NewTwos

Write it down

Quick Capture

iPhoneiPadAndroidWebMacWindowsLinuxWatchUpdated 2026-08-18

Quick Capture writes a thing down without opening NewTwos.

Why you'd care

Opening an app is a decision, and decisions are where capture dies. Quick Capture removes it. On a phone that means a widget you can reach from the lock screen. On a desktop it means a hotkey that works over whatever you are doing.

This is the single highest-value piece of setup in the product, and almost nobody does it on day one.

The 60-second version

Mac, Windows, and Linux

Press ⌘⌃␣ from anywhere. A small window appears over whatever you were doing. Type, press Enter, and it is gone.

iPhone, iPad, and Android

Add the NewTwos widget to your home screen or lock screen, and tap it to write. Setup instructions per platform are in settings.

Going further

The desktop hotkey is the one to set up. It works whether or not NewTwos is running, and it does not steal your place in the app you were using. It is registered at the operating system level, so pick a chord nothing else claims.

Widgets differ by platform. On iOS there are lock-screen and Control Centre entry points as well as the home screen. On Android the home-screen widget is the main one. Details are in widgets.

Everything lands the same way. A Quick Capture thing goes to Today, or your default list if you set one. See where new things go.

Settings that change this

Tips

  • Set the desktop hotkey to something you can hit one-handed. You will use it dozens of times a day or not at all.
  • Put the widget on your lock screen rather than a home screen page you have to swipe to.

If it's not working

The hotkey does nothing. Another app has claimed the chord at the system level. Pick a different one rather than fighting it.

The widget shows nothing. Widgets refresh on the operating system's schedule, not instantly. Give it a moment after writing.