Close, but not quite there
peterdannock • 8 Aug 2026 •
I enjoy creating automations for my MacBook to streamline everyday tasks. While it seems simple on paper, linking apps, sharing data, or reducing clicks, there’s often a hidden complication. Today, I faced the challenge of connecting an Apple Note to an Apple Reminder. The concept was straightforward: I wanted to quickly jump from an email to the related note and then back, establishing a practical link between information and action. It seemed like an ideal way to boost productivity.
The reality was quite different. Apple Notes makes it challenging to create reliable links to notes, and ensuring these links work consistently was much harder than I anticipated. I experimented with AppleScript, shortcuts, and various methods, thinking I was close to success. Each attempt looked promising, but then something would go wrong: the note link wouldn’t open properly, the app didn’t recognise the URL, or the connection failed.
What makes it frustrating is that the technology feels so close to working. The pieces are all there, yet they refuse to fit together. Hours can disappear in pursuit of a solution that should take minutes. Still, that’s the strange reality of automation: when it works, it’s magic. When it doesn’t, it’s enough to make you want to throw the MacBook out the window.
I might be retreading what you already know, but the smartest AI I can currently access says the following: