# Cleft: full content > Cleft is voice-first note-taking for people who think faster than they type. On-device AI (Whisper) transcribes your voice and turns rambling speech into structured notes. Your voice never leaves your device. Available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. > This file inlines the full text of every published blog post so an AI tool > can evaluate Cleft in one fetch. The map (with links + the Optional/legal > section) is at https://cleftnotes.com/llms.txt. ## Pages - [Home](https://cleftnotes.com/): Voice-first notes, on-device AI, every Apple device. - [Product](https://cleftnotes.com/product): Every feature: transcription, 99 languages, offline, sync, integrations. - [Pricing](https://cleftnotes.com/pricing): Cleft Basic vs Cleft Plus: $6.99/mo or $39.99/yr. - [Manifesto](https://cleftnotes.com/manifesto): Why Cleft exists: voice-first capture, honest privacy, accessibility-first design. - [About](https://cleftnotes.com/about): The neurodivergent founders behind Cleft; privacy-first, bootstrapped. - [Blog](https://cleftnotes.com/blog): Notes on how we think: product updates and voice-notes workflows. - [Podcast](https://cleftnotes.com/podcast): Speak Easy: host Tyler Sellhorn on the systems behind great ideas. - [Roadmap](https://cleftnotes.com/roadmap): Where Cleft is headed: planned, in progress, and TestFlight previews. - [Contact](https://cleftnotes.com/contact): Get in touch: support, sales, press, billing, and privacy requests. # Blog posts (full text) ## Cleft 1.14.2 | Clearer and Calmer Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-14-2-clearer-and-calmer · 2026-07-01 Typed notes are quicker to start, synced voice recordings keep playing, background recordings finish, and Mac note controls feel calmer. --- ## Cleft 1.14.1 | Reliable Controls Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-14-1-reliable-controls · 2026-06-23 A focused patch for custom styles, toolbar menus, richer Zapier triggers, and backup folders that identify the Cleft version that made them. --- ## Cleft 1.14 | Make Cleft Yours Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-14-make-cleft-yours · 2026-06-22 Pick the shape of each note, save Markdown and audio locally, sync your settings, and capture from Mac, Watch, and CarPlay with more control. --- ## How Cleft's transcription got fast, private, and accurate Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/how-clefts-transcription-evolved · 2026-05-20 People think of transcription as the product. It is really the first step, the thing that has to work before any of the rest matters. I wanted to write down how it has changed, because what we held fixed and what we kept improving both say a lot about how we think. ## On-device from the first build Transcription in Cleft has run on your device since the first builds in early 2024. That was how the app worked from the start. When you stop recording, a local Whisper model turns your audio into text on the phone or the Mac. The audio never has to leave the device, and recording works on a plane with the wifi off. The only step that talks to a server is the one after transcription: turning a raw transcript into a clean, structured note. That summary runs on a cloud model. The audio, and the transcription of it, stay on the device. So "your voice never leaves your device" describes the real architecture, and it has been that way since the first build. ``` ON YOUR DEVICE record → whisper.cpp → transcript │ only the text is sent ▼ IN THE CLOUD summarise + format → structured note ``` We did move around inside the on-device world. Early builds ran `whisper.cpp`, we tried `WhisperKit` for about a week in April 2024, then went back to `whisper.cpp` with an Intel Mac fallback so older machines kept working. Different engines, same arrangement: the audio is transcribed where it was recorded. ## Making it fast On-device transcription gave us that privacy and cost us speed. Early versions made you record, stop, and wait while the model caught up, sometimes close to twenty seconds. That is a long time when you just want to get a thought down and move on. In 1.11 we upgraded the transcription engine and got record-to-ready down to about three seconds, still entirely on-device. Quiet recordings are handled better too, so low-volume audio is cleaned up before transcription instead of coming out garbled. ## When the model makes things up On-device Whisper has a specific failure anyone who has used it will recognise. On silence, the model does not stay quiet. It hallucinates. The classic one is a phantom "Thank you" or "Thanks for watching" showing up in a note where you said nothing, because the model has seen a lot of video captions. So we added silence filtering to catch those, and kept tightening it. For longer recordings we fixed the assembly so every section comes back in the right order, with nothing repeated and nothing skipped. The subtlest one was the background gap. If you started a recording and then switched to another app, the words you spoke while Cleft was in the background were captured to the audio file but could go missing from the transcript. The app now notices when part of a recording happened in the background and re-transcribes the full audio, so the note has everything you said. Fully foreground recordings are untouched and stay just as fast. ## Open-sourcing the native path The newest piece is native. Justin built and open-sourced [Liquid Speech](/blog/posts/liquid-speech), an MIT-licensed Flutter bridge to Apple's on-device `SpeechAnalyzer` API, with a runtime availability check so apps can use the native path on iOS and macOS 26 and fall back cleanly on older versions. The same principle that shaped our transcription, keeping the audio on the device, is now a small piece of public infrastructure other people can build on. The priorities have stayed in that order the whole time: keep the audio on the device, make the device fast enough to keep up, and make sure the transcript only holds what you actually said. --- ## Bringing Cleft to the car Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/bringing-cleft-to-the-car · 2026-05-06 A lot of ideas arrive while you are driving, with nowhere to put them. 1.13 added CarPlay support so you can capture one without reaching for your phone, and building it taught me more about the rest of the app than I expected. CarPlay is the most constrained surface we have shipped. You cannot really look at the screen. You do not draw your own interface, you get a small set of system templates, and recording runs through CarPlay's `CPVoiceControlTemplate`. And you might be on a motorway with patchy signal. Those limits shaped the whole feature. ## Designing for eyes off the screen Because you cannot look, the interface collapses to almost nothing. One big New Note button. Tap to record, tap to save. When you save, the screen commits immediately and lets you start the next note right away, instead of waiting for the previous one to finish processing. Pause and resume are there if you need a breath, and the timer freezes while paused so the display does not lie to you. Designing for a quick glance made the flow simpler, and the simpler flow turned out better on the phone too. ## Built for bad signal A note captured in the car is no use if it disappears when you lose signal. So CarPlay recordings upload as compact files, roughly a fifth of the size they used to be, so they sync faster on a weak connection. Anything recorded offline, from the car or the Watch, syncs the moment you reconnect instead of sitting stranded. ## Showing a note's state at a glance Back in your note list, a small steering wheel mark shows a note came from the car. A pulsing dot means it is still processing. A warning icon means it needs a tap to retry. You should be able to read the state of a note in the half second you can spare while you are still watching the road. The result is what we were after: capture a thought, save it in a tap, and start the next one, without reaching for your phone. --- ## Cleft 1.13 | Think While You Drive Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-13-think-while-you-drive · 2026-05-04 Record a voice note while you drive. With CarPlay you can capture a thought, save it in a tap, and start the next one, all without reaching for your phone. --- ## Quieter under the hood: a quarter spent on reliability Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/quieter-under-the-hood · 2026-03-24 1.12 through 1.12.3 added almost no new buttons. The point was to make the app you already rely on harder to break. I want to write this one down with specifics, because "we improved stability" tells you nothing, and the actual work is worth being concrete about. ## Edits that save themselves Editing a note used to assume you would leave the screen politely. People do not. They close the app, lose power, get a call, switch apps mid-sentence. So we made edits save themselves. Close Cleft, come back, and your changes are waiting. On the Mac, the app now waits until your work is written to disk before it lets a window close. ## A failed note should explain itself A note that is stuck with no explanation leaves you unsure whether it is working, broken, or gone. So failed notes now give you one clear reason and one tap to try again, and a batch of previously stuck notes became retryable instead of abandoned. ## The iPad data-loss path This is the one I am most glad we caught. On iPad, rotating or entering split view can swap the size class, which rebuilds part of the view tree. The recording surface could get rebuilt while a live session was still running, and the new surface would tear down the session the old one thought it owned. That is a recording lost to a layout change. The fix was to give recording a single, process-wide notion of ownership (`RecordingSurfaceOwnership`). When a newer presentation takes over, the superseded one stands down instead of tearing out the live session. The recording surface also got anchored outside the part of the navigation tree that mutates during those swaps. None of this is visible in the UI, but losing a recording to a screen rotation is not something we are willing to ship, so it was worth the time. ## Fewer crashes, less drain Alongside that we eliminated dozens of crash causes across iPhone, Mac, and Watch, removed hangs that caused momentary freezes, and cut unnecessary background activity so the app is easier on your battery. None of this is exciting to announce, but everything else in Cleft depends on you believing a note will still be there when you come back. That is what the quarter went into. --- ## Cleft 1.12.3 | Quieter Under the Hood Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-12-3-quieter-under-the-hood · 2026-03-22 Your notes just got tougher. Edits save themselves, failed notes tell you why, and Apple Watch recordings find their way to your phone even out of range. --- ## Cleft 1.12.2 | Never Miss a Word Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-12-2-never-miss-a-word · 2026-03-21 Switch your AirPods, plug in a USB mic, connect a Bluetooth headset. Your recording keeps going. Your full recording, every time. --- ## Cleft 1.12.1 | Built to Last Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-12-1-built-to-last · 2026-03-16 No new buttons to find, just a tougher, more accurate version of what you already rely on. Better transcription, quiet recordings, and cleaner code blocks. --- ## Cleft 1.12 | Polish Edition Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-12-polish-edition · 2026-03-06 Nothing new to learn, just a better version of what you use: pick your date format, search faster on Mac, plus stability fixes across iOS, Mac, and Watch. --- ## Recording that survives the real world Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/recording-that-survives-the-real-world · 2026-02-10 People assume the hard part of a voice notes app is the transcription. In practice the hard part is getting clean audio off a real device, in a real pocket, on a real commute, every time. A lot of our work between 1.10.2 and 1.12.2 went into one unglamorous goal: you press record, you talk, and the whole thing is captured, with no silent gaps, no empty notes, and no crash when you stop. ## The audio session keeps changing underneath you The audio session is not really yours. iOS hands you an `AVAudioSession` and can reshape it at any moment: - Your AirPods connect a half second after you tap record. - You start on the phone speaker and plug in a USB mic halfway through. - A call comes in and the system takes the microphone away. - You pause, take a breath, and resume. Each of these used to be a way to lose part of a recording, or to get silence where your voice should be. There was no single clever fix. Each transition had to be handled on its own: when the device changes, keep recording and follow it; when you pause and resume, make sure the resumed audio actually has sound in it; when the session is interrupted while you are stopping, save the note instead of letting the app fall over. By 1.12.2 the result was simple to state: connect AirPods, plug in a mic, switch a Bluetooth headset, and your recording keeps going without missing a word. ## Asking for the mic once The other half of "just works" is permission timing. Ask for the microphone at the wrong moment and you teach people to tap No. So we ask once, at the point it makes sense, and then stay out of the way. After that, recording should never make you think about permission again. ## Protecting the recording first When something does go wrong, the recording is the thing we protect. Stop a recording while a call interrupts the audio and the note is preserved instead of lost to a crash. When the device runs short on memory during transcription, the work falls back from the GPU to the CPU instead of taking the app down. Losing a recording is the failure we are least willing to accept, so wherever there is a tradeoff we take the slower, safer path. --- ## Cleft 1.11 | Liquid Fast Edition Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-11-liquid-fast-edition · 2026-02-03 Speed is the feature. We rebuilt how sync works, how the notebook engine performs, and how fast your note is ready after recording. Still entirely on-device. --- ## Cleft 1.10.3 | Rock-Solid Reliability Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-10-3-rock-solid-reliability · 2026-01-07 We caught a few issues from the last release. This one makes things right. Your recordings are safe and the app stays rock-solid. --- ## Cleft 1.10.2 | Better Audio, Smoother Sync Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-10-2-better-audio-smoother-sync · 2026-01-06 Quiet recordings come through clearer, you can see a recording without unlocking, and you feel when things happen. Plenty of goodies to start the new year. --- ## Rebuilding sync so your notes just show up Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/rebuilding-sync-so-your-notes-just-show-up · 2025-12-18 The thing people asked us for, in their own words, was a black hole. Dump a thought in, trust it is captured, trust it shows up on every device, no babysitting. That is what a notes app you talk to is supposed to do. Our sync had drifted away from that. It worked most of the time. But most of the time is not enough for the app where you keep the things you do not want to lose, so for 1.10.1 we stopped patching it and rebuilt the sync layer. ## What was actually wrong The failures fell into a few shapes: - Race conditions when you created notes back to back. Finish one, start the next quickly, and the second could step on the first. - "Got interrupted" errors when background sync was cut off mid-flight. - Offline recordings that did not always upload once you were back online. - No honest signal for what was still pending, so you could not tell whether the app was working or stuck. - Small papercuts, like language settings quietly resetting. None of these were exotic. They were the ordinary edge cases that pile up when sync grows feature by feature instead of being designed once as a whole. ## How we rebuilt it Audio stays on your device. Sync moves your notes between your phone and your Mac, and the app works without a connection and uses one to catch up when it is there. You can record on a train with no signal, and the moment you reconnect the note is on your other devices. Pull down to grab the latest from anywhere. ``` iPhone (local) ◄────► server ◄────► Mac (local) (catch-up) ``` Treating the local copy as the source of truth let us delete a lot of special-case code. Once the server is just a way of catching up, "what happens if the upload fails" stops being a special case and becomes the normal path that retries later. ## Then we made it fast Getting it correct came first. Speed came next, in 1.11, with delta sync: only the notes that actually changed sync, instead of reloading everything. On a small library you would not notice. On a large one it is the difference between instant and watching a spinner. That is what 1.10.1 and 1.11 went into, getting Cleft back to a notes app that just works, which is where it started. --- ## Cleft 1.10.1 | A Notes App That Really Works Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-10-1-a-notes-app-that-really-works · 2025-12-13 We're back to shipping fast. A rebuilt sync layer fixes race conditions and edge cases: your audio stays local, and notes sync across Mac and phone instantly. --- ## Liquid Speech: opening up native Apple transcription for Flutter Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/liquid-speech · 2025-10-31 I published [Liquid Speech](https://github.com/itsthisjustin/Liquid-Speech) because we needed a clean Flutter bridge to Apple's native SpeechAnalyzer API without pretending every user would already be on the newest OS. The package is small on purpose. It gives Flutter apps a `SpeechAnalyzerService`, streams raw transcript updates while someone is speaking, and exposes an `isAvailable()` check so apps can decide at runtime whether to use Apple's SpeechAnalyzer path or fall back to another transcription route. That compatibility detail mattered. Liquid Speech compiles for iOS 14+ and macOS 11+, but the native SpeechAnalyzer work only functions on iOS 26+ and macOS 26+. So the package does not ask app teams to split their codebase with conditional imports. Add it, check availability, and keep a fallback path for older devices. The public package is on [pub.dev as `liquid_speech`](https://pub.dev/packages/liquid_speech/versions). As of May 27, 2026, pub.dev lists `0.1.1` as the latest stable version, with `0.1.0` still available in the version history. ## What it opens up For Cleft and Amber, the interesting part is not only transcription. It is the shape of the integration: - Native audio capture stays close to Apple's platform primitives. - Flutter gets a small Dart API instead of a pile of app-specific bridge code. - Older OS versions can stay supported without hiding the new native path. - The package is MIT licensed, public, and useful outside our apps. That is the kind of open-source work we want the dev log to hold: concrete product pressure, a platform constraint, and a small piece of infrastructure that becomes more useful when it leaves the private repo. --- ## Getting react-native-skia to build for Mac Catalyst Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/getting-react-native-skia-to-build-for-mac-catalyst · 2025-10-04 This came out of an early exploration into building Cleft 2.x on React Native, one codebase across iPhone, Mac, and Watch with a two-person team. That exploration is its own story, and I will get into where it led in a follow-up post. This one is about a single problem we hit along the way and the fix that ended up upstream because of it. The recording screen used [react-native-skia](https://github.com/Shopify/react-native-skia) to draw the animated blob you watch while you talk. It is a `Skia` canvas with a morphing path, driven by Reanimated. It looks great and it runs on the GPU, which is exactly what you want for something that animates the whole time you are recording. The problem: the Mac build went through Mac Catalyst, and react-native-skia would not compile for Catalyst. The Skia binaries were not built for that slice, so the moment I targeted the Mac, the build fell over. No blob on the Mac, and honestly no clean way around it inside our own app code, because the gap was down in how the native library itself gets built. ## The stopgap, then the real fix The first thing I did was the unglamorous thing. I built a patched tarball locally that made Catalyst compile and pointed our `package.json` at `shopify-react-native-skia-0.0.0-new.tgz`. It unblocked us, but a private tarball is not something you want to depend on. It is invisible to everyone else hitting the same wall, and it rots the moment upstream moves. Digging through the issues, [Samuel Scheit](https://github.com/samuelscheit) had already opened a PR with most of the Catalyst work. It had gone stale against `main` and never landed. The hard thinking was mostly done, it just needed to be brought current and pushed over the line. So I rebased his changes onto the latest `main`, sorted out the conflicts, and opened [#3296, "adds support for macOS catalyst"](https://github.com/Shopify/react-native-skia/pull/3296). Full credit to Samuel here. I take none of it for the original approach, I just carried it the last mile. It was a small change in the end, around 149 lines across five files, and all additive: - `packages/skia/scripts/skia-configuration.ts` and `build-skia.ts` to produce the Catalyst-compatible Skia binaries. - A CI workflow addition so the Catalyst path keeps building and does not silently rot again. - An `enable-catalyst.js` helper in the example app to flip the Catalyst target on. William Candillon merged it on October 1, 2025, and it shipped in [react-native-skia v2.3.0](https://github.com/Shopify/react-native-skia/releases/tag/v2.3.0). The release notes list it under fixes: "adds support for macOS catalyst (#3296)." A few days later I deleted our patched tarball and moved Cleft onto the official release. That part felt good. The hack came out and the real thing went in. ## Why it was worth doing upstream What I like about this particular thread is that the fix does not depend on where the React Native exploration ended up. That is the follow-up post. This part stands on its own: the Catalyst support is upstream now, so anyone building a React Native app that targets the Mac through Catalyst gets Skia working out of the box, and they never see the wall I hit. That is the kind of contribution the dev log is here to hold: a concrete product constraint, a fix that was mostly already written by someone else, and a small push to get it merged where it helps everyone instead of just us. Most open-source work is exactly that, finishing the last mile on something good that stalled. --- ## Cleft 1.10 is Landing - Spotlighting Your Thought Process Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-10-is-landing-spotlighting-your-thoughts · 2025-09-11 > Latest Update: 2025-09-10 Cleft 1.10 is live on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch to download 🥳 See the full release notes here. ## Your Notes Are Now Part of iOS With Spotlight Search, your Cleft notes show up when you search your phone. Swipe down, type a few letters, find that note from last week. No more digging through apps. That client's name you forgot? The book recommendation from lunch? They're right there in search. ## See Your Words As You Speak Live Transcription shows your words appearing in real-time. Watch them show up as you talk. You can catch mistakes immediately. See that phone number was wrong? Fix it while you're still thinking about it. ## Record From Your Watch Apple Watch support is here. Tap your wrist, record a note, it syncs to your phone for processing. Phone charging in another room? Hands full of groceries? Walking the dog? Just lift your wrist and capture the thought. See the workflows here. ## 2x Faster Processing We rebuilt transcription with CoreML. Uses your device's neural engine now. Less waiting around. Record, process, done. Back to what you were doing. ## Works Smoothly Without Internet Offline recording works a lot smoother now. Airplane, subway, camping - record anywhere. Syncs when you're back online. Your ideas don't care about your signal strength. Capture them anyway. ## What's Next 1.10 is the last major version before 2.0. We'll be posting soon about this by the middle of September ❤️ See the full changelog here. ## Get It Current users: Auto-updates this weekend New users: App Store link Questions? hello@cleftnotes.com or @Cleftai --- ## Cleft 1.9: Enhanced Audio Handling and Push Notifications Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-9-enhanced-audio-and-push-notifications · 2025-02-11 Cleft 1.9 makes recording smoother no matter what you are plugged into. Switch audio devices mid-thought, see exactly which mic is live, and get a heads up the moment something interrupts your recording. _iOS · Build 25_ ## Enhanced audio device handling Start on your iPhone mic, pop in your AirPods, plug in a headset. Cleft 1.9 switches between them seamlessly while you record, so changing devices never costs you a word. ## Microphone indicator No more guessing which mic is live. A new indicator shows your current audio input device while you record, so you always know where your voice is going. ## Push notifications for interruptions Calls and alarms happen. Cleft now sends a push notification when something interrupts your recording, so you find out right away instead of discovering a cut-short note later. ## Also in this release - **Optimized Whisper model.** It now loads after recording starts, which improves performance on older devices. - **Editor improvements.** More line height for easier reading and editing. - **Cleaner delete.** Removing the note you are viewing now takes it off screen right away. Thanks, Vince! Full release notes are in the [changelog](https://learn.cleftnotes.com/changelog). Thank you for thinking out loud with us. --- ## Voice-Powered Creative Direction: Streamlining Agency Ideation Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-powered-creative-direction-with-voice-memos · 2025-01-23 We've all been there: You're reviewing the latest campaign designs, and your mind is racing with feedback: subtle nuances about color psychology, brand voice adjustments, and layout tweaks. But by the time you open your feedback doc, that perfectly crafted critique has lost its spark. Does this sound like a typical Thursday? ## The Creative Dilemma In the fast-paced world of creative agencies, the gap between inspiration and documentation is where brilliant ideas go to die. The challenges for directors to copywriters and designers are real: - Maintaining creative flow while providing detailed feedback - Capturing the nuance and emotion behind creative decisions - Scaling creative direction across multiple projects - Keeping feedback specific yet inspirational > “Creativity is the process of generating new ideas, which are critical to business right now. To put it very simply, what got us here won’t take us much further.” - Harvard Business Review, 2024 If you want to unlock your creative flow, you're in the right place. Let's dive a little deeper. ## Voice Memos: Your Creative Catalyst Enter voice-first creative direction. The story is your shared vision, from team to client. Here's how leading agencies are using Cleft to transform their creative workflow to tell incredible stories, using Cleft's voice memos: ### 1. Intuitive Design Reviews Capture feedback in its most natural form: - Walk through designs while voicing observations - Record emotional responses to creative work, filtering back into constructive action - Document specific feedback with contextual references, handsfree! - Share detailed critiques without breaking creative flow ### 2. Real-Time Creative Direction Transforming the feedback loop: - Provide immediate reactions during design reviews - fast feedback wins pitches - Record creative briefs with full context and emotion - Capture inspiration whenever it strikes - Share quick iterations and refinements ### 3. Team Collaboration Amplified Enable seamless creative collaboration: - Record brainstorming sessions for future reference, focusing on action and ideas, rather than on who came up with what. - Share creative vision across distributed teams via Slack or on design boards, to avoid lost context - Document design decisions and rationale - convey the "why” - Capture client feedback and requirements in real-time and share in the customer voice > "Cleft’s voice memos have completely transformed our creative process. We're capturing the emotional nuance of feedback that used to get lost in written comments." - Emily R, Creative Director With voice memos capturing your authentic creative energy, the next step is transforming those insights into actionable direction. Keep scrolling to explore how! ## The Tech Stack Setup Optimize your creative voice-first workflow with: - Cleft to dictate voice memos and voice notes for transcribing your thought process - Hooking it up with a Slack channel for communications - Automated your creative flow with Cleft and Zapier > Get inspired with recipes for Apple Shortcuts, workflows and Zaps in the Cleft Cookbook ## Top Voice Workflow Hacks from Top Creatives ### Morning Creative Brief (15 minutes) - Vision Setting - Voice note to text your creative direction for the day! - Share vision and references - Set priority creative challenges - be real! - Team Alignment - Record specific guidance for each project - free your team's creative spirit! - Share creative context and constraints - Document expected deliverables (and what success looks like!) ### Design Review Flow - First Impressions (2-3 minutes) - Record immediate emotional response - Note initial impact and effectiveness - Capture gut reactions to creative work, as they come rather than second-hand emotions - Detailed Review (5-10 minutes) - Walk through specific elements - Voice detailed feedback and suggestions - Record implementation guidance i.e. share your vision with context and action - Summary and Next Steps (2-3 minutes) - Capture key revision points - Record priority changes - Share timeline and expectations - unlock the team's true potential! #### Pro Tip: The 30-Second Rule > Start each design review with a 30-second unfiltered voice note capturing your immediate emotional response. Preserve the crucial first impression that often gets lost in formal feedback and create an asset you can share within seconds of starting your review! ## The Impact on Creative Workflow Our agency users report: - Faster feedback cycles - More detailed creative direction - Better preservation of creative intent - Reduction in revision rounds - A more human experience overall ## Next Steps Ready to transform your creative workflow? Download Cleft and start capturing your creative genius in its purest form. Your team (and your creative output) will thank you. #### Related Resources - The Executive's Guide to Context Switching: Using Voice Memos for Dual-Role Success - From Chaos to Clarity: How Top Operators Use Voice Notes to Build Better Systems - Cleft Wrapped 2024 | Looking Back on our First Year Thinking Out Loud‍ --- ## Cleft 1.8: Notion Integration, Enhanced Recording Experience, and UI Improvements Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-8-voice-memos-notion-integration · 2025-01-23 We're excited to announce the release of Cleft 1.8, bringing powerful new features and improvements to enhance your voice-first note-taking experience. From seamless Notion integration to improved offline capabilities, this update makes it easier than ever to capture and organize your thoughts. ## Notion Integration: Your Voice Notes, Now in Notion The most requested feature is here! We heard from so many users that they wanted tighter integration with Notion over the past few months. You can now send your Cleft notes directly to Notion with our latest integration. Whether you're dropping thoughts into a central inbox for your system, planning projects, organizing research, or maintaining a knowledge base, your voice notes can now automatically flow into your Notion workspace in one click! ### Key features - Direct integration with Notion databases - Auto-send option for single database setups - Instant syncing with just one click - Maintain your note's structure and formatting ## What's Updated ### Enhanced Recording Experience We've made significant improvements to how Cleft handles recordings: - Improved Silence Detection: Better handling of longer recordings with enhanced silence recognition - New Empty State: A refreshed, more intuitive interface for offline recording - Offline State: Clear visual feedback when recording without an internet connection - Recording Resume: More reliable app switching during recording sessions ### UI Improvements for Better Usability We've refined the user interface to make Cleft even more intuitive: - New Send Icon: A sleek paper plane design with integrated sharing options - Enhanced Editor: Improved readability with increased line height - Consistent Design: Better icon size consistency across the app - Improved Menus: iOS share menu now uses drop-downs like macOS and iPad apps ### Additional Improvements - Fixed image upload reliability - Improved offline transcript saving - Added "Sync Online" to context menu for offline notes - Enhanced dark mode in integrations view - Fixed text truncation issues in the view tab - Improved dynamic font sizes on pop-over menus - Fixed automatic clipboard copying for shareable linksFull release notes in the change log here. ## Start Using These New Features - Update Cleft to version 1.8 from the App Store - Connect your Notion account in Cleft in Settings > Integrations - Try the improved recording experience with your next voice note ### Looking Forward The Cleft 1.8 update represents our commitment to creating the best voice-first note-taking experience. These improvements are just the beginning for 2025. We're constantly working on new features and enhancements based on your feedback. We'd love to hear how these new features are working for you - make sure to connect with us on our public roadmap or or email us at hello@cleftnotes.com. --- ## Beyond the Whiteboard: How Voice Memos Upgrade the Modern Consultant's Experience Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/beyond-the-whiteboard-how-voice-memos-upgrade-the-modern-consultants-experience · 2025-01-23 In consulting, the moments of delight and insight often come at the most inconvenient times: during client workshops, in the middle of site visits, or while reviewing complex data sets, right as you're stepping out of the shower kicking off the day - we've all been there! For years I used to keep a whiteboard or a notebook by my bed, for those most inconvenient of midnight musings... How do you capture these insights without breaking your flow with your clients or diminishing client engagement? ## The Strategic Consultant's Challenge Today's consultants face a growing complexity of demands, whether you're running your own practice or part of a large organization: - Capturing nuanced client insights in real-time - Documenting strategic thinking as it emerges - Maintaining presence during client interactions - Scaling personal expertise across projects - Translating what the client said in session to what the client's needs > 73% of Fortune executives cite the rapid pace of technological change as their “greatest fear” - McKinsey ## Voice Memos: The Consultant's Strategic Advantage We built Cleft to let those who are paid to engage with the power of their words, to purge the hassle from this workflow, to move as fast as they can get the words out. Discover how leading consultants are using Cleft to transform their practice and take action with their words: ### 1. Real-Time Insight Capture Transform every client interaction: - Record post-meeting insights immediately - as soon as the call ends, brain-dump what just happened, and translate what just happened, and capture what couldn't be said with the client present! - Capture strategic hypotheses as they form - don't wait, turn a voice note into billable action - Document environmental observations during site visits - Cleft is your observations assistant while you're out in the field - Preserve the context behind recommendations - lose no context with the full pictures, backed up by your voice! ### 2. Strategic Documentation Enhancement Elevate your deliverables and the speed you can move the program along: - Voice-record detailed analysis rationale - give comments with more value - Capture implementation considerations - we can all remember a moment that comes up as you're scanning a process flow review on the commute! - Document risk factors and mitigation strategies - with human context, and ensure everybody is on the same page - Record scenario planning insights to share with team or client at a lightning pace ### 3. Client Relationship Management Strengthen client partnerships and build relationships that last: - Record personal notes about client preferences - Document informal feedback and concerns - Capture action items during walking meetings - Track relationship development insights > "Cleft's Voice Memos have revolutionized how I capture and synthesize client insights. I'm delivering richer recommendations because I'm not losing the nuanced observations that make strategy powerful." - David C, Senior Digital Consultant ## Best Practices from Top Consultants ### Client Meeting Workflow - Pre-Meeting Preparation (5 minutes) - Voice-record meeting objectives - Review previous interaction notes - Document key questions and hypotheses - Post-Meeting Capture (10 minutes) - Record immediate insights and observations - Document next steps and commitments - Capture non-verbal feedback and dynamics - Strategic Synthesis (15 minutes) - Connect insights to broader strategy - Record implementation considerations - Document risk factors and opportunities ## The Consulting Value Chain ### 1. Discovery Phase Transform information gathering: - Record detailed interview notes - Capture environmental observations - Document initial hypotheses - Track emerging patterns ### 2. Analysis Phase Enhance analytical depth: - Voice-record analysis rationale - Document methodology decisions - Capture alternative scenarios - Record data interpretation insights ### 3. Recommendation Phase Strengthen deliverables: - Record implementation guidance - Document change management considerations - Capture stakeholder-specific notes - Track decision rationale ### Pro Tip > After every client interaction, take 5 minutes to voice-record your observations and insights. This ensures you capture the subtle nuances that often inform the most valuable recommendations. ## Measuring Impact Our consulting users report: - More detailed client insights captured - Faster documentation of strategic thinking - Improvement in client relationship tracking - Reduction in deliverable preparation time ## Implementation Playbook - Set Up Your System - Download Cleft - Set up your custom instructions - Start thinking out loud - Develop Your Workflow - Start with one client engagement - Create standard templates or custom instructions you would like to test - Define review processes - Scale Your Practice - Explain to team members what you are using - Document best practice - Measure and optimize and speak your mind! ## Next Steps Ready to elevate your consulting practice? Download Cleft and start capturing your strategic insights with voice memos turning thoughts into unprecedented clarity and detail-filled notes. --- ## From Chaos to Clarity: How Top Operators Use Voice Notes to Build Better Systems Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/from-chaos-to-clarity-voice-notes-systems · 2025-01-09 As an operator or business owner, you know the struggle: you're in the middle of executing a brilliant process improvement, but stopping to document it breaks your flow. Yet without documentation, you can't scale. It's the classic operator's dilemma. ## The Documentation Paradox Every successful operator faces this challenge: the better you are at execution, the less time you have for documentation. Without proper documentation: - Teams can't