Add items quickly
Type into the add field at the top of a list and press Return; the field stays open for the next one. Separate items with commas to add several in one go.
The fastest way to fill a list is the add field at the top of it. Type an item, press Return, and the field stays ready for the next one, so you can add a dozen things without lifting your thumbs.
The add field
- Open the list and tap the field. It says something like Add an item… or Add a to-do…, using whatever the list calls its entries.
- Type the item and press Return. It joins the list and the keyboard stays up.
- Keep going. When you're done, tap anywhere else. Anything still in the field is added too, so nothing you typed is lost.
Add several at once: separate them with commas. Typing milk, eggs, bread adds three items, each starting with a capital letter. Without a comma, the item is added exactly as you typed it.
Paste a link: a web address becomes a link item, with the page's title and artwork filled in for you. Paste several links and each gets its own item. See Add links to an item.
The + beside the field
Tap the small + to the left of the add field for:
- Add an item (or whatever the list calls it), which jumps you into the field.
- New group, to start a group like "Produce" or "Mom". See Sort a list into groups.
- Scan a list, on iPhone, to add every line from a photo of a paper list. See Scan a paper list (iPhone).
Adding into a group
On a list with groups, each group has its own field (Add to Produce…). Items typed there go straight into that group, so there's no sorting afterward.
Dates, notes and the rest
The add field is for getting things down fast. To add a due date, time, reminder, notes, a checklist, photos or links, tap the item to open its page and fill in what you need. See Set reminders on items and lists and Add a checklist inside an item.
Other quick ways in
- More with Nelly in the ⋯ menu suggests items that fit the list, and you pick which to add. See Add more items with Nelly.
- Siri, on iPhone: "Add items to my Groceries list in NellyList." See Add items with Siri (iPhone).
- A list you already have written? See Paste in a list you already have.
FAQ
Why did my item split into several?
It had commas in it. Each comma starts a new item. To keep a single item with a comma, add it without the comma, then tap the item and edit its name on its own page.
I can't see the add field. Where did it go?
On a Live List, the owner can switch off adding for members. When they have, members see Only the owner can add to this list. in its place. See Locked Lists. The field also hides while you're selecting items.
Can I add a list of items separated by new lines?
The add field is a single line, so use commas. To bring in a longer list line by line, see Paste in a list you already have.