User Guide: Mobile

The Mindwtr mobile app provides the complete guided GTD workflow on iPhone and Android: capture, card-based Inbox processing with the two-minute rule, Projects, Focus, Daily Review, and the guided Weekly Review wizard. Android is fully supported; iOS is available on the App Store and via TestFlight beta. Mindwtr is built with React Native and Expo.

Overview

The mobile app uses bottom tabs for core flows and a Menu page for additional views.

Android navigation adapts to the available app window: roomy windows use a side rail, while narrow or short windows keep compact navigation. Task editors and Quick Capture fit within a usable pane when Android reports a separating or obstructing hinge. There is no foldable mode to enable. Foldable emulator checks cover these layouts; physical Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip confirmation is still pending.

---

Interaction Patterns

• Tap to open a task. Settings → Task editor layout → Open tasks in decides which tab the tap lands on.
• Swipe for quick actions (see Swipe Actions section below).
• Share sheet adds items directly to your Inbox.

Navigation

Bottom Tabs

Tab	Description
📥 Inbox	Capture and process incoming items
🎯 Focus	Daily dashboard and next actions
➕ Quick Capture	Add a task or audio note quickly
📝 Review	Daily + weekly review
☰ Menu	Access Projects, Board, Calendar, etc.

Quick Access slots are customizable. In this clip, Review is changed to Projects; Projects then appears in both the bottom navigation and the Menu.

Customize Quick Access, replace Review with Projects, and open the Projects view from the updated navigation.

Menu Tab

Tap the Menu tab to access additional views:

• 📋 Board: Kanban board view with manual drag ordering, search, and context/tag/date/project filters
• 🗓️ Calendar: Time-based view
• 📁 Projects: Multi-step outcomes
• 🏷️ Contexts: Filter by context
• ⏳ Waiting For: Delegated items
• 💭 Someday/Maybe: Future ideas
• 📚 Reference: Reference material
• 🕘 History: Done and Archived tabs — completed tasks, and tasks and projects filed away
• 🗑️ Trash: Deleted tasks and projects
• ⚙️ Settings: App preferences

Open History, stay on the Done tab, and tap Select to choose tasks, then use Move → Archived to file them away early. In Archived, tap Select or Select All to move tasks back to Done without changing their completion time, restore them to Inbox, or move them to Trash. Switch to Projects to open, restore, or move archived projects to Trash. Manual permanent deletion is available in Trash.

Starting with v1.3.4, Settings → Data → Archive retention can automatically remove expired archived tasks and projects. It defaults to Never. Choose a positive whole number of days; enabling or shortening the period asks for confirmation and shows the items currently eligible. The policy and resulting deletions sync to your other devices.

The period starts when an item enters Archive, including cancelled items. Older records without a known archive date get a fresh full period when the enabled policy first sees them. Restoring an item ends its archive period; archiving it again starts a new one. Archived tasks in ongoing projects are kept. An archived project is removed together with its contents only when the whole group is eligible; newer or reactivated work and recent edits defer cleanup. Cleanup runs while the app is active and pauses during editing.

This permanently removes contents from the current library. Turning the setting off cannot restore removed items. Minimal deletion markers remain for sync safety; existing backups, recovery snapshots, exports, and provider version history are not erased.

Archived has a search box and a Filters button in its header. Filters narrows by context, tag, priority, and time estimate, and holds Sort and Group — both offering Completion date, since everything filed here is finished work. The newest completion comes first by default. Filter selections are shared across the task lists, so a context picked elsewhere narrows this list too. Search and filters apply to the Tasks side of the Tasks | Projects switch.

In Done, sort by Completion date to show the newest completions first. Group by Completion date to split the list into Today, Yesterday, Previous 7 days, one heading per calendar month for anything older (January 2026, December 2025, …), and Not completed; empty groups stay hidden, and the ungrouped catch-all group comes last. References, Inbox, Done, and Archive can also group by Context. A task with several contexts appears in each matching group, while tasks without one collect under No context at the end. Tap any group heading to fold that group — each list remembers which of its groups are folded per grouping mode on that device, and a folded group’s tasks drop out of Select and the bulk actions.

Open Trash and tap Select to manage several deleted tasks and projects. Tap Select All or choose items, then restore or permanently delete them in one step. Permanent deletion always asks for confirmation. Items left in Trash are removed for good after 90 days.

---

Reference

Reference is for notes and material you want to keep. Its rows and editor emphasize the title, description, project or area, people, tags, attachments, and links. Task scheduling and completion controls stay out of the way. Use Status in the editor to switch between Reference and task statuses. You can add checklist items even when the reference has no checklist yet. References have no Focus star. A reference's list has checkboxes: tick an entry to record it, for example a movie you have watched. Ticking every entry leaves the item in Reference; it is never marked done and never enters Focus. The ticks stay if you convert the reference to an action.

Search within Reference matches every space-separated term anywhere in the title or description, ignoring case. For example, ke 1 2 matches key1 key2 key3. Terms are literal text; this field does not interpret quick-add or advanced search syntax.

Turn on Include archived projects in the Reference filters to find material from completed or archived projects. It starts off and applies only to this view on this device; deleted material stays excluded.

Bulk Actions

In Inbox, projects, Contexts and the other task lists, long-press a task to start selecting, then tap more tasks and pick an action in the bar at the top. Tap X or press Android Back to stop selecting. Selecting does not reorder tasks: manual order exists inside a project (project menu → Reorder) and among starred tasks in Focus (the Reorder button). Other lists, and the rest of Focus, follow their Sort and Group settings.

From v1.3.8, with project Sort set to Default, choose Reorder in the multi-select action bar to leave selection mode and open the existing reorder view. This clears the selection; it does not change task order until you move a task.

For Start, Due, and Review dates in Bulk organize, tap the calendar button or choose Today or Tomorrow. Dates apply only after Apply to selected and do not add a time or reminder. Leaving a date blank (or tapping its selected shortcut again) keeps each task's existing date.

In Bulk organize, search for a project or area, or type a new name and choose Create without losing your task selection or other form fields. Creation saves and selects the destination; tasks move only after Apply to selected. Cancelling the bulk edit leaves your tasks unchanged and keeps any destination you created. If creation fails, your selection and form stay available for retry.

---

Global Search

Tap the search icon in the header to open Global Search.

Search hides Done and Archived items by default. When hidden items match your query, a tappable "N more in Done and Archived" hint appears. Tap it to include them, or enable Include Done and Archived tasks in the search filters.

Search Operators

Use operators for powerful filtering:

Operator	Example	Description
status:	status:next	Filter by task status
-status:	-status:done	Exclude a status
context:	context:@home	Filter by context
tag:	tag:#focused	Filter by tag
@ # %	@home #focused %Tom	Short for context:, tag: and person:
assigned:	assigned:Tom	Filter by person
project:	project:HomeReno	Filter by project
location:	location:office	Filter by task location
where:	where:office	Alias for task location
id:	id:abc123	Find an exact task ID
-id:	-id:abc123	Exclude an exact task ID
due:	due:today	Tasks due on date
due:<=	due:<=7d	Tasks due within 7 days
start:	start:>=tomorrow	Tasks starting from date
created:	created:>=30d	Tasks created in last 30 days
OR	@home OR @work	Match either condition

A leading - negates any operator, not just the two shown: -context:@computer lists only tasks that don't require @computer, -tag:#deep hides a tag, -project:HomeReno excludes a project.

