How to Migrate from Captio:
Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Captio has been discontinued, but the memos it delivered are still in your email. 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: the memos you sent with Captio were delivered to your email inbox, so unless you deleted them, they are still there.
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's service ended, the memos it had already delivered stayed in your inbox, because each one had been sent to you as an ordinary email.
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-- shows emails whose sender name or address contains “captio”captio-- matches the word anywhere in the sender, subject or bodysubject:captio-- if Captio included its name in the subject line of your memos
Captio’s exact sender address is not documented here, so open one memo you find, check who it came from, and search for that address. You can also combine searches with date ranges. For example, from:captio after:2024/01/01 before:2025/01/01 shows matching 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: the memos Captio delivered are in your email, not in the Captio app. They stay there for as long as you keep them in your email account.
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 three common Captio alternatives:
| Feature | Simple Memo | Apple Notes + Share | Drafts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch Speed | 0.4 seconds* | 1.7 seconds* (the Notes app itself) | 0.9 seconds* (fastest of 5; median 1.45s) |
| 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 | $1.99/month (Pro) |
| Captio-like Experience | Same open-type-send flow | Different workflow | Requires setup |
* Icon tap until you can type, measured by the developer (iPhone 16e, iOS 26.5.2, warm launch, median unless noted, August 11, 2026). The Apple Notes figure opens the app itself; the share-to-Mail steps come after it. Details: speed benchmark.
If you want Captio's open-type-send workflow: Simple Memo keeps it. Same open-type-send flow, same auto-clear, same single-purpose design. It is an independent app inspired by Captio's workflow, not a continuation of Captio.
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, setting up your own Mail action (for example, with your address as the default recipient) requires Drafts Pro ($1.99/month or $19.99/year), 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.
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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, with a Free plan of 3 sends/day, with no time limit. -
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-left 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. Then complete the verification the app walks you through (for example, entering the code sent to that address). -
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 plays a short send animation. The animation means the memo was handed off for sending; it does not confirm that the email arrived. -
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" so future memos are more likely to reach your inbox. -
Set up the Home Screen widget
This step is optional but highly recommended. Long-press your iPhone Home Screen, add a widget, and search for "Simple Memo" (the labels vary by iOS version). The widget needs iOS 17 or later. Tapping it opens the app; on iOS 26 or later with a supported device and language, it starts a voice memo right away. -
(Optional) Turn the send sound on or off
In Settings, under Voice Input & Sound (Sound & Haptics on devices before iOS 26), you can turn "Send Sound" off; haptic feedback still works. Some users like the sound as a cue; others prefer a quieter experience.
It works offline, too: like Captio, Simple Memo keeps memos you send without a connection. 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, Simple Memo retries automatically (the next time you open the app, or in the background). Poor reception does not have to cost you the thought.
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 alternative:
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Download Drafts from the App Store
The app is free to download. Free users can run the built-in and Directory actions; creating or editing an action, such as a Mail action with your address preset, requires Drafts Pro ($1.99/month or $19.99/year). -
Subscribe to Drafts Pro
Open Drafts, go to Settings, and subscribe to Drafts Pro. Pro is needed to create or edit a Mail action with your address preset; without Pro you can still run the built-in actions. -
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 then arrive in your inbox.
Things to keep in mind:
- Cost: Drafts Pro costs $1.99/month or $19.99/year (as of June 2026) — comparable to Simple Memo's $2.99/month, and both cost 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 reviews refund requests case by case, and older purchases may not be eligible. Refunds are handled by Apple, not by us.
What about my Captio data on other devices?
If you used Captio on multiple devices (iPhone, iPad, etc.), the same principle applies: your memos were delivered to your email inbox, not kept on the devices. Each memo was sent as an email when you tapped Send. As long as you have access to the email account you used with Captio, you can find the memos you sent from any of those devices.
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. Simple Memo sends through Cloudflare Workers and the Resend API, so it does not need OAuth access to your mailbox; you enter your email address and verify it with a code. Delivery still depends on the recipient provider's filtering and availability.
Can I use Simple Memo offline?
Yes. 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, Simple Memo retries automatically, either the next time you open the app or in the background. Open the app to check anything still pending. This means you can capture thoughts in the subway, on a plane, or in any area with poor reception and send them once you are back online.
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 0.4 seconds (warm launch, iPhone 16e), sends with one tap, auto-clears after sending, and works offline. The Free plan gives you 3 sends/day, with no time limit, with Premium for unlimited sends.
For a detailed feature-by-feature comparison of Captio alternatives, visit our Captio Alternative comparison page.