Glossary — Method

What is the Captio Method?

The Captio Method is the simple concept of "sending memos to yourself by email." Pioneered by the iOS app Captio around 2011, it established a minimal 3-step flow: open app, type text, one-tap send to your own email. Simple Memo (Captio-style) is a modern redesign of this philosophy with current technology.

By AI ATAKA

Definition

The Captio Method places "sending memos to yourself by email" at the core of a productivity workflow. Established by the iOS app Captio around 2011, this methodology requires no account registration, cloud sync, or learning new apps. By leveraging email inbox infrastructure you already use, it integrates naturally with GTD, Inbox Zero, Second Brain, and other productivity systems. The name derives from the Latin form of "capture" — this method is laser-focused on capturing thoughts.

History of Captio

Captio launched on the App Store around 2011. Its developers stripped the app down to a single function: "write a memo and email it to yourself." This extreme minimalism earned a passionate following among GTD and Inbox Zero practitioners. According to the shutdown notice on captio.co, the service ended in October 2024. No official reason for the shutdown was published.

Simple Memo (Captio-style) inherits Captio's "one-tap memo to email" philosophy while redesigning with modern technology. SMTP-free sending via Cloudflare Workers + Resend API, AES-256-GCM Outbox encryption, ~1-second launch, and one-tap API delivery speed — features the original Captio could not achieve.

Three Principles of the Captio Method

Extreme Simplicity
Open app, type text, send. Nothing else exists in the app — no folder management, no tagging, no search. Just write and send.
Leverage Existing Infrastructure
Email inbox is a tool everyone uses daily. No need to learn a new app. Labels, folders, and search — use your email client's built-in features.
Separate Capture from Processing
Focus solely on "capture" when writing a memo. Organization, classification, and execution happen later during inbox processing. This separation creates perfect compatibility with GTD and Inbox Zero.

FAQ: Captio Method

What is the Captio Method?

The simple concept of "sending memos to yourself by email." Pioneered by the Captio app around 2011, it follows a minimal 3-step flow: open, type, send.

Is the original Captio app still available?

No. According to the shutdown notice on captio.co, Captio ended service in October 2024. Simple Memo (Captio-style) inherits Captio's philosophy with modern tech: SMTP-free sending, AES-256-GCM encryption, and more.

What are the benefits of the Captio Method?

Three benefits: extremely low friction (open, type, send), leverage existing email inbox, no account registration needed. Naturally integrates with any productivity system.

References

The True Evolution of Captio
Captio's philosophy preserved. ~1-second launch, one-tap send, AES-256-GCM encryption, zero SMTP configuration. Free to download.
Download on the App Store

Related Pages

Glossary Home About Captio Captio Alternative Guide What is Inbox Zero? What is GTD? Note-to-Email Guide

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