Saved Searches

Saved Searches are shortcuts for reusable search queries.

1. Enter your search query
2. Tap "Save Search"
3. Name your search
4. Access from Menu → Saved Searches

To delete: Open the saved search, tap the trash icon in the header.

Sort: Each saved search has its own Sort control and remembers its sort. The first option, Use global setting, follows your global task sort. Saved searches that never set a sort keep following it. Sorting changes only the order, not which tasks match.

Saved Searches are separate from Saved Filters in Focus. Focus filters save criteria such as projects, contexts, tags, priority, energy, and time estimates for the Focus view.

---

Quick Capture

Mindwtr offers multiple ways to capture tasks quickly on mobile.

The capture screen is input-first. The syntax help is tucked behind a small “?” toggle to keep the interface clean.

For capture bursts, turn on the Add another switch in the capture sheet: each Enter saves the task and keeps the sheet open with the keyboard up, ready for the next one. The switch stays on across captures until you turn it off.

Capture methods at a glance

Method	iOS	Android	Opens the app?
Capture screen in the app (text or audio)	Yes	Yes	You are already in it
Share sheet from another app	Yes	Yes	Yes, capture screen
Home screen widget capture button	Yes	Yes	iOS: yes; for a prompt without the app, use the one-tap capture shortcut. Android: no, native capture window
Widget microphone (voice)	No	Yes, with speech-to-text on	No
Quick Settings tile	No	Yes	No
Notification bar quick capture	No	Yes	No
Voice assistant	Siri, through the Shortcuts actions	Gemini/Assistant App Actions	iOS: no with "Add to Mindwtr". Android: yes, confirmation
Shortcuts "Add to Mindwtr" (silent, automations)	Yes	No	No
Shortcuts "Capture to Mindwtr" (review first)	Yes	No	Yes, capture screen
Apple Watch (speak or type)	Yes	No	No, queued to the phone
Automation broadcast (Tasker and similar)	No	Yes	No, queued until the app opens
URL scheme mindwtr://capture	Yes	Yes	Yes, capture screen
Apple Reminders import (manual or automatic)	Yes	No	Runs when the app opens

The in-app capture sheet shows an optional multiline description directly below the title, without opening More. Android’s floating capture window also accepts a description, including alongside audio. Enter in the description adds a line break; dates and commands typed there remain note text. Title-only capture and the title field’s existing bulk-paste behavior are unchanged.

Android launcher shortcuts

Starting with v1.3.4, long-press the Mindwtr app icon to choose Capture or Add task…. Capture keeps the small floating Inbox dialog. Add task… opens Mindwtr directly into the existing capture sheet, where you can choose Focus, a project, contexts, dates, and other details before saving.

The new shortcut opens an unsaved draft; cancelling creates no task. Reopening it while the sheet is open preserves your draft. Focus uses the normal task limit and widget filters; it does not add a due date. Widget buttons, the Quick Settings tile, and notification capture keep their lightweight behavior.

Share Sheet

Capture tasks from any app using the share sheet:

1. In any app (browser, email, notes), find something you want to capture
2. Tap the Share button
3. Select Mindwtr from the share options
4. Mindwtr opens the capture screen with the shared content attached as notes
5. Add a title, adjust any fields, and save it to your Inbox

Sharing a file (a PDF, image, video, or audio recording) copies it into Mindwtr as an attachment on the new task, with the filename as the starting title. Up to six files can be shared at once.

Great for:

• Saving articles to read later
• Capturing emails as tasks
• Adding links from web browsing
• Filing a PDF or photo as an Inbox task to process later

Android automation capture

In Settings → GTD → Capture defaults, enable Automation capture and copy the capture token. This setting and token stay on this device. Give the token only to automation apps you trust; turning the setting off revokes it, and turning it on again creates a new token.

This is a general Android broadcast intent; Tasker is not required. Any app or automation tool that can send an explicit broadcast with String extras can use it. Send the action below to this receiver, with text containing the captured text and token containing your capture token:

Field	Value
Action	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.action.CAPTURE
Package	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr
Class	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.androidwidget.CaptureIntentReceiver
Target	Broadcast Receiver
text (String)	Text to capture
token (String)	Your capture token

Tasker example

In Tasker, add Misc → Send Intent after the action that produces your dictated text:

Field	Value
Action	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.action.CAPTURE
Package	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr
Class	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.androidwidget.CaptureIntentReceiver
Target	Broadcast Receiver
Extra	text:(String) %captured_text
Extra	token:YOUR_CAPTURE_TOKEN

Replace %captured_text with your Tasker text variable and YOUR_CAPTURE_TOKEN with the copied token. Leave the category, MIME type and data fields empty. Mindwtr Dev uses package tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.dev; the action and class stay the same.

Each accepted capture is queued separately, including repeated text. Open Mindwtr to import the queued captures into Inbox. The intent does not open the app or sync in the background. It accepts nonblank text up to 2,000 characters; it does not accept audio or files. Start by sending two short notes before opening Mindwtr, then check that both arrive. Android force-stop can block broadcasts until you open the app again.

See Tasker’s intent guide for its Send Intent fields.

Home Widget

Android Tasks blank-space taps now open the selected list; Compact and iOS still open Focus.

From v1.3.8, mixed context, tag and saved-filter lists show status alongside task metadata without changing selection or sorting. Android Tasks configuration offers Default, No grouping, Context, Project and Priority (when enabled). Default follows saved-filter grouping and leaves ordinary lists flat; each widget stores its own choice. iOS honors saved-filter grouping. Groups have one level and cannot collapse inside widgets. The default Focus hierarchy stays unchanged.

The controls below describe Android. For iOS, see iOS Home Screen Widget below.

Add the Mindwtr widget to your home screen for quick access:

1. Long-press on your home screen
2. Select Widgets
3. Find Mindwtr and add the Tasks widget, the one-cell Quick capture button or, on Android, the optional smaller Compact widget. The Tasks widget shows a + button and your tasks, each with its priority colour, its project or area, and its due date. On Android, a newly added Tasks widget shows Focus, with the inbox count in its header and a short view of Today's Focus and Today. Review Due and Upcoming are not included in the default Focus list. Tap the title to open that list in Mindwtr. To switch the widget's list, tap the separate small down arrow. The header follows the same theme background as the widget body. A sheet lists Focus, Inbox, Next Actions, Waiting For, Someday/Maybe and your Saved Filters. Tap one and the widget redraws. To show a single project on a widget, save a Focus filter for that project in the app and pick that filter here. This works on every launcher, and some launchers have no edit action of their own for widgets. You can add several Tasks widgets with different lists. After Mindwtr has run and published its first Android widget snapshot, the standard lists are ready for newly added Tasks widgets and list changes without another app launch. Open Mindwtr once before using widgets and again to refresh their data; widgets do not follow background sync in real time. In 1.3.6 and earlier, Mindwtr publishes saved-filter snapshots on demand.
4. On a task-list widget, tap a task to open its small native detail sheet. On Tasks, tap the ring at the start of a row to complete it. Use the capture button on any of the three Android widgets to capture a task.

Upcoming. Choose Upcoming in the Android Tasks list selector or iOS 17+ Edit Widget. It mirrors Focus → Upcoming: Next actions starting or recurring on another day within the next seven days, with the same area and Focus filters. Each row shows its start/return date. On Android, tap the circle to complete the task, or tap the row for Complete and Open, just like other task lists. On iOS, Upcoming remains a preview that opens the task without a completion ring. An empty Upcoming list stays empty; the default Focus and Compact widgets are unchanged. From v1.3.8, selecting an Android Tasks list requests a local refresh even with sync off. Launcher display may lag. iOS keeps its cached snapshot until Mindwtr publishes an update.

Contexts and tags. In the Android Tasks list chooser, select a Context or Tag directly, without creating a saved filter. These lists include matching unfinished tasks from Inbox, Next Actions, Waiting For and Someday/Maybe, respecting area and project visibility rather than the current Focus criteria. Switching lists does not change your tasks. Mindwtr caches the offered contexts, tags and saved filters together when the app runs; after that refresh, you can switch among them while the app is closed. Open Mindwtr again to refresh new task edits or synced changes. An empty selection stays empty. Compact and iOS widgets are unchanged.

When set to Focus, the Tasks widget prioritizes Today's Focus, followed by Today, including overdue tasks. It does not fill empty space with other next actions. On Android, it follows the Focus screen's filters and sort order. The filters you have set there apply to the widget too: contexts, tags, priority, energy, time estimate and a saved filter. The sort you have chosen on the Focus screen applies as well, and the widget updates when you change either. The area you have selected in the app narrows every widget list. On Android, check Add Next Actions whose start date has arrived in the widget's settings; on iOS, turn on Include available actions in Edit Widget. This adds an Available actions section after Today: Next Actions whose start date has arrived. Undated actions, future starts and tasks due for review stay out, and nothing gets starred. The option is off by default, and each widget keeps its own setting on Android.

The Android Compact widget uses smaller text and a flat Focus list for small widget spaces. It shows Today's Focus and Today under the Today header. If both are empty and Next Actions are available, the header switches to Next Actions. Resizing the widget shows as many task rows as fit, up to the available tasks. It has no list chooser or inline completion control; tapping a task opens the same native detail sheet. From v1.3.8, the Tasks and Compact widgets can have a transparent background. Long-press the widget, open its settings, and set Background to Transparent, light text for a dark wallpaper or Transparent, dark text for a light wallpaper. The text colour stays the same whatever the app or system theme is. Default keeps the normal background, and each widget keeps its own choice. Only the background goes away; the text, rows and capture button stay. The Quick capture widget has no background, so it has no such setting. On Android 11 and older, adding a Compact widget now opens its settings first, like the Tasks widget.

On Android, tapping a task row in Tasks or Compact opens a small task sheet over your home screen, without opening the main app. The sheet shows the title, the project or area, the note, the contexts and tags, the start and due dates, and the priority. Complete checks the task off the same way the Tasks ring does, with the same short undo window. Open takes you to the task in the app.

On Android, tapping a ring in the Tasks widget crosses out the row immediately. Tap it again within about three seconds to undo. After this window, the row disappears from Tasks and Compact, making room for the remaining tasks without opening the app. The completion stays saved on the device until the next background sync or the next time Mindwtr opens, whichever comes first; Mindwtr then applies it and syncs it to your other devices.

Widget capture status. When the Android Tasks widget shows Inbox, Next Actions, Waiting For or Someday/Maybe, its capture window starts with that status, which you can change before saving. Focus, Upcoming, saved filters, contexts and tags default to Inbox. A widget that shows one context or tag opens its capture window with that context or tag already typed in. You can edit or delete it before saving. The widget does not assign other properties automatically. Explicit quick-add metadata can override the inferred default; your explicit status-picker choice takes precedence. Compact, the standalone Quick Capture widget, the tile, notification and Capture shortcut still default to Inbox.

Contexts button. The Android capture window has a Contexts button when you already use contexts. Tap it to see your contexts with a search box, and type a few letters to narrow the list. Exact names come first, then names that start with what you typed. Tap a context, or press Done to take the first match. Mindwtr types it where your cursor is, for example @garage or @"Two words", and returns you to the text. A context already in the text is not offered again. Press Back to close the list without picking one.

On Android, the capture button on any of the three widgets, the Quick Settings tile, the app shortcut and the capture notification open the same native floating capture window on top of whatever you are doing, without opening the main app. Save safely queues the capture, shows a short confirmation and closes the window. The chosen status stays with text and audio captures until import; the task may not appear in its list until then. For text captures, Mindwtr then imports the task in the background and syncs it to your other devices, without opening the app. If Android does not allow that background run, the task appears the next time you open Mindwtr. iOS captures through the app as before.

Enabling speech-to-text also adds a microphone button to this native Android window. Record, tap Stop, then Save; the main app stays closed. Recordings are saved on the device and transcribed with your configured provider when Mindwtr next opens or returns to the foreground. F-Droid uses offline Whisper. Failed transcription keeps the recording for another attempt. Recording stops when you leave the window and is limited to five minutes.

On Android, dated rows show Today, a weekday for the coming week, or a compact date in the app's date format. Tasks due today or overdue receive extra emphasis.

Android Tasks and Compact lists scroll beyond 20 tasks. For a very large list, View all at the bottom opens the full selected list in Mindwtr. No task-count setting is needed.

iOS Home Screen Widget

Tasks and Compact widgets show each task’s contexts beneath its title. Long context lists fit on one line and may be shortened; tasks without contexts keep their usual layout.

Choose Tasks for the regular widget, available in small, medium and large sizes (plus extra-large on supported iPads), or Compact for smaller text and a flat Focus list. Compact has no list picker or check-off rings; medium and larger sizes still link to tasks and quick capture.

Tasks and Compact show Today's Focus and Today first, including overdue tasks. When that list is empty, they show Next Actions instead, with a short Today or Next heading to identify the list. They do not mix Next Actions into a nonempty Today list. Rows adapt to the widget's size and text size. The Tasks widget keeps the date, priority rings, project or area labels, and the app's filters, theme and sort order.

On iOS 17 and later, long-press a Tasks widget and choose Edit Widget to select Focus, Inbox, Next Actions, Waiting For, Someday/Maybe, or a saved filter. Multiple widgets can show different lists; an explicitly selected list other than Focus never falls back to another list. Tap a ring to queue completion and tap again within three seconds to undo. After that window, the row hides and another cached task can fill the space. WidgetKit may delay the visible refresh. The completion stays safely queued until Mindwtr runs and saves it; completion and sync happen through the app, not directly from the widget.

Tap the heading, empty state, or small widget to open the displayed list. Medium and larger widgets link task rows to their task in Mindwtr and + to quick capture (iOS widgets cannot show a capture window; for one-tap capture without opening the app, see the Shortcuts recipe); small-widget rings remain interactive on iOS 17+. Older iOS versions use the default Today/Next behavior without inline check-off or list configuration. WidgetKit controls refresh timing. Lock screen widgets are unchanged.

iOS Lock Screen Widget

On iOS 16 and later, Mindwtr offers lock screen widgets that show your current focused task without unlocking the phone:

1. Long-press the lock screen and tap Customize
2. Select the widget area and add a Mindwtr Focus widget
3. Choose the rectangular widget (top focused task with a Focus caption), the inline one-line widget above the clock, or the circular focused-task counter

Tapping any of them opens the Focus screen. Lock screen widgets follow the system's monochrome lock screen style.