work independently - Systems remain person-dependent - Scaling becomes impossible - Quality suffers as you grow > “Documentation is the foundation for founders to scale operations” - Close 2024 ## ‍Enter Voice-First Documentation This is where voice notes change the documentation game. Imagine capturing your process improvements, system tweaks, and operational insights in real-time, without breaking your flow. Well, we have one news for you - you no longer have to use your imagination. Here's how top operators are using Cleft to build better systems: ### 1. Real-Time Process Documentation Instead of context-switching between execution and documentation, operators simply voice-record their process as they work. Cleft automatically transcribes and organizes these notes, making them instantly searchable and shareable. ### 2. System Improvement Logs When you spot a system weakness or improvement opportunity, capture it immediately with a voice note. No more "I'll write that down later" moments that never happen. ### 3. Team Training Materials Record detailed explanations of complex processes once, and share them with your entire team. New team members can access these insights asynchronously, reducing training time and improving consistency. > "Voice-first documentation has transformed how we scale our operations. What used to take hours now happens naturally throughout the day." - Sarah C, Operations Director ## Best Practices from Top Operators Here's how successful operators are integrating Cleft voice notes into their documentation workflow: The Morning Brain Dump: Start each day with a 5-minute voice note outlining system improvements noticed the previous day The Process Narration: While executing a process, narrate what you're doing and why The Improvement Log: After each client interaction or project milestone, record a quick voice note about what could be systematized The Team Update: Use voice notes to share system updates with your team, complete with context and reasoning You can check out further workflow inspiration in the Cleft cookbook here. ### Pro Tip: The 2-Minute Rule > If a process takes longer than 2 minutes to document in writing, use a voice note instead. This ensures you capture the details without breaking your flow. ## Getting Started with Voice-First Documentation Ready to transform your documentation process? Here's your action plan: Download Cleft and set up your first notebook - Create a "Systems Documentation" tag - Start with one process you want to document - Record yourself executing the process - Share with your team and iterate based on feedback ## The ROI of Voice-First Documentation Our users report: 70% reduction in documentation time 3x increase in process documentation completion Learn how to connect voice-first documentation to scale their operations while maintaining quality and consistency with Cleft and Zapier. ‍Read more → ## Next Steps Ready to transform your operations with voice-first documentation? ‍Download Cleft and try these techniques yourself. Your future self (and team) will thank you. ### Related Resources Getting Started with Cleft Cleft’s Zapier Recipes --- ## The Executive's Guide to Context Switching: Using Voice Notes for Dual-Role Success Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/executive-guide-context-switching-voice-notes · 2025-01-09 Picture this: You're in a corporate strategy meeting and inspiration strikes for your side venture or one of the 5 other portfolios. But reaching for your laptop to type notes would be inappropriate, and by the time the meeting ends, that brilliant insight will be lost. Sound familiar? ## The Executive's Context-Switching Challenge For today's entrepreneurial executives, context switching isn't just a challenge. It's a constant reality. The toggle tax is real. You're juggling: - Corporate responsibilities requiring full attention (and likely more than one!) - Side ventures demanding strategic thinking - Team leadership across multiple contexts and projects - Personal development and growth initiatives - Family! > Executives context switch nearly 1,200 times a day, with each switch costing just over two seconds - four hours per week spent reorienting after switching - five five full work weeks - every year. - Harvard Business Review, 2023 ## Voice Notes: Your Context-Switching Superpower Enter the voice-first approach to dual-role management. Speak your mind then get back to the task at hand while Cleft collects your thoughts. Successful executives are using Cleft to maintain peak performance across multiple contexts using the following approaches. ### 1. The Transition Ritual Before switching contexts, capture a quick voice note summarizing: - Current status of projects - Next actions needed - Key insights to preserve - Context-specific prioritiesThis creates a clean break between roles and ensures no valuable insights are lost in transition. ### 2. The Mobile Think Tank Transform "dead time" into productive ideation: - Voice-record strategic insights during your commute - Capture meeting follow-ups while walking between appointments - Document project ideas during your morning workout - Record feedback and delegations between meetings ### 3. Cross-Pollination Capture When insights from one role benefit another: - Instantly record corporate best practices applicable to your day or side businesses - Document venture learnings that could improve corporate processes - Capture leadership insights that work in both contexts > "Cleft has revolutionized how I manage my days. I'm capturing 3x more insights and maintaining clarity across contexts." - Michael C, CTO ## Real-World Implementation Here's how successful executives structure their voice-first workflow: ‍ - Morning Strategy Session (5-10 minutes) - Review today's priorities for both roles - Voice-record key objectives and potential challenges - Set context-switching triggers‍ - Transition Points (2-3 minutes each) - Quick voice summary before each context switch - Set clear intentions for the next context - Capture any cross-applicable insights‍ - End-of-Day Review (5-20 minutes) - Voice-record key accomplishments - Note opportunities for cross-pollination - Set priorities for tomorrow #### Pro Tip: The Context Switch Timer > Set a 2-minute timer for transition captures. This ensures you document key insights without getting caught in the details. ## The Technology Stack Optimize your voice-first workflow with: - Cleft for voice notes and transcription - Calendar blocking for role-specific time - Quick-capture shortcuts for instant recording - Automated organization of with Cleft and Zapier‍ ## Measuring Success Our executive users report: - Reduction in context-switching mental load - More insights captured and acted upon - Faster transition between roles - 2x increase in cross-pollination opportunities identified ## Getting Started - Download Cleft and set up two main contexts - Create quick-capture shortcuts for each role - Schedule daily transition points - Start with one context-switching ritual - Gradually expand your voice-first system ## Next Steps Ready to transform your context-switching challenges into opportunities? Download Cleft and implement these strategies today. Your future self, in every role, will thank you. #### Related Resources - The Cleft Cookbook - Systems & Operations Guide --- ## Your First Day with Cleft: Speak Your Mind, Capture Anywhere Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/your-first-day-with-cleft-speak-your-mind-capture-anywhere · 2025-01-08 Picture this: You're out the door for a walk or just dropped the kids off to school. Put on your headphones, pull out your phone & hit record with Cleft. Capture a checklist, map out the day, or collect your thoughts as you think out loud! “I have very quickly adapted to using Cleft for longer notes and rambles that I want to use as structured text.” Gus > Download Cleft Cleft turns your voice into filtered, beautiful notes. Typing often doesn’t work fast enough for our brains. Maybe your hands are in use. Whether you’re away from the keyboard, in the car, riding your bike, or need to get an idea out quickly, Cleft has you covered. You can check our launch guide here. ### Where does Cleft fit in? The best thoughts come when you're not sitting at your desk! ✅ Fire up Cleft to plan your day and keep the screen away! 🚶‍♀️‍➡️ Evening brain dumps empty your mind for next big thing, or reflect on your day 🛒 Make a shopping list while cleaning at home 📄 Talking out the first pass at a draft 📖 Journaling out loud 🤸‍♂️ Don't lose that thought you had while at the gym ### Checklist to use Cleft on the move ☑︎ Download Cleft on your iPhone ☑︎ Connect your AirPods or earphones ☑︎ Press ➕ on Cleft and get outside! ☑︎ Optional: Slip your phone in your pocket for screen free thinking and typing! ### Getting Started with Cleft You can check out our getting started guide here, our Youtube here or book an onboarding call with one of the founders here. Users are raving about our podcast, Speak Easy, hosted by Tyler Sellhorn, interviewing amazing guests on how to share thoughts with our future selves and others. --- ## Elevating Your ADHD Coaching Experience with Cleft Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/elevating-your-adhd-coaching-experience-with-cleft · 2025-01-08 As an ADHD coach, you’re used to navigating fast-paced thoughts and helping clients (like me!) upgrade their life experience. Staying on top of your own workload and managing sessions with clients can be just as overwhelming - it’s a lot to juggle. That’s where Cleft can help, not just for your clients but for you as a coach. ### Feedback From our Community Since we launched Cleft, we’ve received overwhelming feedback from neurodivergent users, many of whom are ADHD coaches or professionals just like you. Here’s what a few have shared about how Cleft has helped them: “Cleft helps summarize my crazy thoughts that I have with ADHD and kind of rambling on. I’m excited to be in the Cleft world. This has been fantastic.” “You’ve built one of the BEST apps for ADHD people.” “It’s remarkable how often I need something like this for my ADHD, and Cleft works beautifully. It’s THE ADHD app!” These testimonials highlight how Cleft can simplify your note-taking process, enhance your focus, and support your practice. Check out the episode of Speak Easy podcast with Katherine Sanders AACG, Lightbulb ADHD Coach & Consultant who shares her experience using Cleft in multiple aspects of life and her practice. ### How you might use Cleft Cleft was built with neurodivergent users in mind, including professionals like you who need efficient, flexible tools to capture ideas quickly and effectively. Whether you’re in between sessions, brainstorming new strategies, or recording insights on a client’s progress, Cleft helps you streamline your workflow while focusing on what matters most: empowering your clients. Here’s how you can use Cleft in your coaching practice to make a bigger impact. #### 1. Capture Session Insights as Soon as You Are Done! As a coach, you’re constantly engaging in deep, meaningful conversations with your clients, helping them unlock breakthroughs, set goals, and reflect on progress. But it’s easy for those valuable insights to get lost in the shuffle of back-to-back meetings and life’s fast pace. With Cleft, you can quickly record key insights after session while they’re fresh in your mind (we don't replace your meeting transcription tool!). Speak your thoughts or the highlights of your coaching session, and Cleft will transcribe your voice into structured, organized notes. These notes are fully editable, so you can easily add comments or make adjustments later. This way, you’re not relying on memory or haphazard scribbles but creating clear, actionable notes that you can reference during the next session. You can check out our launch guide here for further info! #### 2. Brainstorm and Plan Client Strategies As a coach, you’re always looking for new ways to help clients overcome challenges. Sometimes, the best ideas come when you’re away from your desk, during a walk, on the commute, or even in between meetings. With Cleft, you can capture these ideas on the go. Whether you’re brainstorming new strategies for a client or planning an upcoming session, just speak your thoughts, and Cleft will turn them into coherent, organized notes. Instead of losing those creative sparks or scrambling to jot them down on paper, you’ll have them structured and ready to implement when you sit down to plan your sessions. Check out this video below another small business owner shared to highlight his flow. 