How to Migrate from Captio:
Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Captio has been discontinued, but your memos are not lost. This guide walks you through recovering your old memos and setting up a new send-to-email workflow in minutes -- no matter which replacement app you choose.
Good News -- Your Captio Memos Are Not Lost
If you are reading this, you are probably worried about losing years of quick memos you sent through Captio. Here is the good news: every single memo you ever sent with Captio is still sitting in your email inbox right now.
Captio was never a storage app. It was a send-to-email app. Every time you tapped "Send" in Captio, the app composed a real email and delivered it to your inbox. That email lives on your email provider's servers -- Gmail, Outlook, iCloud Mail, or wherever you set it up -- completely independent of Captio. When Captio shut down, it had zero effect on your previously sent memos because they were never stored on Captio's servers in the first place.
This is fundamentally different from apps like Evernote or Apple Notes, where your data lives inside the app itself. With Captio, your email inbox was your data store all along.
How to Find Your Old Captio Memos in Gmail
Open Gmail (web or app) and type one of these searches into the search bar:
from:captio-- this will surface all emails sent by the Captio appfrom:noreply@captio-- a more specific search if you get too many resultssubject:captio-- if Captio included its name in the subject line of your memos
You can also combine searches with date ranges. For example, from:captio after:2024/01/01 before:2025/01/01 will show all Captio memos from 2024.
How to Find Your Old Captio Memos in Outlook
The same approach works in Outlook. Open the search bar and type:
from:captioin Outlook for web or desktop- In the Outlook mobile app, tap the search icon and type "captio"
How to Find Your Old Captio Memos in iCloud Mail / Apple Mail
- Open Mail on your iPhone or Mac
- Tap the search bar and type "captio"
- Mail will search both subject lines and sender addresses
The bottom line: your data was never stored on Captio's servers. It is all in your email. Nothing was lost when Captio shut down, and nothing will be lost as long as your email account exists.
Choosing Your New App
Now that you know your old memos are safe, the next step is picking a replacement app. There are several options, and the right choice depends on what you value most. Here is a quick comparison of the three most popular Captio replacements:
| Feature | Simple Memo | Apple Notes + Share | Drafts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch Speed | 0.3 seconds | ~1 second | ~0.5 seconds |
| Taps to Send | 1 tap | 4-5 taps | 2-3 taps |
| Offline Support | Yes (Outbox) | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated Send Button | Yes | No | Via action |
| Auto-Clear After Send | Yes | No | Configurable |
| Widget | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free (3/day) or $2.99/mo | Free | $4.99/month |
| Captio-like Experience | Closest match | Different workflow | Requires setup |
If you want Captio's exact workflow: Simple Memo is the closest match. Same open-type-send flow, same auto-clear, same single-purpose design. It was specifically built as a Captio replacement.
If you want free only: Apple Notes combined with the iOS Share Sheet can get the job done, but it requires more taps and has no dedicated "send to email" button. It works, but it is a different (and slower) experience.
If you want automation and power-user features: Drafts is a powerful text automation app that can be configured to send emails via custom actions. However, the Mail action requires a Drafts Pro subscription at $4.99/month, and initial setup takes some effort.
For a detailed feature-by-feature comparison of all Captio alternatives, see our comprehensive Captio Alternative comparison page.
Step-by-Step Migration to Simple Memo
If you have decided that Simple Memo is the right replacement for your Captio workflow, here is exactly how to set it up. The entire process takes about three minutes.
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Download Simple Memo from the App Store
Search for "Simple Memo" in the App Store, or use the direct link at the bottom of this page. The app is free to download and includes a 7-day free trial with unlimited sends. -
Open the app and tap Settings
When you first open Simple Memo, you will see a clean, minimal interface -- very similar to what you remember from Captio. Tap the gear icon in the top-right corner to open Settings. -
Enter your email address
Type in the email address where you want to receive your memos. Use the same email address you used with Captio. This way, your new Simple Memo messages will appear in the same inbox alongside your old Captio memos, maintaining a seamless chronological timeline. Simple Memo works with any email provider: Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, iCloud Mail, corporate email, or any other service. -
Write a test memo and tap Send
Go back to the main screen. Type a quick test message like "Testing Simple Memo setup" and tap the Send button. The app will confirm delivery with a subtle animation. -
Check your inbox
Open your email app and look for the test memo. It should arrive within seconds. If you do not see it, check your spam or junk folder -- the first email from a new sender sometimes gets filtered. Mark it as "not spam" and future memos will go straight to your inbox. -
Set up the Home Screen widget for faster access
This step is optional but highly recommended. Long-press on your iPhone Home Screen, tap the "+" icon in the top-left corner, search for "Simple Memo," and add the widget. Now you can tap the widget to jump straight into the memo input screen -- even faster than opening the app. -
(Optional) Configure notification settings
In Settings, you can customize whether you want delivery confirmation notifications. Some users like the reassurance of a notification confirming their memo was sent; others prefer a quieter experience.
One important upgrade over Captio: Simple Memo works offline. If you write and send a memo while in airplane mode, in the subway, or anywhere without signal, the memo is encrypted with AES-GCM and stored in a local Outbox. When your device reconnects to the internet, the memo is automatically sent. You will never lose a thought because of poor reception -- something that was a real pain point with Captio.