Android Quick Settings Tile

On Android, add the Mindwtr capture tile to Quick Settings for one-swipe Inbox capture:

1. Open Android Quick Settings edit mode.
2. Add the Mindwtr tile.
3. Tap the tile to open the same small capture window described under Home Widget.

Android Notification Bar Quick Capture

For the fastest capture, one swipe and available from the lock screen, pin a persistent Quick capture notification:

1. Open Settings → Notifications.
2. Turn on Quick capture in notification bar.
3. Tap the notification any time to open the same small capture window described under Home Widget.

The notification is silent and stays out of the way at the bottom of the shade. Turn the toggle off to remove it. (Android only; iOS doesn't support persistent notifications, so use the widget or Shortcuts there.)

Android Voice App Actions

Android builds expose a capture action to supported assistants, including Gemini/Assistant surfaces that route through Android App Actions. Voice-created captures open Mindwtr's confirmation flow so you can review the title and note before saving.

Android System Search

Turn on Settings → General → Expose to system search (off by default, Android 12+) to let system search and compatible launchers find your tasks, projects, and areas by title. The index stores only titles plus minimal status, due-date, and project/area metadata — never descriptions, notes, or attachments — and nothing leaves the device. Tapping a result opens the item in Mindwtr, and turning the switch off removes everything from the index.

Android Context Automation Intents

Automation apps such as Tasker, MacroDroid, or Phone Profiles can activate a Mindwtr context. Use the Android broadcast form for background-only triggers. When activated, Mindwtr checks matching /next actions that are available now and sends a notification only when there is work to show. Tapping that notification opens the matching Contexts view.

Android broadcast form:

Field	Value
Package	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr
Class	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.ContextAutomationReceiver
Target	Broadcast Receiver
Activate action	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.action.ACTIVATE_CONTEXT
Deactivate action	tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.action.DEACTIVATE_CONTEXT
String extra	context=parents or context=@parents

ADB examples:

adb shell am broadcast -n tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr/.ContextAutomationReceiver -a tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.action.ACTIVATE_CONTEXT --es context parents
adb shell am broadcast -n tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr/.ContextAutomationReceiver -a tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr.action.DEACTIVATE_CONTEXT --es context parents

URL form:

URL	Action
mindwtr://contexts?token=%40parents&contextAction=activate	Activate @parents
mindwtr://contexts?token=%40parents&contextAction=deactivate	Deactivate @parents

URL examples:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d 'mindwtr://contexts?token=%40parents&contextAction=activate' tech.dongdongbh.mindwtr

Notes:

• URL launches may open Mindwtr. Use the broadcast receiver form when the automation should stay in the background.
• Context names are normalized to @context, so parents and @parents both match @parents.
• Hierarchical contexts match below the selected context, so @parents also matches @parents/errands.
• If no currently available /next actions match the context, Mindwtr stays silent.
• Deactivation is a silent no-op for now. It acknowledges the automation exit trigger and is reserved for future active-context state; it does not delete, hide, or change tasks.
• On Android, context automation URLs and intents return Mindwtr to the background after handling. Use the notification tap when you want to open the matching Contexts view.
• Mindwtr does not detect locations or device states itself; the automation app owns the trigger.

Apple Shortcuts

On iPhone and iPad, Mindwtr exposes native Apple Shortcuts actions for Inbox capture and opening GTD views such as Focus, Waiting, Someday, Projects, Review, and Calendar. See Apple Shortcuts for setup, examples, and v1 limitations.

Apple Watch companion

The native Apple Watch companion supports watchOS 10 or later and has been tested on a paired physical Watch. Install Mindwtr on the Watch from the iPhone Watch app.

• Capture: Tap Speak to Capture to record audio on the Watch for iPhone transcription. Tap Type to enter text; the iPhone may offer its keyboard as an optional input method. Captures enter Mindwtr's local Inbox, so cloud sync is optional.
• Focus: Review Focus tasks, mark one complete, or defer it until tomorrow.
• Pomodoro: Start and control the timer linked to Mindwtr on the iPhone.

The Watch keeps captures queued when the phone is unavailable and delivers them when the connection returns.

Open a Focus task on the Watch to read its description and check or uncheck checklist items. Previously received details remain readable offline. Changes are saved on the Watch for later delivery and applied through the iPhone; open Mindwtr on the iPhone after reconnecting. A delivery acknowledgement does not mean the task has been saved yet.

Checklist changes preserve other items added or reordered on the phone. If an item was renamed, removed, or cannot be identified uniquely, refresh from the iPhone rather than applying the change to another item. List-mode tasks follow the same completion rules as on the phone. Details that exceed the Watch payload limit show a message directing you to the iPhone; the Watch never presents a shortened checklist as complete. Description editing, adding/reordering checklist items, and attachments remain on the phone.

URL Scheme Quick Capture (iOS Shortcuts / Android Automations)

Mindwtr registers the URL scheme mindwtr://, so you can capture tasks from iOS Shortcuts, Tasker, or other automation tools.

Supported URLs:

URL	Action
mindwtr://capture?title=Buy%20groceries	Open capture with a title
mindwtr://capture?title=Buy%20groceries&note=From%20store	Open capture with title and note
mindwtr://capture?title=Buy%20groceries&project=Shopping&tags=errands,home	Open capture with project and tags

Notes:

• title is required (alias: text).
• note is optional (alias: description).
• project matches an existing active project by title (case-insensitive), or creates it.
• tags is comma-separated and normalized to #tag format before saving.

iOS Shortcuts example:

1. Open Shortcuts and create a shortcut.
2. Add Ask for Input (prompt: task title).
3. Add Open URLs with: mindwtr://capture?title=[Provided Input].
4. Run the shortcut; Mindwtr opens the capture screen so you can review and save the task.

Quick-Add Syntax

Mindwtr parses natural language when adding tasks:

Syntax	Example	Result
@context	@home	Adds context; @person/todd adds a nested one
#tag	#focused	Adds tag
+Project	+HomeReno	Assigns to project
+Multi Word	+New Project	Assigns to "New Project"
+"Quoted Name"	+"New Project" call Bob	Quotes delimit a multi-word name mid-sentence (also !"Area Name", @"Two words" and #"two words")
!Area	Plan roadmap !Work	Assigns to area
%Person	Ask %Jim for budget	Sets Assigned to (the person the task involves; status is unchanged); %"Full Name" for new multi-word names
/area:<name>	/area:Personal	Assigns to area (no spaces)
/due:date	/due:friday	Sets due date
/energy:<level>	/energy:medium	Sets energy level (low, medium, high)
/priority:<level>	/priority:high	Sets priority (low, medium, high, urgent)
/estimate:<duration>	/estimate:45m	Sets the time estimate
/note:text	/note:call back	Adds description
/status	/next, /waiting, /someday, /reference, /done, /archived, /inbox	Sets status

/estimate:5m, /estimate:45m, and /estimate:1h30m set estimated effort; /duration: is an alias. Custom values keep their exact minutes. Successfully parsed commands are removed from the title; invalid or incomplete commands stay visible. Ordinary prose such as “Watch a 30-minute lecture” does not set an estimate. An estimate selected explicitly in a capture form takes precedence; the calendar composer keeps its selected duration. When Time estimates is turned off in Settings, /estimate: and /duration: are not parsed and stay in the title, and the syntax help does not list them.