👇👇👇 #### 3. Make Use of Verbal Client Reflections Many ADHD clients are verbal processors and may struggle with writing or processing their thoughts through text (myself included!). Cleft can be a powerful tool to help your clients verbalize their reflections and progress - or just that feeling of safety that only comes from 'getting it off your chest'. You can encourage clients to use Cleft to record verbal notes in between sessions, whether it’s reflections on their goals, challenges they’re facing, new ideas they want to explore, or a good old fashioned brain-dump. As a coach, you can listen to these voice notes or read the structured, filtered text that Cleft produces and your client shares with you, which helps you gain deeper insights into their mindset and progress. This approach also makes it easier for clients who struggle with traditional note-taking or journaling to stay engaged and accountable. ## Give Cleft a Try Cleft isn’t just another note-taking app. It’s a tool designed to fit the way your brain works and make your coaching practice more efficient, organized, and impactful. As an ADHD coach, your work is about helping clients thrive. But don’t forget to equip yourself with the tools to do the same. Cleft is here to support you. Whether it’s developing a new coaching program, tracking client feedback, or preparing for a speaking event, Cleft ensures that all your ideas are stored in a structured, easy-to-access format. Plus, with on-device transcription and privacy-first design, you can rest assured that your notes are secure and accessible only to you. If you’re ready to explore how Cleft can help you streamline your coaching sessions, boost your productivity, and better support your clients, we’d love for you to try Cleft today. ** Download Cleft **** **and experience a new way to organize your thoughts and client sessions. Book an onboarding call with one of the founders to discuss how Cleft can work for you, might fit into your coaching workflow and learn more about how we can collaborate. --- ## Cleft Wrapped 2024 | Looking Back on our First Year Thinking Out Loud Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-wrapped-2024-looking-back-on-our-first-year-thinking-out-loud · 2025-01-06 What a year it's been! In the 279 days since our beta launch in March, Cleft has grown from an ambitious idea to a fully-featured productivity companion. From those early beta days to our latest Notion integration, 2024 has been a journey of continuous innovation and community-driven development. Let's take a look back at how Cleft has evolved to become your trusted voice-first productivity companion. ## The Beta Beginning Our journey began in March with our first beta release, introducing the core voice-to-note functionality that would become the foundation of Cleft. We launched with support for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, focusing on creating a seamless experience across Apple's ecosystem. Those early days were filled with rapid iterations and invaluable user feedback that shaped our direction. April brought significant improvements to the iOS experience, with custom instructions and enhanced iPad optimization taking center stage. We paid special attention to audio playback controls, ensuring that reviewing and editing voice notes felt natural and intuitive. May marked our first major expansion of capabilities. We introduced our cards-based UI interface, which has since become a signature element of the Cleft experience. The integration with Obsidian for MacOS opened new possibilities for our users' workflows, while extended note duration and image insertion capabilities made Cleft more versatile than ever. 18 beta releases, each driven by your feedback March - August 2024. ## Growing & Learning The summer months brought rapid evolution to Cleft's capabilities. June marked a significant milestone with the introduction of offline recording, addressing one of our most requested features. We enhanced the user experience with a powerful multi-select mode and launched our Journal Prompts Library, providing inspiration for daily reflection. The addition of tag auto-complete streamlined organization, making it easier than ever to categorize and find your thoughts. July was all about flexibility and refinement. We introduced Silent Mode, acknowledging that sometimes text-first note-taking better suits your needs. The new regenerate notes functionality gave users more control over their transcriptions, while our redesigned audio player for iPhone made playback a joy. These improvements, coupled with enhanced offline functionality, made Cleft more reliable and versatile than ever. August marked our biggest milestone yet - our official App Store release for iOS and iPadOS. The launch wasn't just about distribution; it represented months of refinement and polish. We implemented a seamless migration path for our loyal beta testers and introduced password-protected shareable links for Plus Plan subscribers, adding an extra layer of security for collaborative work. #### Community Impact Your feedback shaped our journey from beta to launch, helping us create features that truly matter: - Rolling notes with voice recording append - Enhanced transcript quality - Offline capabilities - Multi-language support ## Expanding Our Reach September heralded a new era with the launch of our dedicated macOS application on the Mac App Store. This release completed our vision for seamless cross-platform functionality across the Apple ecosystem. We enhanced clipboard integration and introduced multiple copy options, making it easier to work with your notes across different applications. The implementation of in-app purchases across all platforms streamlined the upgrade experience for our users. October focused on empowering our power users. We significantly enhanced our Zapier integration, introducing sophisticated tag-based automation triggers and expanding data export capabilities. The addition of smart audio handling for iOS/iPadOS improved recording quality, while our comprehensive keyboard shortcuts reference helped users work more efficiently than ever. ## Finishing Strong December marked the perfect conclusion to our transformative year. The launch of our highly anticipated Notion integration opened new possibilities for knowledge management and team collaboration. We refined our audio processing with improved silence detection, creating cleaner, more focused recordings. The introduction of new sharing options with an integrated UI made collaboration more intuitive, while enhanced editor readability ensured that working with longer notes remained comfortable and efficient. 25 major releases in just 2024 - we're taking a few days off to relax now that 1.7 is nearly good to go! ## Community Highlights Throughout 2024, our community has been the driving force behind Cleft's evolution. We delivered on our most requested features, starting with robust offline functionality and culminating in our Mac app and Notion integration. The introduction of enhanced sharing options and family sharing support demonstrated our commitment to making Cleft more accessible to teams and households alike. Our focus on quality has been unwavering. We've made significant strides in transcript accuracy, continuously refined our user interface, and optimized performance across all platforms. These improvements weren't just technical achievements. They were direct responses to your feedback and needs. ## Looking Ahead to 2025 The future of Cleft is bright, and we're thrilled to share a glimpse of what's coming. Early 2025 will see the launch of Cleft for Apple Watch, bringing voice-first productivity to your wrist. We're expanding our cookbook with more custom instructions and deepening our integration capabilities, particularly with Apple Shortcuts and third-party services. Our commitment to documentation and user empowerment remains stronger than ever. We're developing comprehensive guides, automation templates, and API documentation to help you make the most of Cleft's growing feature set. The focus is on making advanced features accessible while maintaining the simplicity that our users love. #### 2024 Feature Timeline Download our complete 2024 feature release timeline. Check out the changelog here. ## Thank You to Our Community The numbers tell you a little bit about our team temp: over 600 shipped issues, 90+ implemented feature requests, 200+ requests on the amazing feedback board and thousands of active users across platforms. But the real story lies in the countless conversations, feedback sessions, and collaborative moments that have shaped Cleft into what it is today. Our documentation has grown into a comprehensive resource, with over 150 custom instructions in our cookbook and extensive integration guides. The launch of our new documentation website, combined with growing collections of automation templates and enhanced app intents, has made Cleft more accessible and powerful than ever. ## Join Us for 2025 Ready to be part of our next chapter? Download Cleft and join our growing community of voice-first creators. With new features, integrations, and improvements planned, 2025 is going to be even more exciting! From all of us at Cleft, thank you for an amazing 2024. Here's to creating more voice-powered magic together in 2025! Justin, Jonny & Tyler --- ## The 25 Best New Apps of 2024 Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-fast-company-best-apps · 2024-12-24 Featured in annual best apps roundup --- ## The Generalist Gift Guide Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-the-generalist-gift-guide · 2024-12-13 Featured as top productivity tool recommendation --- ## Cleft 1.7: Family Sharing, Custom Instructions, and Friendlier Pricing Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-7-family-sharing-and-custom-instructions · 2024-12-04 Cleft 1.7 is all about sharing the love. You can bring your whole household onto one subscription with Apple Family Sharing, shape how Cleft writes with Custom Instructions, and enjoy a much friendlier price while you are at it. _iOS · Build 23_ ## Apple Family Sharing Plus is better together. Cleft 1.7 supports Apple Family Sharing, so one subscription now covers everyone in your family group. Set it up once, and the people you share with get the full Plus experience without a second purchase. ## Custom Instructions for Plus Your notes, your way. Plus subscribers can now give Cleft a standing set of instructions that shape every note it writes. Want tighter summaries, a particular tone, or your own structure? Tell Cleft once, and it remembers. ## A friendlier price We dropped our pricing to make Plus an easy yes: - **Annual plan:** $39/year, down from $89/year. - **Monthly plan:** $7/month, down from $9/month. Same Plus features, far less to think about. ## Fixed - Tags now save reliably when you tap return on the keyboard. - Resolved a lock screen widget issue on iOS 18. Full release notes are in the [changelog](https://learn.cleftnotes.com/changelog). Thank you for thinking out loud with us. --- ## Cleft 1.6 is Live: More Power, More Value Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-1-6-is-live-more-power-more-value · 2024-12-04 ### What’s New - Family-Sharing Now Supported - We have made an update to our pricing: TLDR we didn’t raise prices 😉 - Fixed an issue where tapping return on the keyboard didn't save your tag - Custom instructions are now only available on the Plus Plan - Fixed an issue with the lock screen widget on iOS18 (Thanks to the user who reported this one) #### What’s Included in the new Cleft Plus Custom instructions 👍 Integrations 👍 Auto-copy 👍 > Learn more Annual Subscription - $89 $39/year We have updated our annual offering from $89 to $39 - a 56% drop, for those who want to lock in and secure a lower price. One receipt a year for your personal notebook + AI Scribe. Monthly Subscription - $9 $7/month = $84 annually Monthly has dropped from 9 to 7 bucks a month. Flexibility to use Cleft whenever you need it! #### Family-Sharing Now Supported By popular demand, family-sharing is now supported! You can use Cleft with your whole family when you subscribe via the App Store. > Download Cleft If you have any questions or feedback, please don't hesitate to reach out here or via email. We're always here to help ✨ ‍Change log post here. --- ## November at Cleft Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/november-at-cleft · 2024-12-02 Big things are happening at Cleft AI this month! ### What's New 🏷️ Black Friday is Coming We're putting final touches on our biggest deals of the year which will go live here. App Store update is in review - we'll announce the moment it goes live. ✨ You may now use Apple Intelligence with Cleft to edit your notes > Download Cleft #### Community 🌱 User survey - complete here for the chance to win a year of Cleft free! The community keeps growing - thanks for all the App Store reviews! Please post a review, it really helps. We're honored to be nominated for the Upgradies - your vote means a lot - please cast yours here. #### Latest Speak Easy Podcast Episodes 🎧 Episode 12: Sara Lobkovich talks verbal processing Recent guests: Anna Burgess Yang, Susan Boles, Katherine Sanders, Meighan O'Toole #### One More Thing… ⌨️ Our team has been quietly building something special for writers. First early access spots are limited. #### Keep in Touch Want to stay in the loop? Follow us on Threads, Youtube, X, LinkedIn, Mastodon and Bluesky, wherever you go for your real-time updates. ‍ --- ## 🎉 Cyber Monday Exclusive: Our Black Friday Deal is Extended! Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cyber-monday-exclusive · 2024-12-02 Missed our Black Friday deal? We’ve got you covered! 🎉 It’s been an incredible year at Cleft, and we’ve been overwhelmed by the amazing response to our first-ever Black Friday sale. To make sure no one misses out, we’re giving you one more day to lock in our biggest discount ever! Here’s what you get: ### The Deal Regular Price: $89/year Cyber Monday Price: $29/year Savings: Save $60 Ends: December 2nd, 2024, at midnight ### What’s Included: With Cleft Plus, you’ll enjoy: #### Powerful Note-Taking Features: 📋 Auto-copy your last note to clipboard 🎙️ Append functionality for voice notes ⏱️ 30-minute recording limit 🤖 Custom AI instructions (500 characters) 🔒 Password-protected note sharing #### Pro Integrations: 🔄 Zapier integration 📝 Obsidian integration 📊 Notion integration (coming soon!) #### Cross-Platform Access: 💻 Native macOS app 📱 iOS app 📲 iPadOS app ⌚ watchOS app (coming soon) ### Try Before You Buy New to Cleft? Try it risk-free with our 14-day free trial and experience all the premium features before you commit. ### Final Chance to Save This is your last opportunity to secure Cleft Plus at this unbeatable price. Don’t let it slip away. The offer ends at midnight EST tonight! 