Tana iOS and Android gets native widgets for instant capture and voice memos
Quick capture on the go with the Tana mobile apps
The new Tana mobile apps for iOS and Android is built for people who want to capture important thoughts, ideas or notes, and organize them in their knowledge graph. You can now capture tasks, ideas, or voice memos directly from your phone’s native tools, no app switching required.
Whether you’re between meetings or walking to the train, capture tagged items to Tana with one click from the home screen, use Siri, or tap an iOS Shortcut to capture instantly.
Each tagged capture automatically syncs and structures itself in your Tana knowledge graph, where you can organize and reformat it. So you’re not just taking notes, you’re building a system of lasting knowledge.
Configurable Home screen widgets for iOS and Android apps
Add Tana capture widgets to your iPhone or Android home screen for one-tap access to your favorite capture modes; write, speak, or snap a photo.
You can set up multiple widgets for different supertags or destinations, for example:
- #task – capture your next action item
- #idea – jot down creative sparks
- #memo – record voice notes hands-free
How to add home screen widgets on iOS
On the home screen, long press, tap "Edit" in the top left corner, then select Add widget. Long press each widget and select "Edit", to configure it.
How to add home screen widgets on Android
To add an Android home screen widget, touch and hold an empty spot on your home screen, or pinch the screen. Then tap Widgets, find Tana, and then drag the widget to your desired location.
Once the widget is added, you can tap the Settings icon to configure the destination and supertag:
On newer Android versions you can even add multiple widgets in the same spot on the home screen and scroll sideways between them.
iOS native integrations
Siri integration
Use Siri to capture notes, photos, or voice memos in Tana hands-free.
Make sure Siri is enabled on your device (setup guide). Then try:
- “Tana write note” — open text capture.
- “Tana camera” — take and save a photo in Tana.
- “Tana voice memo” — start recording an audio note.
See the full list of supported voice commands here.
Lock screen widgets
On your lock screen, you can add widgets for one-tap access:
- Write a note
- Record voice memo
- Take photo with camera
To add lock screen widgets, long press on the lock screen, tap Customize select the lock screen and then tap the widget area, find the Tana widgets and tap to add them into the widget area.
Control Center widget
Access Tana in one swipe; add it to your Control Center (iOS) for instant recording and note capture, even while your phone is locked.
Swipe down from the top-right of your iPhone, long press, tap "Add a Control", search for Tana, and select between these options:
- Write a note
- Voice memo
- Camera (to take and upload images)
Perfect for when you want to capture a thought mid-conversation or note an idea during a walk.
Spotlight search
Spotlight on iOS is the system-wide search you open by swiping down on the Home Screen. With this update, typing “Tana” in Spotlight now shows quick actions like Write Note, Camera, or Voice Memo.
Tap one to open that capture mode instantly, without even launching the full app.
Shortcuts integration
You can now create multi-step Tana shortcuts in Apple’s Shortcuts app.
A shortcut is a series of actions, and for Tana, these actions can include:
- Write note
- Record voice memo
- Open camera
Use these shortcuts in automations, widgets, or even assign them to your iPhone’s Action Button (available on iPhone 15 Pro and later).
Action Button integration
On supported models (iPhone 15 Pro or later), you can map the Action Button to run a Tana shortcut, for example, start recording a voice memo with a single press.
To set it up:
- Go to Settings > Action Button.
- Swipe to Shortcut → Choose a Shortcut → select a Tana action (Voice memo, Write Note or Camera).
Capture ideas with purpose: use cases & templates
You’re walking between meetings, and tap a home app button for #task voice memo:
“Follow up with Alex about the Q4 launch deck.”
Tana records your voice, transcribes the memo, applies the #task supertag, and saves it to your workspace. By the time you open your laptop, it’s already waiting in your daily note so you can remember it.
Here are a few other ideas for how you can use Tana’s new mobile voice capture system, along with ready-to-use templates you can open right now:
- Draft memos: Draft emails, feedback to share, or reporting updates using the #Memo supertag. Use the rewrite command button on desktop to instantly reformat your transcript, before it can be shared with the Tana publish feature.
- Reflect on your week of or plan your day: Record reflections while walking using the #Weekly reflection template.
- Draft blog posts or articles: Dictate ideas with the #Article template. Tana transcribes and structures your thoughts automatically.
- Investor updates on the go: Record updates using the #Investor update template while heading to the kitesurfing beach.
- Brainstorm new ideas: Use the #Brainstorm template to team sessions or your own ramblings and have AI break it down in ideas or questions you can follow up on.
- Record lectures or study sessions: The Student hub template helps students capture lectures and automatically transcribe and tag them for later review.
All templates use Tana’s supertags to give instant structure and context to what you capture.
From talk to action
Instead of juggling multiple apps for voice recording, formatting, organizing your notes and managing tasks, Tana lets you capture, organize, and manage tasks in the same place.
- Record voice notes and get customized transcription workflows with different supertags.
- Use Tana iOS widgets and Shortcuts for lightning-fast capture.
- Turn fleeting thoughts into structured, searchable knowledge.
- Build a living knowledge system where your knowledge compounds over time, and your tasks have context from meetings or notes.
With capturing in Tana mobile apps, every idea, voice memo, and task becomes part of a connected network, one that helps you think faster, act smarter, and stay in flow.
Share your captured thoughts with Tana Publish
Once you’ve rewritten or refined your recordings, share them directly with Tana Publish. Add passwords for extra security (requires paid plan). Publish your memos, reflections, or ideas as public pages in one click.
Watch how it works →
Ready to try it?
Download the latest Tana app for iOS and Android, add your widgets, and try capturing your next idea by voice. Check out Tana Mobile documentation to learn more.
Your phone just became the fastest way to build lasting knowledge.