Things 3 (Mac) — OpenClaw Skill

What This Skill Does

The Things Mac skill gives your OpenClaw agent bidirectional access to Things 3, the popular macOS task manager. It uses the things CLI to read your local Things database (inbox, today, upcoming, projects, areas, tags) and to add or update todos via the Things URL scheme. This means your agent can both see what is on your plate and help you manage it.

The read side queries the local Things SQLite database directly, so it is fast and does not require network access. The write side uses the Things URL scheme to create and modify tasks -- supporting titles, notes, due dates, tags, checklists, project/area assignments, and headings. You can preview any write operation with --dry-run before it executes.

This skill is ideal for productivity workflows where you want your AI agent to capture tasks from conversations, reorganize your inbox, surface upcoming deadlines, or help you triage what to work on today. It pairs well with calendar and email skills for a complete personal assistant experience.

Example Prompts

Add a task "Review Q1 budget proposal" to my Work project with a deadline of next Friday

What's in my Things inbox right now? Summarize the top 10 items

Show me everything I have scheduled for today in Things

Search my tasks for anything related to "dentist" and tell me when it's due

Add a task "Pack charger" to my Travel project under the "Before" heading

Create a trip prep task with a checklist: passport, tickets, hotel confirmation, travel adapter

Mark the "Buy groceries" task as completed

List all my projects and areas so I can decide where to file this new task

Requirements

Binary dependency: things CLI must be installed. macOS only.

• Install via Go: GOBIN=/opt/homebrew/bin go install github.com/ossianhempel/things3-cli/cmd/things@latest
• Things 3: Must be installed on your Mac with a local database
• Full Disk Access: May be required for database reads (grant to Terminal or OpenClaw.app)
• Optional: THINGS_AUTH_TOKEN for update/modify operations

Setup on KiwiClaw

The Things Mac skill requires access to your local Things 3 database, so it works best with the KiwiClaw Chrome Extension bridge that routes commands through your Mac. Configure the extension in your KiwiClaw dashboard to enable Things integration.

Setup Self-Hosted

1. Install things3-cli: GOBIN=/opt/homebrew/bin go install github.com/ossianhempel/things3-cli/cmd/things@latest
2. If database reads fail, grant Full Disk Access to your terminal app in macOS System Settings
3. Optionally set THINGS_AUTH_TOKEN for task modification operations
4. Test with things inbox --limit 5 to verify database access

Related Skills

• Gog -- manage Google Calendar events alongside your Things tasks
• Slack -- capture action items from Slack conversations as Things tasks
• WaCLI -- turn WhatsApp messages into actionable Things todos

FAQ

Does the Things Mac skill require Full Disk Access?

If database reads fail, you may need to grant Full Disk Access to the calling application (Terminal for manual runs, or OpenClaw.app for gateway runs) in macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access.

Can the Things skill delete tasks?

No. The things3-cli does not currently support deleting or trashing tasks. You can mark tasks as completed or canceled via things update --completed or --canceled, or delete them manually in the Things 3 app.

Does the Things skill work on Windows or Linux?

No. Things 3 is a macOS and iOS app, and the things3-cli reads the local Things SQLite database on macOS. This skill is macOS-only.

Can the agent modify existing tasks?

Yes. Using things update with an auth token, the agent can change task titles, notes, tags, lists, headings, and completion status. You need a Things auth token configured via the THINGS_AUTH_TOKEN environment variable.