BindleShortcuts, Siri, Widgets, and Focus
Bindle reaches past its own window. Shortcuts and Siri can save, find, and open links; widgets put your reading on the Home Screen, the Lock Screen, and the Mac desktop; controls in Control Center open the next thing to read or the QR scanner; and a Focus can keep Bindle to one part of your library.
None of this needs a network. Actions run against the library on the device, and changes sync to your other devices the usual way.
Shortcuts Actions
Open the Shortcuts app, start a new shortcut, and search for Bindle to see its actions. Each one is listed here with its parameters, as Shortcuts names them, and their defaults.
Actions that open something bring Bindle to the front. The others run without opening Bindle.
Save to Bindle
Saves a link to Bindle, unread. It syncs to your other devices.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| URL | The link's address | Required |
| Title | A title for the link | None |
| Tags | A list of tags | None |
| Add to Up Next | On or off | Off |
It returns the link and says "Saved" with the title. If the link was already saved, it says it is back in Unread.
Search Bindle
Finds links whose title, note, address, or saved article matches every word, best match first.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Text | The words to find | Required |
| Limit | The most links to return | 20 |
It returns the matching links.
Get Links
Gets links from Bindle: unread, starred, a tag, or a collection.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Links | All, Unread, Starred, Archived, Up Next | Unread |
| Tag | A tag name (a leading # is ignored) | None |
| Collection | A collection's name | None |
| Limit | The most links to return | 20 |
With a collection, it returns that collection's links and ignores the other choices. Up Next comes back in queue order; the others newest first.
Get Unread Count
How many links are unread in Bindle (not counting archived ones). It returns the number and says it.
Mark Link Read
Marks a Bindle link as read, which also clears its one-time reminders. It says "Marked … as read." when it's done.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Link | A Bindle link | Required |
When you pick a link, Shortcuts suggests your newest unread links, and you can search for one by typing.
Add to Up Next
Adds a Bindle link to Up Next, to read or listen to next. A link already in Up Next moves.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Link | A Bindle link | Required |
| At the Front | On puts it first, off puts it last | Off |
Remind Me About Link
Adds a Bindle reminder on a link. It rings on your reminder devices.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Link | A Bindle link | Required |
| When | Later Today, This Evening, Tomorrow Morning, This Weekend, Next Week | Tomorrow Morning |
| Date | A date and time | None (a date here wins over When) |
Add Link to Collection
Puts a Bindle link in a collection you add links to by hand. It shows up there on every device. The action says "Added … to …" when it's done.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Link | A Bindle link | Required |
| Collection | A manual collection | Required |
Only manual collections are offered. A smart collection picks its links by rules, so the action can't add to one.
Remove Link from Collection
Takes a Bindle link out of a collection you add links to by hand. The link stays in Bindle. The action says "Took … out of …" when it's done.
| Parameter | What it takes | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Link | A Bindle link | Required |
| Collection | A manual collection | Required |
Open Next Unread
Opens your newest unread link in Bindle: in the reader when it has a copy, otherwise in the browser. With nothing unread, Bindle opens and says "Nothing unread". No parameters.
Scan QR Code
iPhone and iPad: Opens Bindle's camera to save a link from a QR code. Say "Scan a QR code in Bindle". The link is filled into Add Link, saved, or offered, as Scanning from the Lock Screen says. No parameters.
Continue Reading
Reopens the article you were last reading on this device, where you left it. When that article is finished, archived, or no longer saved offline, Bindle opens and says "Nothing to continue". No parameters.
Read Up Next
Opens the first link in your Up Next in the reader. The reader's Next then walks the queue. With Up Next empty, Bindle says "Up Next is empty". No parameters.
Listen to Up Next
Reads your Up Next aloud, one link after another. No parameters.
Open Random Article
Opens a random article from your library after the card shuffle, weighted toward ones worth reading. If nothing is saved offline yet, Bindle says so. No parameters.
