Capturing content with Orb pills and editing them as Scratchpads

Last updated: May 10, 2026

Available on: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android

Orb pills are quick AI summaries of what you're working on. Click or tap one to open it as an editable scratchpad — refine the title, expand the notes, and keep building from there.

What it is

An Orb pill is a compact summary the Orb creates after capturing context from your active app. Each pill includes an AI-generated title and a short paragraph describing what you were doing.

A quick click or tap converts the pill into a scratchpad tab. The title becomes the scratchpad title, the paragraph becomes the body, and the source app appears at the bottom for reference. From there, everything is editable.

When to use it

Open a pill as a scratchpad when you want to:

  • Turn a quick capture into a longer note you can keep building on

  • Adjust the AI-generated title or summary before saving it

  • Keep a record of which app the context came from

How it works in Flow

Overview

Each Orb pill stays visible until you dismiss it. A quick click or tap opens it as an editable scratchpad. Drag, swipe, and long-press gestures keep their original behavior and do not open the scratchpad.

Key behaviors

  • Quick click or tap: Opens the pill as a scratchpad tab with the title and body ready to edit.

  • Drag: Reorders the pill among your other pills.

  • Swipe: Dismisses the pill.

  • Long press: Triggers the existing reorder or dismiss action.

  • Source app: Shown at the bottom of the scratchpad so you remember where the context came from.

  • Editable content: The title and body are both fully editable — the AI text is a starting point, not locked.

  • Images: Any images in the scratchpad are preserved when you apply AI transforms or move the scratchpad to a new window. Undoing a transform restores images too.

How to open and edit an Orb pill

  1. Wait for the Orb to capture context. A pill appears summarizing your current activity.

  2. Click or tap the pill once. It opens as a scratchpad tab.

  3. Review the AI-generated title and body. The source app is shown at the bottom.

  4. Edit the title or body by clicking or tapping directly on the text. Changes save automatically.

Note: Only a quick click or tap opens the scratchpad. Drag, swipe, and long press keep their original reorder and dismiss actions.

FAQs

Can I edit the AI-generated title and body?

Yes. Once the pill opens as a scratchpad, the title and body are fully editable. The AI-generated content is a starting point.

What does the source app tell me?

It's the app that was active when the Orb captured context. It helps you remember where the content came from.

Will dragging or swiping a pill accidentally open the scratchpad?

No. Drag, swipe, and long press perform their usual reorder or dismiss actions. Only a quick click or tap opens the scratchpad.

Is the scratchpad saved automatically after I edit it?

Yes. Edits save automatically, the same way they do in any other scratchpad in Wispr Flow.

How do I dismiss a pill without opening it?

Swipe the pill to dismiss it. The scratchpad view does not open.

Do images survive AI transforms or moving the scratchpad to a new window?

Yes. Images are preserved when you apply an AI transform or pop the scratchpad into its own window. If you undo a transform, your images are restored as well.

Limitations and notes

  • Pills only open as scratchpads on a quick click or tap. Other gestures keep their existing behavior.

  • The source app shown in the scratchpad reflects whichever app was active at the moment the Orb captured context.

  • Pills remain visible until you dismiss them with a swipe.