The best time to capture an idea is the second it arrives. Not after you unlock your phone, find the app, and tap the record button. By then, half the thought is gone.
I set up a Siri phrase that opens Brain Dump instantly: "Hey Siri, brain dump now."
Three seconds from thought to recording. No tapping, no searching, no friction.
Why this matters
Ideas don't wait for convenience. They show up:
- While you're cooking dinner with messy hands
- Walking to your car carrying bags
- Lying in bed when you don't want to look at a bright screen
- Driving (when parked safely, of course)
If capturing an idea requires 4 taps and 10 seconds, you'll skip it half the time. If it requires one spoken phrase, you'll actually do it.
How to set it up (takes 2 minutes)
Step 1: Open the Shortcuts app It's pre-installed on iOS. If you deleted it, download it from the App Store.
Step 2: Create a new shortcut
- Tap the + button in the top right
- Tap Add Action
- Search for "Open App"
- Select Open App
- Tap "App" and choose Brain Dump
Step 3: Name it and add to Siri
- Tap the shortcut name at the top and change it to "Brain Dump Now"
- Tap the info icon (ⓘ) in the top right
- Tap Add to Siri
- Record your phrase: "brain dump now" (or whatever you prefer)
- Tap Done
That's it. Now when you say "Hey Siri, brain dump now," the app opens ready to record.
Choosing your phrase
Pick something short and natural. I tried several before landing on "brain dump now":
What didn't work:
- "Open Brain Dump" — Siri sometimes tried to search the web instead
- "Start voice note" — Too generic, Siri got confused
- "Capture idea" — Felt too formal, I never remembered it
What works:
- "Brain dump now" — Clear, specific, impossible to misinterpret
- "Quick note" — Simple, but make sure no other apps use this
- "Record thought" — Also works well
Test your phrase a few times. If Siri misunderstands it even once, pick something clearer.
Using it in real life
Morning commute: Walking to the car, idea hits about a project at work. "Hey Siri, brain dump now." Talk while walking. Done before I reach the car.
Cooking dinner: Hands covered in flour, remember something I need to email tomorrow. "Hey Siri, brain dump now." Speak the reminder while the timer runs.
Middle of the night: Wake up at 2 AM with a worry loop (happens more than I'd like). "Hey Siri, brain dump now." Use the 2 AM worry script to get it out of my head.
The pattern is the same: thought arrives → say the phrase → capture in 30-60 seconds → move on.
Combine with other shortcuts
Once you have the Siri phrase working, you can layer in other automation:
Append to today's journal Instead of creating a new note each time, append to one daily note. See append to last note guide.
Voice memo import After you finish a Voice Memo recording, share it to Brain Dump with one tap. See Voice Memo shortcut.
CarPlay integration Use the same Siri phrase while driving (when parked) for hands-free capture. See CarPlay tips.
Troubleshooting
"Hey Siri" doesn't work Make sure Hey Siri is enabled: Settings → Siri & Search → Listen for "Hey Siri"
Siri opens the wrong thing Your phrase might be too similar to another command. Try a more distinctive phrase like "brain dump now" instead of something generic.
Shortcut doesn't show up in Siri Make sure you tapped "Add to Siri" in the shortcut's info screen and recorded your voice saying the phrase.
Brain Dump isn't in the Open App list Make sure Brain Dump is installed and you've opened it at least once. iOS only shows apps that have been launched.
Privacy note
Using Siri to open an app doesn't send your voice to the cloud. The phrase recognition happens on-device. Once Brain Dump opens and you start recording, that's when on-device transcription kicks in.
Your voice never leaves your phone unless you explicitly enable optional AI features later. See privacy guide for details.
The habit that sticks
I've been using this Siri phrase for six months. It's now automatic. Idea arrives, I say the phrase without thinking about it.
That's the goal: make capture so frictionless that it disappears. The phrase becomes muscle memory. The app opens instantly. Your thought gets recorded before it evaporates.
Three seconds from thought to recording. That's the difference between notes you actually use and ideas you lose forever.
Next steps:
- Set up append to last note to build daily running notes
- Learn voice dictation tips to improve transcription accuracy
- Try 60-second journal prompts for structured daily reflection