🔗 Click Here to Claim the Deal Now ‍ P.S. Already a Cleft user? Share this deal with a friend who could use it. They’ll thank you later! --- ## 🚀 Cleft’s Black Friday Exclusive: Save $60. Act Fast! Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-black-friday-exclusive · 2024-11-25 As we wrap up an incredible year at Cleft, we want to thank our amazing community by offering something truly special: our first-ever Black Friday deal. It’s the perfect time to join thousands of users capturing their thoughts with ease. ### The Deal Regular Price: $89/year Black Friday Price: $29/year Savings: Save $60 Ends: November 29th, 2024 at midnight EST ### Everything You Get Get full access to Cleft Plus, including: #### Powerful Note-Taking Features 📋 Auto-copy your last note to clipboard 🎙️ Append functionality for voice notes ⏱️ 30-minute recording limit 🤖 Custom AI instructions (500 characters) 🔒 Password-protected note sharing #### Pro Integrations 🔄 Zapier integration 📝 Obsidian integration 📊 Notion integration (coming soon!) #### Cross-Platform Access 💻 Native macOS app 📱 iOS app 📲 iPadOS app ⌚ watchOS app (coming soon) ### Try Before You Buy Experience all the premium features risk-free with our 14-day trial! ### Limited Time Only Don’t miss out. This is your chance to lock in Cleft Plus at the best price we’ve ever offered. Claim Your Deal Before Midnight and start capturing smarter today! ‍ P.S. Already using Cleft? Share this deal with a friend before it’s gone. They’ll thank you, and so will we! --- ## Cleft + Apple Intelligence is Live Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-apple-intelligence-is-live · 2024-11-20 The future of note-taking has arrived. We're thrilled to announce that Cleft now integrates seamlessly with Apple Intelligence, bringing you a more powerful, intuitive way to capture and develop your ideas. ### Transform Your Notes into Insights Now, with Cleft's Apple Intelligence integration, your notes can evolve into something more on the move. Whether you're drafting an article, brainstorming a project, or organizing your thoughts, Cleft's new capabilities help you: - Expand Ideas Instantly - Turn brief thoughts into detailed concepts - Generate Fresh Perspectives - Get smart suggestions based on your content - Adapt Your Writing - Seamlessly switch between different writing styles ### More Than Just Notes This integration transforms Cleft from a note-taking app into your personal thinking partner. Every note becomes an opportunity to: - Discover unexpected connections - Develop ideas more deeply ### Real Impact, Real Stories "I often struggle with writer's block or feel like I'm not exploring my ideas deeply enough. Cleft + Apple Intelligence is like having a brainstorming partner always ready to help me develop my thoughts and push my creativity further." ### What's Inside The integration brings powerful new capabilities: - Smart summarization - Change history with revert options - Context-aware suggestions - Customizable writing prompts ### Start Creating Better Notes Today The Cleft + Apple Intelligence integration is live and ready to transform your note-taking experience. Share your experience with us. Create a note about how you're using these new features and let us know what possibilities you're most excited about. Ready to elevate your note-taking? Update Cleft today and experience the power of AI-enhanced creativity. --- ## How to Use Voice Apps to Capture Ideas Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-voice-apps-guide · 2024-10-31 Comprehensive guide featuring Cleft's approach to voice capture --- ## Legal Tech Secrets: Voice Notes for Lawyers Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-new-solo-podcast · 2024-09-30 How voice notes are transforming legal documentation (32:15) --- ## Cleft for macOS has moved to the App Store (1.4 Release) Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-for-macos-has-moved-to-the-app-store · 2024-09-24 We are happy to share Cleft 1.4 is ready to download now 🚀 🖥️ Important: Cleft for macOS has moved to the Mac App Store - We are pleased to be distributing updates for our macOS application on the Mac App Store. If you've already downloaded Cleft for macOS directly from our website you will no longer be receiving updates. You can transition to the App Store for updates by downloading the latest version over top your existing installation from the Mac App Store. 📈 In-app purchases - You can purchase a Plus subscription inside of your Cleft apps. 📋 Auto-copy to Clipboard is live on iOS (Plus) - take the contents of a newly created note to your clipboard as soon as you've finished speaking your mind 🔐 Password-protected shared links (Plus) - password protect your shared links if you're signed up to the Plus plan. Improvements We fixed an issue with the mic not working the first time you try to record and we improved filters. Check out the release notes here. We wanted to get the App Store update out asap BUT reach out to join the beta. Thank you for thinking out loud with us! ‍ --- ## If You Have an iPhone, Check This Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-the-80-20-lawyer · 2024-09-06 How lawyers are using Cleft for legal documentation --- ## Cleft 1.1: Share Your Ideas Instantly with Auto-Copy to Clipboard! 📋✨ Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-1-1-share-your-ideas-instantly-with-auto-copy-to-clipboard · 2024-09-04 We're thrilled to announce the release of Cleft 1.1, packed with exciting new features and improvements to supercharge your note-taking journey. Let's dive into what's new! ### 🌟 New Features #### 📋 Auto-copy to Clipboard We've made sharing your brilliance even easier! Now, you can automatically copy your newly created notes to the clipboard. Choose from these options: - Shareable Link - Link Markdown (text only) - Markdown + Shareable Link Never lose a thought again. It's ready to paste wherever you need it! #### 🔐 Password Protected Shareable Links (Plus Plan) For our Plus users, we've added an extra layer of security. You can now password protect your published notes, ensuring your ideas stay in the right hands. #### 👤 Update Account Details Keeping your information up-to-date is now a breeze. You can easily update your name and email directly from your iOS and macOS devices. ### 🛠️ Improvements - 🎙️ **Microphone Fix**: We've restored microphone functionality on first-time startup. Sorry about that hiccup! - 🏷️ **Enhanced Filtering**: We've improved filter performance, making it easier than ever to find your notes. ### 🎧 Listen to the Release Notes Want to hear all about these updates? Check out our published Cleft note here for an audio version of these release notes! ### 💡 What's Next? We're constantly working to enhance your Cleft experience. Have ideas or feedback? We'd love to hear from you! Send us a Cleft with your thoughts. Thank you for being part of the Cleft journey. Together, we're revolutionizing the way ideas are captured and shared. Happy note-taking, everyone! 📝✨ ‍ Don't have Cleft yet? Download it now from the App Store! ‍Change log post here. --- ## Voice-first design patterns for productivity apps Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-designer-daily-report · 2024-09-01 Cleft featured in Designer Daily Report. --- ## Cleft is now Live on the App Store Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-is-now-live-on-the-app-store · 2024-08-28 Hey Cleft enthusiasts! The moment we've all been waiting for has arrived. Cleft is now officially available on the App Store! 🚀 ### What's Cleft? Cleft is your new superpower for capturing ideas on the go. Speak your thoughts, and watch them transform into beautifully organized notes across all your Apple devices. #### 🌟 Awesome Features You'll Love Voice Memo Magic: Turn your spoken words into text notes in seconds!‍ Work Anywhere: Use Cleft on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Your notes follow you everywhere.‍ No Wi-Fi? No Problem!: Cleft works offline, so you're always ready to capture brilliance.‍ Your Note, Your Way: Customize how Cleft understands you with personal instructions.‍ Hear It Again: Replay your original recordings right in the app.‍ Shhh Mode: For those quiet moments, start notes with text instead of voice.‍ Note Makeover: Not happy with a note? Hit regenerate and watch it improve!‍ Quick Access: Widgets and shortcuts put Cleft at your fingertips.‍ Share the Brilliance: Easily share your notes or send them to other apps.‍ Keyboard Ninjas: Fly through Cleft with handy keyboard shortcuts. ‍ #### 🍎 Plays Well with Others Create powerful automations with Apple Shortcuts Seamlessly move your Cleft notes to Apple Notes, Obsidian, Zapier and more on the way (yes we hear you Notion users!) ### 🚀 Ready for Liftoff? 1. Head to the App Store and download Cleft now! 2. Check out our [Capture & Share guide](https://learn.cleftnotes.com/readme) for setup, cool tips and tricks. 3. Join the Cleft community and share your note-taking adventures! ### 💡 What's Next? This is just the beginning! We're cooking up even more amazing features based on your feedback. Stay tuned for regular updates that'll make Cleft even more awesome. Thank you for being part of this exciting journey. We can't wait to see the incredible ideas you'll capture with Cleft! Happy note-taking, everyone! 🎊📝 ‍Change log post here. --- ## Cleft Beta Release 18 - Your Thoughts, Amplified! Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voicenotes-that-work-cleft-beta-release-18-your-thoughts-amplified · 2024-08-24 ### Too Long Didn't Listen (TLDL) - Voice Boost: Add recordings to existing notes with a single tap! - Mac Makeover: Update your account details right in the app. - Neat & Tidy: New horizontal line breaks for organized thoughts. - Smooth Operator: Fixed iOS 18 recording and Obsidian plugin issues.Dive into the full release notes here for all the details! Change log post here. ## What's New in Cleft? ### 1. Add Voice Recordings in Existing Notes Ever had a brilliant idea to add to an old note? Now you can! With just a tap of the big plus button, you can add voice recordings to any existing note. It's like time travel for your thoughts! ### 2. Account Updates on Mac Mac users, we've got a treat for you. You can now change your name and email address directly from the app. No more juggling between websites and apps. It's all at your fingertips! ### 3. Horizontal Line Breaks Sometimes, your thoughts need a little breathing room. Our new horizontal line breaks help you organize your notes with style. Whether you're merging notes or starting fresh, your ideas have never looked this good. ### 4. Bug Fixes and Improvements We've squashed those pesky iOS 18 recording glitches. Say goodbye to robot voices! And for our Obsidian fans, the plugin is now working smoothly on Mac. We're always listening (literally) to make your experience better. ## What is Cleft? Cleft is your digital thought companion. Whether you're a voice note virtuoso or a typing enthusiast, Cleft adapts to your style. Capture ideas on the go, organize your thoughts, and sync seamlessly across devices. With our latest update, note-taking isn't just easier. It's more intuitive than ever. ## Why Choose Cleft? - Flexibility: Voice or text, we've got you covered. - Organization: Keep your thoughts tidy with our smart features. - Sync: Your ideas, everywhere you need them. - Privacy: Your thoughts are yours alone. We take privacy seriously. ## Upgrade Your Builds - MacOS: Build 30 - iOS: Build 76 ## Join the Cleft Community New to Cleft? Try it out here and join thousands of efficient note-takers! Already a Cleft user? We'd love to hear your thoughts on the new features. Drop us a line. Your feedback shapes the future of Cleft. ‍ Stay tuned for more exciting updates. Your best ideas are just a tap away! --- ## What we shipped in June and July Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-what-we-shipped-in-june-and-july · 2024-08-14 We shipped a lot over the past summer months! We want to make sure it's easy to see what is now live and ready to use in Cleft. ### Brand new features Silent Mode - Text-only notes ‍You may now start a note with text, as well as voice. Record and access notes while offline You may now capture thoughts while on the move or on the plane. Automatic language selection Now you may set language to automatic to let pick up the language you begin speaking in. AI preferences shortcut Press ⌘+ , to open the custom instructions from the touch of a button on your Mac. Regenerate Notes ‍You may now regenerate notes from the dropdown menu to speed up editing your thoughts. Duplicate and merge notes ‍You may now select notes, duplicate and merge different thoughts into one note. Archive notes‍ You may now archive your notes to access later. Monthly paid plans‍ We launched our monthly payment plans. Add a tag ‍You may add a tag, such as "inbox" or "fleeting" to better organize your captured notes. Filter by tag ‍Cleft now lets you