Date formats: today, tomorrow, friday, next week, in 3 days, 2025-01-15, 26.06., 26.06.2026

A date or time phrase at the end of what you type becomes the due date: Grab a coffee with Marta Jun 23 6pm creates a task due June 23 at 6pm. Detection only reads the end of the text, so a title like "Review June report" stays untouched. By default those matched words stay in the title; turn on Clean up quick add text (Settings → GTD) to remove them too, leaving "Grab a coffee with Marta". The setting covers only this ambiguous case — syntax the parser recognizes and applies always leaves the title. Turn off Detect natural-language dates (Settings → GTD, on by default) to keep date phrases literal with no date set. Explicit tokens like /due:friday work regardless and take priority over detection. Both settings sync across your devices. When the app runs in German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, or Chinese, date phrases in that language are detected too — English phrases keep working in every language.

---

Audio Capture

Capture tasks using your voice with AI-powered transcription.

Setup

1. Go to Menu → Settings → Advanced → AI Assistant.
2. Enable Speech to Text.
3. Choose a Provider:
   • OpenAI / Gemini: Cloud-based (requires API key).
   • Offline (Whisper): Runs locally. You can download a model (e.g., Tiny or Base) directly in settings.
4. Set your Default Capture Method in Settings → General if you prefer audio-first.

Using Audio Capture

• Quick Add: Tap the Audio tab in the Quick Capture screen.
• Record: Tap the microphone to start.
• Transcribe: Stop recording to process the audio.
• Smart Parse: If enabled, the app will extract dates and fields automatically.

---

Inbox

Your capture zone for quick task entry.

Use Mind Sweep when you want guided capture prompts for work, home, people, errands, and open loops instead of starting from a blank input.

Adding Tasks

1. Tap the input field at the bottom
2. Use the share sheet from other apps
3. Tap the home widget
4. Type your task with quick-add syntax
5. Tap the add button or press Enter

Processing Inbox

Tap Process Inbox to start the clarify workflow:

1. Is this actionable?

   • Yes → Continue
   • No → Trash or Someday/Maybe

2. Will it take less than 2 minutes?

   • Yes → Do it now, mark Done
   • No → Continue

3. Who should do it?

   • I'll do it → Add context, move to Next Actions
   • Delegate → Move to Waiting For

4. Where will you do this?

   • Select contexts (@home, @work, etc.)
   • Add custom contexts

5. Assign to a project? (Optional)

   • Select a project or skip
   • Or choose Yes, make it a project when the capture holds several actions: name the project and define its next action. Any further actions you type land back in the Inbox with the project already attached, ready for their own clarify pass

---

Focus

In mobile Focus, tap a subgroup heading under Next Actions or Later today to fold its rows. The name and count remain visible, and this device remembers folds separately for each grouping choice.

Starting with v1.3.4, Settings → GTD → Include tasks starting today in Today controls whether a start date alone puts a task in Today. It is on by default and syncs across devices. Turn it off to let available next actions stay in Next Actions unless another rule puts them in Today or Review Due. Start dates and times still control availability; due dates, Upcoming previews, and manually starred Today's Focus tasks keep their usual behavior.

Your primary dashboard for doing. Focus is an Engage dashboard, not a full inventory of every task with status next.

Sections

Focus sections appear in this order: Today's Focus → Today → Next Actions → Review Due → Upcoming. Group next actions by affects only Next Actions.

Section	Content
Today's Focus	Starred tasks chosen for today whose start day has arrived
Today	Next actions due today, overdue, or starting today, including later today
Next Actions	Other available next actions
Review Due	Open commitments whose review date has arrived; this reminder queue is separate from Weekly Review
Upcoming	Next actions starting or recurring on another day within 7 days; star a future-start Next action to queue it for Focus on its start day

Focus keeps future-start tasks and later tasks in sequential projects out of its actionable lists so they stay limited to what you can act on now. A starred future-start Next action stays in Upcoming until its start day, then moves to Today's Focus automatically without using a current Focus slot. Recurring tasks without a start date stay as previews and cannot be starred there. Use Contexts, Projects, or Search when you want to inspect the broader task inventory.

Default Next Actions order is due-soon actions first, undated actions next, and far-future due actions last. Within the same bucket, Focus uses priority when enabled, then start time, creation date, title, and id. See GTD Workflow in Mindwtr for the full logic.

The list icon beside Filters in the Focus header toggles Details: turn it off and every row collapses to its title, hiding the description preview and metadata line, with each device remembering the choice.

Features

• Context filter: Tap a context chip to filter the Next list.
• Saved Filters: Save reusable Focus criteria such as projects, contexts, tags, priority, energy level, and time estimates. Tap a saved filter to apply it; tap it again or tap All to clear it. To delete a saved filter, long-press its chip and confirm Delete. Screen readers also offer a delete action on each saved filter.
• Swipe to Focus: Swipe a task right and tap Focus to toggle "Focus" status (moves it to Today).
• Long-press for a start date: Long-press a task to set its start date: Today, Tomorrow, Next week, or a custom date. Today files the task under Today without starring it as today's focus, as long as Settings → GTD → Include tasks starting today in Today is on (the default). With that setting off, the start date alone does not put the task in Today. A later date takes it out of the actionable lists until that day. A task with a due date is only offered start dates on or before that date, and a task that is due today or overdue has no menu.
• Quick Status: Tap the status badge to change status.
• Pomodoro (Optional): Enable in Settings → GTD → Features → Pomodoro timer to show a compact focus/break timer. Leave it as Timer only, or turn on Link timer to task to show the Timer task picker and Mark task done action. Collapse the card to keep the remaining time, phase, and Running or Paused status visible in a slim row.

Task dates. In Filters → Task dates, choose Today, Next 7 days, Next 14 days, Next 30 days, or All upcoming. A task matches if its start, due, or review date falls in the range. Rolling ranges include today and use local calendar days; All upcoming includes today and later dates. Choose Any time to remove this condition. Other filters and the view’s normal visibility rules still apply; this does not change Focus’s Upcoming section or include calendar events.

From v1.3.8, Overdue + next 7 days also includes tasks with overdue due dates. Start, due or review dates from today through the following six days match, including later today. A past start or review date alone does not make a task overdue. Save this filter and select it in the Tasks widget for a task-only dated list.

Save the filter in Focus, then select it under Saved Filters in the Android Tasks widget chooser or iOS 17+ Edit Widget. The widget shows matching unfinished tasks within its normal area and project scope. Open Mindwtr to refresh the cached list as days pass or after syncing. Update devices that use the filter: older app versions do not apply the new date condition.

---

Review

Review your tasks and update their status.

