How to remember where you left off when you switch apps on Mac

01Why the usual way fails

Most of us try to fix this with a notes app or a to-do list, but those live somewhere else. When you come back to a file, nothing reminds you that you left a note about it in another app, so the note is never seen at the right moment. Reminders based on time are not much better, because they fire when you are busy with something else, not when you open the work they belong to. Sticky notes pile up on the desk and on the screen until you stop reading them. And keeping everything in your head works only until the third interruption of the day.

02How Cuewake helps

Cuewake is a Mac app that lets you leave a note, checklist, link or file with the app or web page you are working in. It saves the context around the cue, such as the app, window, page, website or file. When you return to that place, Cuewake brings your next step back. You can also set a reminder in plain words, like "tomorrow at 9", and keep files close in the notch while you work.

03Step by step

1. Install Cuewake on a Mac with macOS 14 or later and Apple silicon.
2. When you are about to switch tasks, leave a short cue with your next step in the app you are using.
3. Add a checklist, link or file if the next step needs more than one line.
4. Optionally type a reminder time in plain words, for example "in 2 hours".
5. Open the same app or page later and read the cue that comes back with it.

04Tips

• Write the next action, not a summary. "Fix the chart on page 4" gets you moving again; "worked on report" does not.
• End your day with a short brief for tomorrow. One project manager on the Cuewake site says they type everything they did into it, and the next morning it brings the briefing back.
• Use checklists for tasks with several steps, and skip steps that do not apply this time instead of rewriting the list.
• Keep the cue short enough to read in five seconds. If you need more, attach the link or file instead of writing a long note.

05Questions