Siri
These phrases work with Siri as soon as Bindle is installed, with no setup. They also show as ready-made shortcuts in the Shortcuts app.
| Say | What happens |
|---|---|
| "Save to Bindle" or "Save a link to Bindle" | Save to Bindle (Siri asks for the link) |
| "Open my next Bindle link" or "Read next in Bindle" | Open Next Unread |
| "Continue reading in Bindle" or "Pick up where I left off in Bindle" | Continue Reading |
| "Surprise me in Bindle" or "Open a random Bindle article" | Open Random Article |
| "Listen to Bindle Up Next" or "Play my Bindle queue" | Listen to Up Next |
| "Read my Bindle Up Next" or "Open my Bindle queue" | Read Up Next |
| "Search Bindle" or "Find a link in Bindle" | Search Bindle |
| "How many unread links in Bindle" | Get Unread Count |
The other actions have no phrase of their own. To run one by voice, put it in a shortcut and say the shortcut's name.
Widgets
Add a widget the way you add any: touch and hold the Home Screen and tap Edit, or on the Mac, right-click the desktop and choose Edit Widgets. Then search for Bindle.
Widgets show what the app last wrote for them, so they stay current as Bindle saves, syncs, and reads. Books never show in widgets.
| Widget | Sizes | What it shows | A tap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up Next | Small, Medium, Large | Your Up Next queue in order, numbered, with how long each takes to hear: the next one on small, 3 on medium, 7 on large | A title opens that link, and Listen plays the queue from the top. The check mark beside a link finishes it. |
| Newest Unread | Medium, Large | Your newest unread links, with the unread count: 3 on medium, 7 on large | A title opens that link. The check mark beside it marks it read. |
| Unread | Small; on iPhone and iPad also the Lock Screen's circular, rectangular, and inline sizes | How many links are waiting, and reminders due | Opens your next unread link |
| Rediscover | Small, Medium | An unread link you saved a while ago, with its preview | Opens that link |
| Surprise Me | Small; on iPhone and iPad also the Lock Screen's circular size | A die and "A random article worth reading" | Opens a random article after the card shuffle |
| Reminders | Small, Medium | Links you asked to be reminded about, due ones first and marked Due | Opens Reminders |
| Lists | Small, Medium, Large | What you're reading, what you added, or a collection, as plain titles | A title opens that link |
| Nearby | Small, Medium; on iPhone and iPad also the Lock Screen's circular and rectangular sizes | How many saved links are near where you are, and the closest place | Opens Nearby |
| Scan QR Code | iPhone and iPad only: the Lock Screen's circular and inline sizes | A QR viewfinder | Opens the camera to save a link from a QR code |
Opening a link from a widget follows the library's rule: the reader when the link has a copy, otherwise the website.
Up Next Widget
The widget shows your queue as the Up Next list does: numbered, first at the top, with how many links are queued and how long they take to hear. Tap Listen to play the queue from the top in the player.
Each row has a check mark button. Tap it when you're done with a link: it is marked read and leaves Up Next, the next one moves up, and the change syncs. Archive When Finished applies only in the app, so a link finished from the widget isn't archived. When nothing is queued, the widget says "Nothing up next".
Newest Unread Widget
Before Up Next existed, this widget was called Up Next. Widgets you placed then keep working under the new name.
Each row has a check mark button. Tap it to mark the link read without opening Bindle; the row leaves the widget and the change syncs. When there is nothing unread, it says "All caught up".
Lists Widget
The one widget you set up. Touch and hold it and choose Edit Widget. On the Mac, right-click it and choose to edit it.
| Option | Choices | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Show | In Progress, Recently Added, Collection | In Progress |
| Collection | Any collection | None (shown when Show is Collection) |
- In Progress lists links you started and haven't finished, most recently opened first.
- Recently Added lists the newest saved links, read or not, without archived ones.
- Collection lists a collection's newest links. Until you choose one, it says "Choose a collection".
