Capture it. Plan it later.
Drop a task into Inbox and carry on. It stays quiet until you’re ready to give it a deadline and a plan.
A small reminder app for your Mac
A little less
last-minute.
You know what you need to do. OnTimely helps you get started—with a simple plan and reminders before the deadline.
A little structure for a busy dayInside OnTimely
Use the arrows or swipe to explore. Screenshot 1 of 4
From “I’ll do it later” to done
A plan you can actually start.
Just the useful bits, from the first thought to the final submission.
Leave yourself some room.
Set the deadline, estimate the work, and add a safety buffer. OnTimely works out your latest safe start.
Reminders that follow through.
Repeated macOS notifications bring your task back to your attention. Get nudges to start, then reminders to finish and submit.
A core part of OnTimely
Reminders that
keep coming back.
OnTimely keeps pinging you with macOS notifications, so your plan doesn’t disappear into a task list. It reminds you to start, then to finish and submit as the deadline gets close.
Choose how often reminders repeat. Confirm you’re working or snooze when you need more time, and mark the task done to stop its reminders.
Why OnTimely?
Knowing the deadline
is only half of it.
Sometimes the hard part is getting started. A due date on a list doesn’t tell you when to begin, or leave room for the final steps.
OnTimely is a small Mac app for that space in between. Put the task somewhere, give it a realistic plan, and let a reminder bring it back when you need it.
Explore the project on GitHubMade for macOSTasks stored on your MacNo account to set up
Which Macs can run OnTimely?
OnTimely requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. The current release is a Mac app; there isn’t a Windows, iPhone, or Android version.
How do I install it?
Download the latest OnTimely.dmg from GitHub, open it, and move OnTimely to your Applications folder. Open the app and follow the short setup to choose your reminder and update preferences.
How to use
On first launch, a quick setup lets you choose reminder defaults and automatic updates. Choose Use current settings to skip it.
- Add a task. In Inbox, click + Add task or press ⌘N, type a task, and press Return. Inbox tasks stay quiet until you plan them.
- Plan it. Click Plan and choose the deadline, how long the task will take, and when you want to start.
- Turn on reminders. Review your plan, click Activate reminders, and allow macOS notifications. Your task moves to Active.
- Start working. Click I’m Working when you begin, or Snooze if you need more time. OnTimely may ask you to confirm again at your latest safe start.
- Finish. Click Submitted / Done to stop reminders and move the task to Done.
Click an Active task’s title to edit its plan. Use a task’s menu to rename, delete, or return it to Inbox. To reuse a completed task, choose Reopen in Inbox in Done.
Keep OnTimely running for reminders. You can close its window and leave the app open.
Does the app need to stay open?
Yes—keep OnTimely running for reminders. You can close its window and leave the app open. Quitting the app stops it from keeping its reminder schedule up to date.
Why am I not getting reminders?
Tasks in Inbox stay quiet. Choose Plan, review the timing, and click Activate reminders. Allow notifications for OnTimely in macOS System Settings, keep the app running, and check whether a Focus mode is silencing notifications.
What’s a “latest safe start”?
It’s your deadline minus the estimated work time and safety buffer. If something is due at 6 PM, takes 90 minutes, and needs a 30-minute buffer, the latest safe start is 4 PM. You can choose an earlier suggested start, too.
Where do my tasks go?
Your tasks are stored locally on your Mac. You don’t need an account to use OnTimely. Checking for app updates connects to the update service; your task list stays on your Mac.
How do I get updates?
Choose your automatic update preference during setup or in Settings. To check manually, use OnTimely → Check for Updates…. You can also download the latest version from GitHub Releases.
Ready when you are
Give your next task
a little breathing room.
Download OnTimely and make a plan for the first one.