• See task details (description, start time, deadline, contexts)
• Quickly mark tasks as done
• Navigate between tasks
• Select mode: Batch organize, move, tag, share, or delete tasks
• During Weekly Review, use the Process Inbox step to clear captured items before continuing through calendar, waiting-for, projects, and someday review.

---

Task Editor (Task + View)

The task editor has two modes:

• Task: edit fields, checklists, dates, tags, contexts
• View: clean read-only summary with tappable checklist

Swipe left/right to switch between Task and View.

Settings → GTD → Task editor → Open tasks in controls the opening mode on this device:

• Automatic (default): Inbox tasks open in Edit; other lists open in Preview.
• Preview: read the task first.
• Edit: go straight to the fields. The keyboard stays closed until you tap a field.

This works the same on Android and iOS. Explicit Edit actions still open Edit, and read-only tasks stay in Preview. Switching tabs for one task does not change this preference.

The editor starts minimal. Tap More options to reveal advanced fields; any field with existing content stays visible.

Tap the Focus star in the mobile editor to choose whether a task belongs in Today's Focus. The change takes effect when you tap Save; leaving the editor without saving discards it. If the task has a future start date, saving the star queues it for that day without using one of today's Focus slots. A due date alone does not defer it.

Description markdown supports unordered lists and task checkboxes (- item, [ ] item, [x] item). Type [[ in task descriptions or project notes to link another task or project from the link picker sheet. Those links are navigational only; they do not sync completion state between tasks. Markdown checkboxes in the description are notes-only; they do not affect the task checklist. Pasting multi-line text into a checklist item creates one item per line (bullets, numbering, and [x] markers are recognized). The Assignee / Person field stores the person a task involves (delegated, waiting on, or to discuss with) for the People view, suggestions, and assigned: search. Manage saved people, notes, and reference links from Settings → Manage.

Recurring tasks support two strategies:

• Strict (fixed cadence)
• Repeat after completion (next date from completion time)
• Ends: Never / On date / After N occurrences

In task lists, the recurrence icon stays visible when details are hidden; the full schedule description appears in the task details.

Mindwtr keeps one active instance of a recurring task. The Calendar shows that current instance when it has a due date or start time; future occurrences are not pre-filled until the current one is completed unless Show future occurrences in Calendar is enabled for a planning-only preview.

Use the recurrence field in the task editor, then toggle Repeat after completion or Show future occurrences in Calendar when needed. The same sheet lets you stop a series on a target date or after a fixed number of total occurrences.

Attachments

You can attach files or links to a task from the editor. Audio notes can be saved as attachments when Save audio attachments is enabled.

See Attachments for details on syncing and cleanup.

---

AI Assistant (Optional)

Enable in Settings → Advanced → AI assistant:

• Clarify: turn vague tasks into concrete next actions
• Break down: generate checklist steps for big tasks
• Review analysis: highlight stale tasks during review
• Copilot: context/tag/time suggestions while typing

AI is optional and only runs when you request it.

---

Reusable Lists

Use checklists as templates:

• Duplicate task: copy a master list (packing, travel prep)
• Reset checklist: uncheck everything for reuse (groceries)

---

Calendar Integration

Mindwtr can overlay external calendars and push dated Mindwtr tasks to the device calendar. Detailed setup lives in Calendar Integration.

To push tasks to Android/Google Calendar or Apple Calendar on iOS:

1. Go to Menu → Settings → Advanced → Calendar
2. Enable Push tasks to calendar
3. Grant calendar permission
4. Expand Sync target
5. Choose a dedicated Mindwtr calendar or another writable calendar target

For Android Google Calendar and iOS Apple Calendar target setup, see Calendar Integration.

To overlay external calendars with ICS subscriptions:

1. Go to Menu → Settings → Advanced → Calendar
2. Add your ICS URL
3. Refresh to fetch events

External events are view-only and are not synced back to their source. Tap an external event and choose Create task to make a separate Mindwtr task; Mindwtr copies the event title, date/time, location, description, and calendar name where available.

---

Calendar

In day and week views, deadlines with a time appear as Due markers at that time; date-only deadlines stay in the all-day lane. A task can show both its scheduled work block and its deadline. Deadline markers do not reserve time or require an estimate. Select a marker to edit the task; markers cannot be dragged or resized. Month cells keep a compact task row with the due time.

Time-based view with scheduling capabilities.

Views

• Month View: Overview of tasks with due dates
• Day View: Detailed timeline with scheduled tasks and external events

Scheduling Tasks

1. On the Calendar day view, tap Schedule Tasks
2. Select from Next Actions (shown first) or search Todo tasks
3. Mindwtr finds the earliest free slot (avoids conflicts with external events)
4. Task gets a start time based on its time estimate

The scheduling panel is the mobile planning surface: use it when you are looking at a day and want to turn unscheduled Next Actions or due-but-unscheduled work into concrete time blocks. Collapse it when you want to focus on the calendar grid.

Drag to Reschedule

• Long-press a scheduled task block
• Drag to a new time slot (snaps to 5-minute intervals)
• Release to update the start time

External Calendars (iCal/ICS)

Subscribe to external calendars to see events alongside your tasks:

1. Go to Menu → Settings → Advanced → Calendar
2. Enter the calendar URL (ICS/webcal format)
3. Give it a name and tap Add
4. External events appear as gray blocks in Day view

---

Projects

Manage multi-step outcomes.

Open Projects from Menu → Projects.

Project List

• View all active projects
• See task count per project
• Tap to view project details
• Tap the star on a project to mark it as a priority (up to five). Starred projects move to the top of their area
• Long-press a project and choose Move up or Move down to change its place in its area. Starred and unstarred projects each keep their own order. The order syncs with the order set by dragging on desktop; there is no drag and drop on the phone

Project Details

• View all tasks in the project
• See the project's reference material in a References section below the task list — references whose tags match the project's tags appear there too
• Add new tasks
• Group tasks with Sections inside the project. Sections are headings inside one project, not subtasks or separate projects.
• Tap a task to assign a Section in the task editor
• Edit project settings (name, color, notes)
• Assign Area of Focus (e.g., Work, Personal)
• Add Project tags for filtering
• Set sequential or parallel mode
• Set review date
• Reorder project tasks with the drag handle when custom ordering is enabled. Dropping a task under a different section header moves it into that section, and dropping it above the first header clears its section
• Complete the project from Actions in the project details — remaining tasks are completed with it, the project moves to the Completed section at the bottom of the project list, and Reactivate undoes it
• Duplicate the project — swipe its row to the right in the project list, or use Duplicate in the project detail sheet — to copy its sections and tasks into a fresh copy (see Reusable Lists)

Starting with v1.3.4, Convert to section… in the project actions menu moves a simple project into another project. Choose the destination and section name, then review the task count before confirming. Project notes become section notes; all non-deleted tasks move with their contents, status, and relative order intact, including completed and archived tasks. The source project moves to Trash. Moved tasks use the destination’s Area; the source project’s color is not carried over. Undo restores the original containers without replacing later edits to task contents.

