.g., editing headings and checklists).

Read the documentation

We’ve created a PDF to outline what’s possible with AppleScript. View or download it here. Please note that not all of Things’ features have been added yet, so if it’s not documented in this guide, it’s not currently possible.

If you run into a bug with something that is documented in the guide, let us know, but please understand that we can’t assist with the writing or troubleshooting of custom scripts.

Add scripts to Things’ menu bar

Once you’ve created a script, you can add it to Things’ menu bar at the top of your screen.

For example, here’s a script for showing a to-do’s creation & modification dates:

Download Script

Once you’ve downloaded the script, follow these steps to add it to Things’ menu bar:

  1. Quit Things.
  2. Go to the menu bar at the top of your screen, and click Go → Go to Folder…
  3. Paste this path into the pop-up window that opens: ~/Library/Containers/com.culturedcode.ThingsMac/Data/Library/Application Support
  4. Navigate to the folder Cultured Code – if it doesn’t exist, create it.
  5. In that folder, create a new folder and name it Things Scripts.
  6. Move the script into that folder.
  7. Open Things again.
  8. In the menu bar at the top of your screen, check that the scripts menu has appeared (an S-shaped icon).
  9. In Things, select a to-do, then click the script in the menu to run it.

This should display the creation and modification dates in a separate window.

Any other scripts you add to that folder will also appear in Things’ scripts menu. To make running a script easier, set a custom keyboard shortcut.

Add scripts to your global menu bar

You can also add scripts to your system’s scripts menu, which remains visible in your menu bar even when Things isn’t running.

Here’s how to enable the global menu:

  1. In Finder, go to /Applications/Utilities/ and open Script Editor.
  2. In Script Editor, go to Script Editor → Settings.
  3. In the General settings pane, enable Script Menu.

This will reveal a script menu (an S-shaped icon) on the right side of your menu bar. Next, you’ll need to create a folder for Things’ scripts:

  1. In Finder, go to ~/Library/Scripts/Applications/ (if you don’t see the Applications folder, create it).
  2. In Applications create a folder called Things.
  3. Place any Things-related scripts here that you would like to access from your system’s global scripts menu.
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