organize your quick captures according to the tag you have applied to make it quicker to work with captured thoughts. Shared note comments You may now receive comments on your published notes when you connect up Zapier. Multi-select ‍You may now select multiple notes to enable faster merging, archiving and management of notes. ### Improvements iPad interface update We upgraded the iPad interface to improve the user experience. Background recording update Cleft now allows you to continue recording when you work with other apps on your mobile devices. Images and Photos Upgrades Photos now insert the way they are supposed to. ### What's next Check out the roadmap to see what we are working on next. ‍ --- ## AI Tools for Solopreneurs (That Are Actually Useful) Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-ai-tools-for-solopreneurs · 2024-08-14 Featured in productivity tools roundup --- ## The BEST NEW APPS for iPad, Mac, iPhone Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-dailytekk-review · 2024-08-13 Featured review of Cleft's voice-first approach --- ## Milking your content Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-8-bit-growth · 2024-08-10 How Cleft transforms voice into structured content --- ## Cleft Beta Release 17 | Audio Notifications have Arrived Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-beta-release-17-audio-notifications-have-arrived · 2024-08-02 ## Too Long Didn’t Listen (TLDL) - Added an alert and a sound for when the app cannot hear you. - New sound alerts for recording start and stop.Listen or read to the full release notes here. Change log here. ## Upgrade Your Builds MacOS build 29 iOS build 68 --- ## Voice-First Note Taking Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-the-data-cafe-podcast · 2024-07-30 Exploring how Cleft is changing the way we capture ideas (15:20) --- ## Cleft Is an AI-Powered Voice Notes App for Your iPhone and Mac Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-lifehacker-review · 2024-07-26 Comprehensive review --- ## Cleft Beta Release 16 | Edit Notes Offline and Auto-Detect Language are Live Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-beta-release-16-edit-notes-offline-and-auto-detect-language-are-live · 2024-07-24 ## Too Long Didn’t Listen (TLDL) - Offline Note Editing is now Live - Auto-Detect Language SettingListen or read to the full release notes here: https://www.cleft.ai/shared/76xS4UnorF Change log post here. ## Upgrade your Builds macOS: Build 28 iOS (iPhone and iPad): Build 67 --- ## Voice Note Security & Privacy Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-liquidmatrix-security-digest · 2024-07-11 Deep dive into Cleft's approach to secure voice notes (28:45) --- ## How to get started with Cleft Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/how-to-get-started-with-cleft · 2024-07-11 ## Introduction Welcome to Cleft, the transformative AI-powered notebook designed to capture your spoken words and turn them into structured text effortlessly. With Cleft, the days of struggling to jot down your thoughts are over. As soon as inspiration strikes, Cleft is there to ensure no idea slips away. ### Getting Started with Cleft Embark on your journey to seamless note-taking by beginning with the basics. This guide serves as your gateway to mastering Cleft, from initial download to capturing your first spark of brilliance. ### Downloading Cleft for Mac Begin by downloading Cleft free from our homepage. Sign in with your email and dive into a new realm of note-taking. ### Creating and Logging Into Your Cleft Account Creating and accessing your account is straightforward: - Sign up using your email. - Verify your account with the access code sent to you. - Start free and begin exploring Cleft's intuitive interface. ### The Heart of Cleft: Capturing and Transcribing Thoughts Cleft shines when it comes to capturing your ideas. Whether it’s a fleeting thought or a detailed discourse, Cleft’s voice-to-text capabilities are designed to keep up with the pace of your thoughts. Learn how to start recording, navigate through your notes, and make the most of Cleft’s transcription prowess. ### Navigating Cleft: A User's Guide Cleft’s design prioritizes ease of use, from keyboard shortcuts that streamline your workflow to customizable sidebars that ensure a distraction-free environment. Familiarize yourself with the shortcuts and learn how to tailor the interface to your liking. ### Refining Your Ideas: Editing and Organizing Notes With Cleft, your notes are more than mere text; they’re a canvas for your thoughts. Discover how to use the built-in markdown editor to beautify your notes, listen to recordings for better refinement, and manage your content with ease. ### Sharing Your Vision Cleft not only helps you capture and organize your thoughts but also makes sharing them effortless. Understand how to share your notes with others, ensuring your ideas resonate far and wide. ### Your Voice, Our Direction Your feedback is the cornerstone of Cleft’s continuous improvement. We’re dedicated to refining Cleft to meet your needs and exceed your expectations. Learn how you can contribute to shaping the future of Cleft. ### Join the Cleft Community As you embark on this journey with Cleft, remember that your voice is the driving force behind our innovation. Cleft is more than just an app; it’s a community of thinkers, dreamers, and doers. Whether you’re capturing shower thoughts or orchestrating your next big project, Cleft is here to ensure your voice is not just heard, but also seen and shared. Contact Us Got questions or feedback? Reach out to us at support@cleftnotes.com or submit your thoughts via this form. Let’s make Cleft the best it can be, together. ‍ --- ## Blog Post: Cleft Launch Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/blog-post-cleft-launch · 2024-07-11 ## Cleft: Bridging Worlds with a Voice for All Sometimes, the most profound discoveries are made on journeys we never planned. In our quest to create Cleft, an audio-first personal notebook tailored for the neurodiverse, we uncovered something unexpected: a universal challenge longing for a solution. Today, we share Cleft with you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx5tr1m9_VU ### A Universal Challenge It all began with a simple goal: to empower the neurodiverse community with a tool built for us and by us. We designed Cleft to as a testament to the unique ways our users process and express thoughts. However, as we delved deeper, it became clear we weren't just solving a niche problem; we were addressing a universal need. The beauty of focusing on inclusivity and accessibility from the ground up is that you end up creating something that's not just for a select few. It's for everyone. ### Why Cleft? Cleft is more than a note-taking app; it's a testament to the idea that when we build with empathy and inclusivity at the forefront, we create technology that transcends boundaries. - For the Neurodiverse and Beyond: While Cleft was crafted with the neurodiverse in mind, its intuitive, audio-first approach has universal appeal. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt that typing isn’t quite right for capturing the essence of their thoughts. - Empathy-Driven Design: Our commitment to understanding and designing for diverse cognitive experiences has resulted in an interface that's both intuitive and accessible, empowering all users to express themselves freely and efficiently. - Privacy as a Priority: In creating a safe space for your thoughts, privacy isn’t an afterthought. It’s foundational. We ensure that your ideas stay yours, in a secure, protected environment. #### Join Our Journey Launching Cleft isn't just about introducing a new product; it's about advocating for a more inclusive digital world where every voice finds its place. We started with a focus on the neurodiverse community, but along the way, we've created a tool that speaks to a universal desire for a more natural, seamless way to capture our thoughts and ideas. We invite you to explore Cleft and discover how it can transform your own experience with note-taking. Together, let's embrace a future where technology adapts to us, not the other way around. Welcome to Cleft, where your voice, your thoughts, and your unique perspective are celebrated and heard. Button: Start your Free Trial ‍ --- ## Cleft Beta Release 15 | Regenerate notes and Silent Mode are Live! Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-beta-release-15-regenerate-notes-and-silent-mode-are-live · 2024-07-02 ### Too Long Didn’t Listen (TLDL) - Silent Mode - Start notes with Text: Add text-first notes on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. - Regenerate Notes Button: Easily regenerate notes from the dropdown menu on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. - Widgets + Action Button: Improved speed for note collection and works when offline. Reinstall to ensure the “New Cleft Note” shortcut is up to date. - New audio player on iPhone: Upgraded listening experience on iPhone. #### Upgrade your Builds - macOS: Build 27 - iOS (iPhone and iPad): Build 61Listen or read to the full release notes here. Change log post here. --- ## Cleft Beta Release 14 | iPad Interface update and Monthly Plans are now live Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-release-14-ipad-update · 2024-06-24 iOS Build 56 and macOS Build 26 are now live. ## Too Long, Didn't Listen ### Improvements Search shortcut update ‍⌘ + s now opens search from everywhere in the app, except when you are in write view. ​ iPad Interface ‍We focused on updating the iPad format interface. ‍Usage Recommendations (for now): Portrait Mode: Best for touch interactions. ‍Landscape Mode: Best for formatting or editing notes using a keyboard.​ Monthly Plans- Launched new monthly plans at $8 per month. Recording limits upgraded - Updated the basic free plan to increase the recording limit from 3 minutes to 5 minutes.​ ‍ ‍Community Acknowledgements - Thanks to all users who shared feedback over the last few weeks. Thanks for the support so far - have a great day and speak soon.​ ‍ Change log here. --- ## Cleft Release 13: Duplicate and Merge Notes Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-release-13-duplicate-and-merge-notes · 2024-06-22 ## Builds iOS Build 54 and macOS Build 25 are now live. ## Too Long, Didn't Listen We are excited to announce the beta release #13 of Cleft, available for download now. - New features include offline recording, updated recording times (3 minutes on basic, 30 minutes on plus), multi-select mode, merge and duplicate notes - Journal Prompts Library is now live (Thanks user Justin F!) - Various bug fixes, an update on background recording (Thanks user Tom C for support updating this!) and improvements for both iOS and macOS.Full release notes here. Change log post here.‍ --- ## Beta Release #12 | Tags Upgrades & Search/Filter by Tags Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-beta-release-12-tags-upgrades-search-filter-by-tags · 2024-06-07 ## Too Long, Didn't Listen We are excited to announce the beta release #12 of Cleft, available for download now. - Auto-complete tags - filter by tags and - quality of life improvements are the order of the day!We're keeping things pretty simple with our tagging system, we don't want to lose our focus on the capture process. This is intended to keep it simple to keep your magic notebook in order. Full release notes here. Change log post here. --- ## What We Shipped in Cleft in May Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-what-we-shipped-in-cleft-in-may · 2024-06-06 ## What we shipped in May We've now shipped 10 releases of Cleft since we shipped the first public build on March 27th to the end of May. ‍ As promised, we want to make sure it's easy to see what is now live and ready to use in Cleft. We publish a quick note like this at the beginning of the month with what we have shipped last month, to make sure you know what you can achieve with Cleft. ### Insert documents Further details here. ### Insert images, photos and memories Further details here. ### Cleft Plus has arrived Further details here. ### Zapier support Further details here. ### Obsidian Support Further details here. ### GPT 4o support Further details here. ### Offline Backup Further details here. ### Pause and resume notes Further details here. ### Homescreen and Lockscreen Widgets Further details here. ### Upgraded documentation Further details here. ### What's improved - Brand new UI - Cards interface update - Download audio files ### What's next Based on the feedback we have heard so far from our community, here is what we are currently working on: - Moving from Beta to general release - Add on to a note with voice - Tagging, then auto-tagging thoughts - Starting a note with text (Silent mode!) - CarPlay support - Android support - Apple Watch support --- ## How AI will change CX Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-customersuccess-cx · 2024-06-05 Featured as innovative AI transcription tool --- ## Beta Release #11 | Archive and Tag Notes Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voicenotes-that-work-beta-release-11-archive-and-tag-notes · 2024-06-04 ## Too Long; Didn’t Listen ### New Builds Available Build 23 for Mac, Build 47 for iPad and iPhone. ### New Features Manual tagging, note archiving, revamped search filter interface and comments are now live on published notes. ### Improvements Image size reduction, date and time format update. ### Bug Fixes Search focus issues, note selection problems, app crashes, and more. ‍ Give the full release note a read or listen here. Full change log here. --- ## Apps for Dictation — Comparing Whisper Memos with Cleft Notes Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-original-mac-guy-comparison · 2024-05-28 In-depth comparison --- ## Building the Future of Note Taking Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-the-vergecast · 2024-05-27 How Cleft is reimagining productivity through voice (25:30) --- ## Beta Release #10 | Brand New Interface and More File Formats Supported Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-beta-release-10-brand-new-interface-and-more-file-formats-supported · 2024-05-24 The latest release is now live! Build 22 for Mac and build 44 for iOS are now live. You may download/update right away. Check out the changelog here and Cleft note to listen to here. ## New Features - Brand new UI for writing and viewing notes:You can now highlight and copy formatted text in the View tab. Note you can only select one line at a time, for now. - Plans are now live: Basic and Plus plans are now live. - Basic plan is a non-awful free version - everything that was included in the beta we were going to charge for $60 per year for, is now available free of charge. We're going to write about this more soon, but we wanted to share the good news fast. - Plus plan includes upgrades include longer record time, extended AI instructions and integration support. - Documentation upgrade: As promised, we continue to upgrade out documentation. ## Improvements - Support for more file formats when uploading and attaching files. - Moved the formatting buttons into a drop down menu on MacOS. - Added undo and redo buttons to the writing tab. - Hid the welcome note from the notes list on the left. ### Fixes - Fixed an issue where losing network could make your note disappear.