Conversion requires active projects. Parallel projects can be converted into parallel destinations. A sequential project can also be converted into a destination already set to Sequential → Within sections: the new section keeps its task sequence, while other sections continue independently. A sequential project converted into a Per section destination becomes a Sequential section. Conversion never changes the destination’s flow mode. The source cannot have sections or project metadata that a section cannot retain, such as attachments, dates, tags, a priority star, or a custom task sort. Task attachments and dates do not block conversion. Undo also restores the source project’s sequential mode and task order.

The Project Section field in the task editor assigns a task to one of the sections in its current project. It only matters after the task belongs to a project that has sections; otherwise, leave it blank.

Sequential vs Parallel

Mode	Behavior
Sequential	Only the first available project task appears in Focus
Parallel	All available project tasks can appear in Focus
Per section	Each section is Parallel or Sequential; set it in Sections

Sequential projects can run project-wide or section-by-section. Section-scoped sequencing shows the first available task in each project section, so separate phases or workstreams can move forward in parallel without making every task visible.

Set the project's Flow Mode to Per section. Then open the project details, go to Sections, and tap the flow button on a section row to make it Parallel or Sequential. A small label next to the section name shows the choice, only in Per section mode. A Sequential section offers only its first available task, with the same rules as Sequential projects: a Waiting first step holds the slot, and Focus may still show a starred or due task. A Parallel section, and tasks with no section, offer all their tasks. Sections never wait for each other, and section order creates no dependency. Switching from Sequential → Within sections starts every section as Sequential; switching from Parallel or Sequential → Across sections starts them as Parallel. Section choices are kept if you switch to another mode and back. Older app versions (1.3.6 and earlier) show a Per section project as Parallel.

---

Swipe Actions

Quickly manage tasks with swipe gestures:

Swipe	Buttons
Right	Done, Focus (or Remove from focus)
Left	Organize (status and destination), Dates… (Start and Due), Delete

Swipe, then tap a button. Done completes the task, even in the Inbox. Focus on an Inbox task moves it to Next and stars it in one step, or leaves it untouched when Focus is full. A completed task shows Restore to Inbox instead of Done and Focus. Screen readers offer the same actions in the row's actions menu.

Completing a task stamps the current time. If you actually finished earlier, long-press any Done control to pick the real completion time instead: the swipe-revealed Done button, the Done option in the status menu, the Done chip in the task editor, or the status badge in the task preview. You can also tap the Completed timestamp on a done or archived task to correct it afterwards.

---

Contexts

Browse and filter tasks by context.

Tap a context or tag to show only its tasks. Long-press another chip to add it to the selection. With two or more selected, choose All or Any. Tap the only selected chip again to clear the selection. For nested contexts such as @person/todd, see Contexts and Tags.

Location Contexts

• @home: Tasks to do at home
• @work: Tasks for the office
• @errands: Out and about
• @agendas: Discussion items
• @computer: Need a computer
• @phone: Need a phone
• @anywhere: Can do anywhere

Tags

Filter tasks by energy level, mode, or topic:

• #focused: Deep work requiring concentration
• #lowenergy: Simple tasks for tired moments
• #creative: Brainstorming and ideation
• #routine: Repetitive/mechanical tasks

---

Waiting For

Tasks with an assigned person show their name directly in the Waiting For list, even when extra details are hidden.

Track items delegated or waiting on external events.

• View all waiting tasks
• See deadlines
• Move to Next when ready
• Mark as Done when received

---

Someday/Maybe

Organize tasks into Someday sections directly from this list.

• Open a task’s menu and choose Move to section….
• Select several tasks to move them together with the same action. The picker includes empty sections, No section, and New section….
• Use New section… in the list to create a heading. When grouped by Someday section, use Add task on a heading to create a task in that section.
• A saved move offers Undo. Section changes preserve the task’s status, project, project section, and dates. Manage section names and ordering in Settings → Manage.
• Someday projects can go in the same sections. When the list is grouped by Someday section, long-press a project row and choose Move to section…. The project keeps its tasks, its own sections and its area. Projects without a section appear under No section.

Incubate ideas for the future.

• Review periodically during Weekly Review
• Activate by moving to Next status
• Archive if no longer relevant

---

Notifications & Reminders

Mindwtr sends notifications to keep you on track.

Types of Notifications

• Due date reminders: Alerts when tasks are due
• Start time alerts: Reminds you when it's time to begin
• Recurring task reminders: Notifications for recurring items

Advance reminder (v1.3.8) adds one alert before a task’s due time. In the task editor’s Reminders section, choose 5, 15, or 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, 2 days, or 1 week before. It is Off by default and requires a due date with an explicit time; the normal due-time alert remains enabled. Moving the deadline moves the advance alert too. Day and week choices keep the same local clock time across daylight-saving changes. If the advance time has already passed when you set it, no catch-up alert is sent.

Advance alerts follow the task’s Send/Skip choice, due-reminder settings, and notification permission. Clearing the due time stops scheduling them without erasing the chosen lead time. Update all devices to use this option; older versions do not schedule advance alerts.

Repeat reminder requires an explicit due time. Choose 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes between alerts, with at most eight additional reminders within two hours after the due time. Repeats do not continue indefinitely until completion. Repeat reminder: Off still allows the first due reminder.

Snooze postpones the current alert. Dismiss closes the current notification; it does not cancel future reminders in the repeat sequence. To stop a task’s start/due reminders and their repeats without changing its dates, set Start/due reminders → Skip in the task editor.

Settings → Notifications → Default task reminders chooses Send or Skip for new tasks. Each task has Start/due reminders: Use default (showing its current effect), Send, or Skip. Existing tasks keep their previous send/skip behavior until you deliberately choose Use default. The initial default is Send.

Skip withdraws pending start/due reminders and their repeats without erasing the repeat interval. Review reminders, daily digests, and Pomodoro alerts are separate. Send still requires an explicit start/due time, enabled task/start/due notifications, and device permission; it does not enable those switches for you.

The default follows the GTD settings-sync group; each task's choice syncs with the task. Device notification switches remain local. Upgrade all syncing devices to use inheritance: older versions use the last saved send/skip value, do not follow later default changes, and may lose Use default when saving a task.

App icon badge on iPhone and iPad

Turn on Settings → Notifications → App icon badge to show one combined count of tasks due today and overdue on this device. It is off by default, applies only to this device, and works independently of task reminders. The count uses due dates, not start dates, and excludes completed, cancelled, deleted and reference tasks, and tasks in archived or deleted projects.

The badge updates after task changes, when you return to Mindwtr, and at local midnight while the app is running. It may be outdated while the app is closed; updates from another device appear after they sync to this device. Allow badges for Mindwtr in iOS Settings if prompted.

Test a task reminder

1. Edit a task and set its Due date to a time a few minutes ahead. Date only gives the task a deadline without scheduling a timed alert.
2. In Start/due reminders, choose Send. On 1.3.6 and earlier, turn Skip reminders off.
3. Tap Save. In Settings → Notifications, make sure task notifications and due reminders are enabled. On iOS, also allow Mindwtr notifications in the device’s Settings.
4. Wait for the due time. If you changed the task on another device, open Mindwtr on this phone so the new time syncs before the alert.

Tap the notification body to jump directly to the Review screen.