Step-by-Step: Using Apple Notes + Share Sheet (Free Alternative)
If you prefer a completely free solution and do not mind a few extra taps, you can use Apple's built-in Notes app combined with the Share Sheet to send memos to your email. Here is how:
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Open the Notes app and create a new note
Tap the compose icon in the bottom-right corner. Start typing your memo. -
Tap the Share button
Tap the share icon (the square with an arrow pointing up) in the top-right corner of the note. -
Select Mail from the Share Sheet
Scroll through the share options and tap Mail. This will open a new email with your note content pre-filled in the body. Enter your own email address in the "To" field. -
Tap Send
Review the email and tap Send. Your memo will arrive in your inbox.
Limitations of this approach:
- Slower: The entire process takes 4-5 taps compared to Captio's 1-tap send. You also have to manually enter your email address each time (unless you set up a contact shortcut).
- No dedicated send button: There is no one-tap "send to my email" button. You go through the standard iOS Mail compose flow every time.
- No auto-clear: After sending, your note remains in the Notes app. You need to manually delete it if you want a clean slate for the next memo.
- No send history: Unlike Simple Memo, there is no built-in way to see a history of memos you have sent to yourself.
This method works in a pinch and costs nothing, but it is a noticeably different (and slower) experience compared to what Captio offered.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up Drafts + Mail Action
Drafts is a powerful text-first app that can be configured to send emails through custom actions. If you are a power user who wants automation and extensibility beyond simple memo-sending, Drafts might be worth considering. Here is how to set it up as a Captio replacement:
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Download Drafts from the App Store
The app is free to download, but the Mail action requires a Drafts Pro subscription ($4.99/month or $29.99/year). -
Subscribe to Drafts Pro
Open Drafts, go to Settings, and subscribe to Drafts Pro. The Mail action is a Pro-only feature. Without it, you cannot send emails directly from the app. -
Create a new Mail action
Go to the Actions menu, tap "+" to create a new action. Choose "Mail" as the action step. In the "To" field, enter your email address. Set the subject line to something like "Memo" or leave it as the first line of your draft. Set the body to[[draft]]to include the full text of your memo. -
Assign the action to a key or button
You can assign the Mail action to the action bar for one-tap access. Go to the action settings and drag it to the top of your action list or assign it to the action bar. -
Test it out
Open Drafts, type a memo, and tap your Mail action. The email should appear in your inbox within seconds.
Things to keep in mind:
- Cost: Drafts Pro costs $4.99/month. That is more expensive than Simple Memo's $2.99/month and significantly more than the free Apple Notes method.
- Setup complexity: Creating and configuring Mail actions requires some familiarity with Drafts' action system. It is not complicated, but it is not as simple as "download and go" like Captio or Simple Memo.
- Overkill for simple memos: Drafts is a full-featured text automation platform. If all you need is Captio's simple send-to-email workflow, Drafts has a lot of features you will never use.
- Power user upside: If you want to do more than just email yourself -- like append to files, post to Slack, create tasks in Todoist -- Drafts' action system is extremely powerful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund for my Captio purchase?
If you purchased Captio and it no longer works, you may be eligible for a refund from Apple. Go to reportaproblem.apple.com, sign in with your Apple ID, find the Captio purchase in your history, and select "I'd like to request a refund." Apple's refund policy is handled on a case-by-case basis, but discontinued apps generally have a good chance of being refunded -- especially if the app stopped working shortly after purchase. Note that Apple typically only refunds purchases made within the last 90 days, but it is worth trying even for older purchases.
What about my Captio data on other devices?
If you used Captio on multiple devices (iPhone, iPad, etc.), the same principle applies: all your memos are in your email inbox, not on the devices. Captio did not sync data between devices because there was no data to sync -- each memo was sent as an email the moment you tapped Send. As long as you have access to the email account you used with Captio, you have access to all your memos regardless of which device you sent them from.
Does Simple Memo work with Gmail, Outlook, and iCloud?
Yes. Simple Memo works with any email address. You can set Gmail, Outlook (Hotmail), Yahoo Mail, iCloud Mail, corporate email addresses, or any other email provider as your destination. Unlike Captio, which relied on Gmail's API, Simple Memo uses its own sending infrastructure (Cloudflare Workers + Resend API), so it is completely independent of your email provider. You just enter your email address and it works.
Can I use Simple Memo offline?
Yes. This is actually one of the biggest upgrades over Captio. When you send a memo without an internet connection, Simple Memo encrypts it with AES-GCM and stores it in a local Outbox on your device. When your device reconnects to the internet, the memo is automatically sent in the background. You do not need to open the app again -- it handles everything automatically. This means you can capture thoughts in the subway, on a plane, or in any area with poor reception without worrying about losing them.
Is there an Android alternative to Captio?
This guide focuses on iOS because Captio was an iOS-only app. For Android users looking for a similar send-to-email experience, there are some options available on the Google Play Store (such as "Email Me" or "Note to Self"). However, Simple Memo is currently iOS-only. If you are an Android user, we recommend searching the Play Store for "email to self" or "send to email" apps and reading recent reviews to find one that is actively maintained.
Start Your New Workflow Today
Captio may be gone, but the workflow it pioneered -- quick capture, instant send, zero friction -- lives on. Whether you choose Simple Memo, Apple Notes, Drafts, or another app entirely, the important thing is to get back to capturing your ideas the moment they happen.
If you want the closest experience to what Captio offered, Simple Memo was built specifically for that purpose. It launches in 0.3 seconds, sends with one tap, auto-clears after sending, and works offline. You can try it free for 7 days with unlimited sends.
For a detailed feature-by-feature comparison of all Captio replacement apps, visit our Captio Alternative comparison page.