How to capture to-do items while working with your hands

A plain guide for people working with their hands to capture to-do items by voice, with steps, tools to consider and mistakes to avoid.

By XP Daily · 2026-10-31

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Set up one capture method and one place for to-dos before you start, speak each task as it comes up, and review the list when your hands are free. QuickDictate is one option, and it runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 ^[1].

Option	What it does for a busy person	Cost
Paper notepad or sticky note	Not published here; check its own page	not published
Phone voice note app	Not published here; check the app's own page	not published
QuickDictate	Types what you say into whichever window you are using ^[1]	Free for personal and other noncommercial use, with cloud providers billing you separately ^[1]

What you need before you start

Capturing a to-do while your hands are busy takes only a few things. You need a way to record the to-do that does not depend on a free hand, such as a voice tool or a spoken note on your phone. You also need one place where every to-do will end up, such as a task list, a note file or a notepad you check later. Pick that place before you start, so you are not deciding while you are juggling something else.

Set up your capture method once, while your hands are free. Test it with a short phrase, then check that the phrase appears where you expect.

If you plan to use Windows dictation software, you need a 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 computer ^[1]. You also need a microphone that your computer can use. Decide which key or action will start and stop capture, and make sure it stays within reach while your hands are full.

Keep each to-do short and specific, such as 'call the plumber about the sink.' A short line is easier to say, easier to check and easier to find later.

Step by step

These steps work with any capture method, including a pen and paper.

Decide on the one place every to-do will go, such as one note or one list.
When a to-do comes up, say or write the task in a single short sentence.
Add the person or place if it matters, such as 'email Sam about the invoice.'
Stop your work only long enough to record the task. Do not start a new task yet.
Check that the to-do landed in the right place. A quick glance is usually enough.
If the wording came out wrong, fix it at once while the task is still fresh.
Discard any entry you did not mean to make, then carry on with your work.
When your hands are free, read the full list from top to bottom.
Give each to-do a rough order or time, so the list shows what to do next.
Clear finished items so the list stays useful.

Repeat the same routine every day. A routine you repeat becomes automatic, so you spend less effort remembering how to capture a task and more effort doing it.

Tools that can do it

QuickDictate is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using ^[1]. You hold a key while you talk, or press it once to start and once to stop, and you can change both keys ^[1]. Pick a key that stays within reach while your hands are busy.

What you say is typed into whichever window has focus, such as an editor, chat box, terminal or web form ^[1]. Saying 'scratch that' discards the text you just dictated instead of inserting it ^[1]. You can list words and phrases that help the provider recognise names and terms ^[1].

With five of the cloud providers, words appear while you are still talking ^[1]. Those providers are ElevenLabs, Deepgram, OpenAI, AssemblyAI, DashScope and Google, and each bills you directly ^[1]. A local speech model such as Whisper Large v3 Turbo can be installed instead, so dictation needs no internet connection or API key, which is an access code for the provider ^[1].

While you dictate, other apps' audio is muted or turned down, and it goes back to its old level when you stop ^[1]. The program is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account, but cloud providers bill you separately for their service ^[1]. From version 0.9.0 on, commercial use needs a separate licence ^[1]. It is delivered as an .exe file on GitHub, with a built-in updater that works silently ^[1]. It runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, with no Mac or Linux version ^[1].

For a paper notepad, a sticky note or a phone's own voice note app, nothing is published here about cost or limits. Check each one's own page before you choose.

Common mistakes to avoid

Capturing a long thought. A long spoken note is hard to check later. Keep each to-do to one short sentence.

Leaving the list unchecked. A to-do can be lost if you never look at the place it went. Read the list once when your hands are free.

Using two places for to-dos. Splitting tasks across a notepad, a phone and a chat window makes it hard to know what is still open. Choose one place and stick to it.

Ignoring a misheard word. A wrong word can change the meaning of a task. Fix it at once, while you still remember what you meant.

Capturing in a noisy room. Background sound can cause errors. Move to a quieter spot if you can, or repeat the task more clearly.

Relying on a key you cannot reach. If the start and stop key is awkward while your hands are full, change it before the day begins.

Never clearing finished items. An old list full of done tasks hides the ones that still matter. Remove finished items at the end of each session.

Frequently asked questions

Does QuickDictate work on a Mac?

No. QuickDictate runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, and there is no Mac or Linux version ^[1]. If your computer runs another system, check what dictation options that system offers before you build a capture routine around one. The steps in this guide work with any tool, so you can keep the same routine if you switch.

Is QuickDictate free for personal use?

Yes. QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account ^[1]. Cloud providers bill you separately for their service, and you can choose ElevenLabs, Deepgram, OpenAI, AssemblyAI, DashScope or Google, with that provider billing you directly ^[1]. A local speech model needs no internet connection or API key ^[1].

Does QuickDictate mute other audio while dictating?

Yes. While you are dictating, other apps' audio is muted or turned down, and it goes back to its old level when you stop ^[1]. A video or podcast you are listening to may go quiet during a capture, so pause what you are listening to before you speak. The sound returns once you finish.

Can QuickDictate get names and terms right?

You can list words and phrases that are sent to the provider to help it recognise them, and a replacement table fixes spellings such as Chat GPT to ChatGPT ^[1]. Add the names and terms you use most, such as client names or project codes, before you rely on the tool for a busy day. Then say a few test phrases to confirm the fixes work as you expect.

Can QuickDictate discard a dictation by mistake?

Saying 'scratch that' discards the text you just dictated instead of inserting it ^[1]. It is the only voice command it has ^[1]. The history lets you browse your last 50 dictations, which helps you find a line you want to reuse ^[1].

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. ^[1]

Try QuickDictate

Sources

QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)