Reminders are scheduled on the phone itself. There is no push server. If you complete or reschedule a task on another device (for example, checking off a daily recurring task on desktop), the phone updates its alarms as soon as that change syncs over, so let the phone sync before the next reminder time (opening the app once is enough).

Permissions

Make sure notifications are enabled:

1. Go to device Settings → Apps → Mindwtr
2. Enable Notifications
3. Allow alerts and sounds as desired

Reminders arriving late on Android

Android 12 and later can withhold permission to schedule exact alarms. Without that permission, Android may delay reminders; there is no one-minute limit. Mindwtr shows Reminders may arrive late in Settings → Notifications, with an Allow button. Pomodoro shows its own explanation directly below Alert when timer ends, with an Open Android settings action. The switch controls whether you receive timer alerts; the Android permission controls their timing. Permission help appears only while Pomodoro alerts are on and the permission is missing.

Tap Allow to open the Android permission screen for Mindwtr. You can also reach it at device Settings → Apps → Mindwtr → Alarms & reminders. As soon as the permission is granted, Mindwtr reschedules its reminders as exact alarms without restarting the app, and the row goes away. The row never appears before Android 12, where every alarm is already exact.

Starting with v1.3.4, Android discards one-time reminders that arrive more than 24 hours late, including reminders for unfinished tasks. This prevents old alarms from appearing days later after a restart. Reminders delayed by up to 24 hours can still arrive.

---

Settings

General

• Appearance: System, Light, Dark, Material 3 (Light), Material 3 (Dark), E-Ink, Nord, Catppuccin Macchiato, Dracula, Gruvbox Light, Gruvbox Dark, Sepia, or OLED / Midnight. Choose System (Light / OLED Dark) for the normal light palette in light mode and OLED in dark mode. OLED / Midnight stays black in either mode.
• Language: English, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Hindi, Spanish, Arabic, French, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, German, Japanese, Persian, Vietnamese, Turkish, Korean, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Hungarian, Ukrainian
• Date format: On iOS, System uses supported Gregorian short-date preferences from the device. After changing the device preference, return to Mindwtr to refresh task dates and the Settings preview. An explicit format overrides System; unsupported patterns use the locale fallback.
• App lock: Asks for your device lock (fingerprint, face or passcode) when you open Mindwtr or return to it. It protects what the app shows, not the database on the phone. While App lock is on, Require unlock sets how long Mindwtr can stay in the background before it asks again: Immediately (the default), After 1 minute, After 5 minutes or After 15 minutes. Opening Mindwtr after it was closed always asks. This setting stays on this phone. It does not sync, and restoring a backup does not change it.

Notifications

Task Reminders:

• Enable/disable notifications for due dates and start times

Daily Digest:

Morning and evening digests have their own switches. They work even when Task Reminders is off; notification permission is still required.

• Morning Briefing: Summary of due today, overdue, and focus tasks
• Evening Review: Prompt to review and wrap up the day
• Configure times for each

Weekly Review:

• Reminders: Get a weekly notification to start your review
• Time/Day: Customize when you want to review (e.g., Friday at 4 PM)

GTD

Customize how Mindwtr works for your GTD workflow:

Features (Optional):

• Priorities: Show a priority flag on tasks
• Time Estimates: Add a duration field for time blocking. The task editor lists the standard durations plus a Custom choice, where you type your own, such as 2h30. There is no setting for which durations are listed.

Auto-Archive:

• Automatically move Done tasks to Archived after a set number of days (default: 7 days). Reducing the delay immediately archives existing Done tasks that are now older than the new limit. Otherwise the check runs every time the app starts, and correcting a task's completion time to something older than the limit files it away straight away.
• Set to "Never" to keep completions in the Done list indefinitely

Inbox Processing:

• Mobile keeps the card-based inbox processing flow
• The same shared settings can hide or show the 2-minute shortcut, project-first prompt, contexts/tags section, scheduling section, and reference option

Task Editor Layout:

• Open tasks in decides which tab a normal task tap opens: Automatic (Edit from the Inbox, Preview everywhere else), Preview, or Edit. A read-only task always opens in Preview, and an explicit edit action always opens Edit. The choice stays on this device and is not synced.
• Tap a field to toggle visibility. Hidden fields still show when they have values, except Status, which stays hidden. Hiding Status also hides its button on task rows.
• Long-press the drag handle to reorder fields
• Move fields between sections like Basic, Scheduling, Organization, and Details
• Choose which collapsible sections open by default
• Hidden fields can be revealed with the More button in the editor

Manage:

• Use Settings → Manage to edit saved Areas, People, Contexts, and Tags
• This is the fastest place to clean up duplicates or rename reusable metadata
• See Areas and People for where to create Areas and People while assigning them

Data & Sync

See Data and Sync for sync setup.

Sync Backend:

• Cloud Sync: Dropbox in supported builds, plus iCloud on iOS where available
• Folder / File Sync: File sync via a shared JSON file/folder (Google Drive, Syncthing, OneDrive, etc.)
• Advanced / Custom Server: WebDAV or Self-Hosted Mindwtr Cloud

Other Options:

• Sync: Manually trigger sync
• Last sync status: View when data was last synced
• Sync history: Collapsed by default; tap to expand recent entries
• Export Backup: Save data to a file
• Export Mindwtr CSV: Save a spreadsheet-friendly task export that can be re-imported without duplicating existing tasks
• Export TaskNotes: Save one Markdown file per task in a ZIP for Obsidian's TaskNotes plugin
• Apple Reminders import: Choose a Reminders list and import incomplete reminders into Inbox. Imported reminders stay in Apple Reminders unless you turn on Delete imported reminders; already imported, completed, or untitled reminders are skipped. An Import automatically switch runs the import each time Mindwtr opens.
• Settings sync options: Choose which preferences sync across devices (theme, language/date format, GTD defaults, external calendar URLs, AI settings, and Saved Filters). API keys, custom AI endpoint URLs (including the speech-to-text endpoint), extra request parameters, and local model paths are never synced. Enter a custom endpoint once on each device.

GTD Options:

• Focus task limit: Choose how many tasks can be marked for Today's Focus.

Advanced

AI Assistant:

• Optional BYOK assistant for clarifying and breaking down tasks

Calendar (ICS/iCal):

• Add Calendar: Enter a name and URL
• Enable/Disable: Toggle visibility of each calendar
• Remove: Delete a subscription
• Test: Verify the calendar loads correctly

About

• Version number
• Check for updates
• Send feedback for bug reports, feature requests, or other notes when the build has feedback enabled. You can include a reply email if you want follow-up.
• Website and GitHub links
• Privacy policy link

---

See Also

• Mobile Installation
• Apple Shortcuts
• Data and Sync
• GTD Workflow in Mindwtr

Create a project from a checklist

Project conversion can optionally expand a checklist into tasks. The choice starts off each time. See checklist project conversion for transferred information, restrictions, and Undo.

Add an Inbox item to a checklist

In an Inbox item's Organize menu (swipe left on the row), choose Add to checklist… and pick a task. It works as on desktop: the item becomes one unchecked checklist entry, the Inbox item moves to Trash, and Undo puts both back. See Add an Inbox item to a checklist for which items qualify.

Project pickers list active projects first, then Someday and Waiting projects under a Someday / Waiting heading.