In this article I’ll explain how to setup Apple Intelligence Writing Tools with keyboard shortcut so you can access them natively within your favorite personal knowledge management(PKM) app such as Obsidian, Heptabase and many others.
Background
What’s Apple Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence, Apple’s version of AI, offers Writing Tools powered by Apple Intelligence to Mac users with supported models. These tools can proofread, rewrite, summarize, and compose text. They are integrated into most selectable text areas across applications and websites.
In many situations, accessing them is simple: select your text, right-click, and choose “Writing Tools” from the context menu.
How does Apple Intelligence enhance PKM Apps?
The integration and enhancement of AI in PKM Apps are captivating topics that are constantly evolving. However, when it comes to specific features offered by Apple Intelligence, it has the potential areas that could surpass some alternative AIs.
Free
The first significant advantage for many users is that if their device and language support Apple Intelligence, they have access to a free AI tool.
As a correction tool
Apple Intelligence offers more than basic spell-check features. It provides advanced grammar corrections, enabling users to write clearer, more professional notes. This level of correction helps improve the quality of personal knowledge management (PKM) content significantly.
As a non-native English speaker, this is one of the primary reasons I subscribe to Raycast. It allows me to use this feature on any PKM app I use.
Apple Intelligence aids in summarizing both external resource materials and your own notes. This helps users digest information quickly and maintain concise, organized knowledge databases.
Local Data Processing and Privacy
Apple Intelligence prioritizes user privacy. Whenever possible, AI processes data locally on your device. If cloud-based processing is needed, Apple ensures that your data is neither stored nor shared, not even with Apple itself. This robust privacy framework makes it a trustworthy tool for sensitive PKM data.
Ease of use
While it’s possible for tech-savvy individuals to set up their own local AI, this requires technical knowledge, and even with such setup, you might still not be able to use the AI directly within your favorite PKM.
On the other hand, setting up Apple Intelligence is incredibly straightforward. It can be enabled with a simple toggle in the settings of supported devices, eliminating the need for technical expertise. This ease of activation ensures that users can begin enhancing their PKM experience without the hassle of complex configurations.
Once you have the Writing Tools setup with the shortcut key as explained in this video later, you can use it without leaving your favorite app.
As a generation tool
For users who need additional AI capabilities, particularly if you want the Apple Intelligence to generate content, the option to integrate ChatGPT is available. This feature is initially disabled and requires user activation. Additionally, enhanced data protections are implemented when using ChatGPT, offering an extra layer of security.
Summary
Apple Intelligence enhances PKM applications by offering advanced writing tools, effortless integration, strong privacy protections, and optional AI features. Its capabilities enable users to manage and optimize their knowledge more effectively, making it a valuable addition to any PKM setup.
Will it work on my PKM?
While this list is far from exhaustive, every PKM app I’ve tested has worked with Apple Intelligence Writing Tools*. Therefore, even if an app I haven’t tested is likely compatible. In the step-by-step guide section, we’ll discuss how to determine if your PKM is compatible with Apple Intelligence.
*How well it works may vary.
| App | Compatibility |
|---|---|
| AFFiNE | ☑️ |
| Anytype | ☑️ |
| Bear | ☑️ |
| Capacities | ☑️ |
| Craft | ☑️ |
| Heptabase | ☑️ |
| Logseq | ☑️ |
| Noteey | ☑️ |
| Notion | ☑️ |
| Obsidian | ☑️ |
Step by Step guide
Step 1: Activate Apple Intelligence
The first step is to enable Apple Intelligence. As of today, it’s still a beta feature and available only in certain languages. First, ensure you have the latest version of MacOS installed.
- Open System Settings.
- Select Apple Intelligence & Siri from the left menu.
- Enable Apple Intelligence.
4. To enable the optional seamless ChatGPT feature, which is necessary to use the compose part of Writing Tools feature, navigate to Extensions and click on ChatGPT. Then, toggle on that option. You can also enable this feature later.
If you’ve decided to enable ChatGPT extension but want to have a control over what data is sent to them, keep Confirm ChatGPT Requests toggle on so you’ll be prompted before any data is sent to ChatGPT.
Step 2: Check app’s compatibility
Some apps, such as Bear and Craft, have the option to access Apple Intelligence Writing Tools from the right-click menu. However, all other apps I tested did not display Writing Tools in this manner. If your app falls into this category, you can navigate to the top system menu and check under the Edit option. If the writing tool is available in this location, your app is compatible with Apple Intelligence Writing Tools. If your app is not listed here, please share in the comments the name of the app and its compatiblity with Apple Intelligence Writing Tools for future viewers.
Step 3: Create keyboard shortcut
Next, I’d like to create a keyboard shortcut for accessing Writing Tools. This is particularly useful if your preferred PKM app doesn’t provide direct access to Apple Intelligence Writing Tools through the right mouse click. In such cases, you’re forced to drag your mouse to the top editing menu every time, which can be a significant friction point in your workflow.
- Go to System Settings > Keyboard
- Click keyboard Shortcuts…
3. Go down to App Shortcuts on the left navigation, and click + to add new entry.
4. On this popup, we first select the target app, which can be a specific app or all applications. Since I’ve been testing multiple PKM apps, and this can also be useful in other non-PKM app such as Preview, I ended up choosing All Applications.
In the menu title section, we must input exact menu titles and use the “->” symbol to indicate submenus. It’s important to note that this is case-sensitive, and there should be no space between the arrow and the menu titles. For instance, in this example, I wrote down so I get access to “Show Writing Tools” to provide an equivalent function to the right mouse click. However, if you want to specify a specific action like “Rewrite,” you can do so.
Lastly, you choose your own keyboard shortcut. However, it’s important to note that in-app shortcuts take precedence. Therefore, this shortcut won’t work on apps that already have the same in-app shortcut. So, make sure to check if your favorite PKM already has a keyboard shortcut. I chose Control W as my shortcut.
- Now hit Done.
Step 4: Test it
Now, you should be able to access the Writing Tools from your preferred app. To test it on your preferred PKM app, highlight some text in your note and press the keyboard shortcut. The Writing Tools should appear. It’s worth noting that this won’t work if you haven’t selected the text.
Limitation
One current limitation I’ve noticed is that the “replace” or “insert” function doesn’t work. Consequently, you have to select “copy” and then paste the content.
The issue here is likely related to Electron, a coding platform commonly used to develop many PKM apps. Therefore, I hope that once they address this issue, we’ll have one fewer keyboard click.
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