‍ - Transcription Errors: Added logic to handle some errors users found. --- ## GPT 4o is now live in Cleft Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-gpt-4o-is-now-live-in-cleft · 2024-05-20 We are delighted to announce that GPT4o is now integrated within Cleft, for customers on the basic and plus plans. No need to download or upgrade, you can get started right away. You can listen to what's included here. This release improves a lot of things, but in particular it empowers our multi-lingual users significantly, providing them with a lot more power and flexibility. - Multi-lingual Support: Enhanced capabilities for users speaking different languages. - User Empowerment: Increased functionality and ease of use for our diverse user base. - Custom Intructions upgrade: Custom instructions have been upgraded and are working even better than before.There will be another update coming out later this week, but we wanted to get the good news out fast! > Check out our cookbook to get some note-taking inspiration!‍ --- ## Beta Release #9 | Obsidian, 30 minute notes, add images and documents are now live Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-beta-release-9-obsidian-30-minute-notes-add-images-and-documents-are-now-live · 2024-05-19 It's been 51 days since we released the first build of Cleft. Since then, TLDR it has been a wild ride. We are delighted to be showing you our latest release today. Full Cleft note here. Check out the changelog here. ## New Features - Obsidian Integration: One of the top-voted items on the agenda is now live. Connect your vault on MacOS right away. ‍ - Beta Pricing: Beta pricing is now live. Full details can be found [here](https://learn.cleftnotes.com/user-guides/upgrade-to-plus). ‍ - Insert Images and Photos: You can now insert images and photos into your notes. We can't wait to see how you make your notes even more beautiful. ## Improvements ‍ - Language Selection: Language selection in settings is now mapped to transcription properly, eliminating auto language selection issues. The AI will respond in your spoken language by default if it's able to. ‍ - File Uploads for Plus Subscribers: Plus subscribers can now upload images and files. These files are securely stored on Cleft's backend. For security, raw URLs are not exposed to prevent web scraping. Files are loaded securely when you open the note inside Cleft or when someone visits your published note page. ### Supported File Types - Image: PNG, GIF, JPEG, SVG - Text: Plain text, Markdown - Documents: MS Word, OpenXML Word, MS PowerPoint, OpenXML PowerPoint, MS Excel, OpenXML Excel - Others: Patch files, PDF, ZIP, GZIP, TAR - Video: MP4, QuickTime, WebM ### Fixes - Bluetooth Tinny Issue**: Some users were experiencing issues with Bluetooth at times. We're pretty sure we have it nailed but we do want to hear from you, if you have issues with your bluetooth earphones. - Date Issue in Notes: The problem with notes showing up with the wrong date should now be fixed. Please check if you were experiencing this issue. - Transcription on Apple Silicon: Increased speed and accuracy of transcription on Apple Silicon devices. --- ## Buy Me a Coffee's founder has built an AI-powered voice note app Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-techcrunch-launch · 2024-05-13 Exclusive feature on Cleft's launch --- ## Beta Release #8 | The Cards Interface Update Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-beta-release-8-interface-updates · 2024-05-09 Beta Release #8 iOS Build 39 Mac Build 20 Too Long Didn't Read (TLDR) - New cards based Ul to match mobile - New toggle switch for viewing note or transcript - More cleanup for offline notes - Fixed infinite scroll bug on the notes list - Lots of bugs squashed around offline recordings and audio uploadHave a read or listen to our latest release in a published Cleft here. Full changelog update here. --- ## Beta Release #7 | Lots of Little Updates Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-beta-release-7-lots-of-little-updates · 2024-05-07 iOS Build 36 Mac Build 19 Too Long Didn't Read (TLDR) - We've replaced the loading screen with transcription progress after recording. - Copy and delete note actions are now inside an overflow menu to improve your experience. - You can now delete offline notes. - We've fixed the issue of duplicate content when sharing on iOS, thanks to @Cosmic's help! - We've also fixed the issue with AirPods not working for recording (Sorry about that ya'll)LOTS of bugs squashed in this build - special note of thanks to all the users who have been speeding up hunting things down and letting us know making sure everybody has a better experience using Cleft! Have a read or listen to our latest release in a published Cleft here. Full changelog update here.P.S. There's a known issue where scrolling fast to the top of the list will scroll infinitely. Just tap the top of the phone to zip to the top of the list and it'll work great. This will be fixed in a future update but Airpods were just way too important not to push out right away! --- ## What We Shipped at Cleft in April Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-what-we-shipped-at-cleft-in-april · 2024-05-06 ## What we shipped It has been 40 days since we shipped Cleft. We've now shipped 6 releases of Cleft since we shipped the first public build. ‍ We wanted to make sure it's easy to see what is now live and ready to use in Cleft. Going forward, we will publish at the beginning of the month with what we have shipped, to make sure you know what you can achieve with Cleft. ‍ ### Apple Shortcuts and Siri support Build Cleft into your workflow with Apple shortcuts and Siri. See details on Apple Shortcuts and Siri support here. ‍ ### Cue Cards Prompt thoughts and easily connect your thoughts using Cue Cards. ‍ ### Custom instructions & Styles Add a unique narrative or tone of voice to your notes - gain more control over the context of your notes with custom vocabulary and tone. ‍ ### Plaintext copy Speed up getting your notes into your workflow using plaintext copy. ‍ ### Share-Sheet support Share your notes back into your workflow and to the other apps you love natively, using Share-Sheet support. ‍ ### Listen back to your notes Listen back to your thoughts later with the new playback button. ‍ ### Action Button support Turn your Action Button into your notes recorder with support on iPhones. Add Cleft to your Action button with instructions here. ‍ ### New help section We have upgraded something that is important to us - making sure you have update to date documentation. Check it out here. ‍ ### What's improved - Brand new UI - Keyboard shortcut upgrades - App-Switching - Background uploading - Published notes audio upgrade - Done and clear button - Publish button - Auto-copy links - Lazy Loading for notes - Transcription Enhancements - UI improvements - Updated keyboard layer - Relocation of the formatting bar - Action Button Shortcut upgrades - Loading screen upgrades - Plus lots of squashed bugs, thanks to you folks!‍ ### What's next We have already released our first build of May - check it out here. Based on the feedback we have heard so far from our community, here is what we are currently working on: - Add on to a Note with Voice - Insert screenshots, images and photos to Cleft --- ## Cleft Notes is the AI app that turns your voice into action Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-ops-bots-review · 2024-05-04 Deep dive into voice-first productivity --- ## Cleft Beta #6 | Offline Mode Has Arrived Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-beta-6-offline-mode-has-arrived · 2024-05-01 We are extremely excited to share the latest version of Cleft with you to start off May the right way - moving forward and improving your thought capture process. ‍ Please update to the latest builds: - iOS Build 31‍ - Mac Build 18Release highlights - Offline mode is now ready - You may now pause a note - Lockscreen and Homescreen widgets have arrived on iOS - Keyboard shortcut for "Find" is now live with⌘ + F - You may now save your original audio file on Mac and iOS - Our new help section is now live here. Expect more updates and content being posted here soon, including more iPhone and iPad dedicated content by this Friday - and some bugs squashedHave a read or listen to our latest release in a Cleft published note here. Changelog Update here Thanks to all the users who have been hunting bugs and letting us know, to make sure everybody has a better experience. If you're interested to check out what we are working on right now, check out the roadmap here. ‍ If you find anything not working as planned, please: - Logout and quit - Re-install, - Then login to your account please. --- ## Cleft Notes is the Thinking Companion I Didn't Know I Needed Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-the-sweet-setup · 2024-04-30 In-depth review --- ## Cleft Beta #5 | Play Back Your Notes and Set the Tone Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-beta-release-5-play-back-your-notes-and-set-the-tone · 2024-04-17 The latest release of Cleft is now live with builds 25 (iOS) and 17 (Mac). highlights in this release - Audio playback button comes to Mac and iOS - Custom vocabulary and tone updatesFull release notes here. --- ## Cleft Beta #4 | Custom AI Instructions Lands on iOS Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/cleft-beta-release-ios-build-15 · 2024-04-10 Build 15 is now live. Highlights - Custom AI instructions comes to iOS - Published note links now auto-copy to your clipboard to save time. - Some major bugs squashed, including a frustrating one on the iPad - thanks to one of our users - thanks Sirio!Full release notes here. --- ## Cleft Beta #3 | Plain Text and Apple Shortcuts Have Arrived Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-beta-3-plain-text-and-apple-shortcuts · 2024-04-06 Build 13 is ready to download. Now live in Cleft: copy as plain text, a brand-new interface, and Apple Shortcuts for hands-free capture. --- ## How Cleft is changing product development workflows Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-department-of-product · 2024-04-05 Cleft featured in Department of Product. --- ## Cleft Beta #2 | Sharing and Published Notes Upgrade Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-beta-2-sharing-and-published-notes-upgrade · 2024-04-03 Build 12 is now ready to download. Now live in Cleft: App-Switching, Published notes Audio Upgrade, Native Share Sheet, Keyboard Shortcuts. --- ## Tired of taking manual notes? This AI app called 'Cleft Notes' will make your work easy Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-ht-tech-review · 2024-04-02 Product review --- ## Our 5 favorite AI voice notes apps for different purposes Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-dataconomy-feature · 2024-04-01 Featured review --- ## Transform Your Voice Memos Into Polished, Shareable Notes Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-absolute-geeks-review · 2024-04-01 Comprehensive review --- ## An AI voice notes app that really works Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/news-the-verge-launch-coverage · 2024-03-31 Launch coverage --- ## Cleft Beta #1 | Beginning to Thinking out Loud Source: https://cleftnotes.com/blog/posts/voice-notes-that-work-cleft-beta-1-beginning-to-think-out-loud · 2024-03-27 ## Beta Release The first public release of Cleft is now ready. Build 11 is now live and ready to download. - You may create and share summarised notes using only your voice - You may access this on your Mac, iPhone or iPad.Full release notes here. ---