01
Hit the hotkey
A small panel floats over whatever you're doing. No app switch, no tab hunt.
For Mac
Capture the note.
Sort it later.
Press a hotkey, type the thought, get back to what you were doing. Spillway quietly lands it in your Obsidian daily note and sorts out links and tags when you're ready to look at them.
How it works
The moment before the thought slips.
Three steps, none of them disruptive. Capture now, sort later — the app handles the filing so you don't have to.
02
Type and move on
Write the note. Spillway saves and closes. Whatever you were focused on is still there.
03
Tidy up later
When you have a moment, review the links, tags, and follow-ups Spillway suggested. Accept what's useful, skip the rest.
Features
Small surface area, tuned for the way you already work.
Everything stays close to the job: capture fast, file locally, and reduce the cleanup that usually piles up later.
Open the capture panel from any app on your Mac and return to work just as quickly. No need to switch windows or find the right note first.
Every capture appends directly to today's file in Obsidian. Nothing to file, nothing to forget.
Between meetings or at day's end, accept the links and tags Spillway proposed. One pass, and you're done.
Spillway offers entity and tag matches from your vault as you write. Use them or ignore them — they never block the note.
If you allow it, Spillway uses what's on your calendar for context and can push action items to Apple Reminders.
FAQ
Quick answers.
How do I install it?
Download and open the installer, drag Spillway into Applications, and launch it. On first run the app walks you through connecting your Obsidian vault and granting any permissions it needs.
Why isn't it on the App Store?
Spillway needs a system-wide hotkey and direct access to your vault — two things the App Store doesn't allow without significant limitations. Direct download keeps the experience clean and the workflow frictionless.
Does it send my notes anywhere?
No. Captures, suggestions, and writes all happen on your Mac. Nothing leaves your machine.
What permissions does it ask for?
Accessibility access for the global hotkey. File access for your vault. Calendar and Reminders are optional — only requested if you use those integrations.
Download
Try the beta.
- Native Mac app Built in Swift and SwiftUI for macOS 14 and later.
- Direct download No App Store. Open the installer and the app walks you through setup.
- Offline by default No account, no telemetry. Everything happens on your Mac.
- Built around Obsidian Daily notes, wiki links, tags — the workflows you already use.