Create a list with Nelly
On My Lists, tap + and choose Create with Nelly, describe the list you want, and tap Create my list. Nelly writes it, shows the items as they arrive, and opens the finished list.
Tell Nelly what you want in plain words and she builds the whole list: a name, an icon, a color and the items themselves. On My Lists, tap + and choose Create with Nelly, describe your list, and tap Create my list.
Make a list with Nelly
- On My Lists, tap + and choose Create with Nelly.
- Type what you want in the field, or tap an idea under Or try an idea (National parks, Movie nights, Weekend adventures, Books to read, Recipes to try) to drop it in. Tap the same idea again to clear it.
- Tap Create my list.
- Watch the items appear one by one. When they're all in, the list opens on its own.
A card then slides up from the bottom. Usually it's Doing it with someone?, offering to turn the list into a Live List: tap Invite someone or Not now. See Start a Live List. If you've switched off Suggest Live Lists (gear → Customize Display), you get Nelly's own card instead (she's a bit of a joker: something like Oops. Nelly just dumped 12 items on your list.): Customize opens the list's details to change the name, icon, color or type, and Looks good keeps it as it is.
What to ask for
Specific asks get specific lists:
- "The 30 best sci-fi films of the 90s"
- "Things to do this weekend, grouped by indoor and outdoor"
- "10 dishes I should cook this week" — each comes with its recipe, see Get recipes and ingredients for each dish
- "Caribbean cities we should visit" — each with a photo and a Maps link, see Get photos and maps for each place
Ask for a particular number and Nelly aims for exactly that many, up to the most your plan allows in one list. Say "grouped by…" or "organized by…" and the list arrives in sections.
Nelly picks the name, icon and color, and lists come out as To-dos, or Ranked when the order is the point ("Top 10…"). All of it can be changed afterward.
If you already have the items
If you type or paste four or more of your own items, separated by commas, semicolons or new lines ("chapter names: slim 1, slim 2, slim 3, slim 4"), a line appears under the field: These look like your own 4 items. Tap it and they go straight to the create form, exactly as you wrote them, without using any of your Nelly allowance. Ignore it and Create my list works as usual. More in Paste in a list you already have. For a plain list with no Nelly at all, tap Start with a blank list.
When Nelly can't help
- Nelly can't look that up means you asked for something she can't know, like showtimes, live listings or future events. Ask for ideas instead ("films I want to watch").
- Nelly had trouble building this list covers everything else. Tap Try again, or Edit prompt to reword it.
Neither uses your allowance.
FAQ
Does creating a list use my allowance?
Yes, each list Nelly creates uses one from your Nelly allowance, which refills daily and monthly. See How your Nelly allowance works.
Can I add more items later?
Yes. On the list, tap ⋯ → More with Nelly. See Add more items with Nelly.
Does Nelly work offline?
No. Nelly needs a connection. Almost everything else in NellyList works offline. See Use NellyList offline and on all your devices.
Should I trust every item?
Nelly is an AI and can make mistakes. For lists where facts matter, skim the result before you rely on it. Editing an item takes two taps.