Deep dive into creating checklists in Apple Notes from text

Quickly transform any list of text into a fully interactive checklist directly within Apple Notes. This new shortcut eliminates the need to manually create each checklist item, allowing you to paste or type a list and instantly convert it into a format you can check off. It’s a simple yet powerful way to streamline the creation of grocery lists, to-do lists, and more.

What's new

This release introduces a new shortcut built around the powerful Append checklist item action. This action allows you to programmatically add interactive checklist items to a new or existing Apple Note. The shortcut prompts you for text input, with each new line treated as a separate checklist item, and then automatically generates a titled note with your interactive list ready to use.

How to use this feature

1. Run the Note Checklist shortcut from your library.
2. First, select the folder in Apple Notes where you want to save your new checklist.
3. When prompted, type or paste the items for your checklist, ensuring each item is on a new line.
4. Tap Done. The shortcut will automatically create a new note with today's date in the title and populate it with your items as an interactive checklist.

Key capabilities

• Automated Note Creation: Generates a new, titled Apple Note without you having to open the app first.
• Multi-item Input: Accepts multiple lines of text at once and intelligently splits them into individual checklist items.
• Interactive Checkboxes: Uses the native Apple Notes checklist format, allowing you to tap the bubbles to mark items as complete.
• Folder Organization: Lets you choose a specific folder for your new checklist, keeping your notes organized from the start.

Tips for getting the most out of this feature

You can easily customize the default title for your new checklist. In the shortcut editor, expand the first action, Create note, and modify the text in the Name field. For example, you could change it to ask you for a title each time you run the shortcut for more flexibility.

Summary

The Create Notes Checklist shortcut offers a fast and efficient way to generate interactive lists in Apple Notes. By automating the process of creating a note and adding individual checklist items, it bridges the gap between simple text and organized, actionable tasks. This is perfect for anyone who frequently makes lists and wants to save time on manual entry.