Drafts opens to a blank note instantly β the idea is that text lands here first, then gets routed somewhere else via actions. I use it as a frictionless capture layer: quick notes, URLs to process, things to look up later. Actions let you send the content of a draft anywhere β to Obsidian, email, reminders, a shell script, whatever. The action directory has hundreds of community-built options. Drafts on Mac syncs seamlessly with iOS, so anything captured on iPhone shows up immediately.
Drafts
Quick capture first, decide later
Drafts Cheatsheet
Actions System
Actions are automations that process your text.
Built-in Action Groups
| Group | Actions |
|---|---|
| Basic | Copy, Share, Print |
| Markdown | Preview, Export HTML |
| Files | Save to iCloud, Dropbox |
| Tasks | Send to Reminders, Things |
| Apps | Send to Bear, Ulysses, Obsidian |
Action Steps
| Step Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Script | JavaScript automation |
| URL | Open URL scheme |
| Share | iOS/macOS share sheet |
| File | Create/append to file |
| Compose email | |
| Clipboard | Copy to clipboard |
Workspaces & Tags
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Workspaces | Filtered views of drafts |
| Tags | Organize with labels |
| Flags | Mark important drafts |
| Inbox | Default landing zone |
| Archive | Long-term storage |
| Trash | 30-day auto-delete |
Syntax Highlighting
| Syntax | Description |
|---|---|
| Markdown | Standard markdown |
| MultiMarkdown | Extended markdown |
| GitHub Markdown | GFM support |
| Plain Text | No highlighting |
| JavaScript | Code editing |
| TaskPaper | Task list format |
Drafts Shortcuts
Quick Capture
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| βN | New draft |
| ββ§N | New draft in new window |
| βReturn | Send to default action |
| βS | Save draft |
| βD | Quick search/open draft |
Text Editing
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| βB | Bold (Markdown) |
| βI | Italic (Markdown) |
| βK | Insert link |
| βT | Insert task/checkbox |
| ββ§T | Toggle task complete |
| βL | Select line |
| ββ₯β | Move line up |
| ββ₯β | Move line down |
| βββ | Increase heading level |
| βββ | Decrease heading level |