Titles are set large, in the style of a minimal Home Screen, and the widget shows only the titles that fit whole.
Scan QR Code Widget
iPhone and iPad: Put Scan QR Code on the Lock Screen to save a link from a poster, a slide, or another screen. Tap it, unlock, and the camera is up; point it at the code. A code that doesn't hold a web link says so, and the camera keeps looking.
What happens to the link is up to Scanning from the Lock Screen: Add Link opens with it filled in for you to save (the default), it is saved right away, or Bindle asks. Asking shows the link with Save, Read Now, and Edit. Read Now opens it in the reader without saving it, under Just Looking in the Add Link sheet; Edit opens Add Link with it filled in. The same choice applies to the Scan QR Code control and Shortcut.
The Scan QR Code button in the Add Link sheet always fills in the link for you to review.
Nearby Widget
Nearby reads your location for itself, only with your permission, and refreshes about every 15 minutes. It uses the Nearby Range from Places. Without permission it asks you to open Bindle.
Control Center
iPhone and iPad: On iOS 18 and later, Bindle adds two controls:
- Open Next Unread shows as Next Unread, with a book. Tap it to open your newest unread link, in the reader when it has a copy.
- Scan QR Code shows a QR viewfinder. Tap it to open the camera and save a link from a QR code, as the Scan QR Code widget does. It fits on the Lock Screen too, in place of the flashlight or camera: touch and hold the Lock Screen, tap Customize, then Lock Screen, and tap a control at the bottom to change it.
To add one, open Control Center, touch and hold an empty spot, choose Add a Control, and search for Bindle. You can also choose it for the Action button, in the Settings app under Action Button.
Home Screen Quick Action
iPhone and iPad: Touch and hold Bindle's icon on the Home Screen. While there is an article to pick up, the menu has Continue Reading, with the article's title under it. It opens the article on this device where you left it.
The action shows only while "Offer to continue reading" is on, in Settings > Reading > Reader, and only for an article you can still continue (not finished, not archived, and saved offline).
Focus
A Focus can keep Bindle to one collection or tag, and hold back its reminders, while the Focus is on.
Set Up a Bindle Focus Filter
- Open the system's Focus settings: Settings > Focus on iPhone and iPad, or System Settings > Focus on the Mac.
- Choose a Focus, such as Work.
- Under Focus Filters, add a filter and choose Bindle. The filter is called Set Bindle Focus.
- Set its options.
| Option | Choices | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Collection | Any collection, shown by its place in your collections (such as Work › Research) | None |
| Tag | Any tag on an unarchived link, most used first | None |
| Hide Reminders | On, Off | Off |
With both a collection and a tag, a link must be in the collection and carry the tag. The filter's summary reads, for example, "Only Work and #research, Reminders hidden", or "All links" when nothing is set.
What a Focus Changes
While the Focus is on:
- The library shows only links in the Focus's collection or tag. Search in the window searches only those, and the sidebar counts count only those. Unread, Starred, and Archived still work inside the Focus.
- Rediscover picks only from them.
- Widgets show only them. Up Next shows the collection's name in place of its title, and the small Unread widget names it under the count.
- Open Next Unread and Continue Reading (the capsule, the quick action, and the Shortcut) pick only from them.
- With Hide Reminders on, the system holds back Bindle's reminder notifications. Bindle never cancels, delays, or moves a reminder for a Focus, so when the Focus ends nothing is lost. Reminders still show in the Reminders list.
What a Focus doesn't change: a collection you open from Collections shows everything in it; Shortcuts, Spotlight, and AppleScript see the whole library. The Focus belongs to this device. Nothing about it syncs.
The Focus Bar
Above the list, a bar says "Focus:" and the collection or tag. Choose Show All to see every link in this window while the Focus stays on, and Keep to Focus to go back. A new Focus, or none, turns Show All off again.
A collection that has been deleted keeps nothing out: the Focus then shows everything.