How to Show Todo List on Desktop - Transparent widget setup guide

Published on June 18, 2026

How Do I Get My Todo List to Show on My Desktop?

You’re looking at your computer screen and wishing your todo list was right there — visible without having to open any app, click any button, or reach for your phone. You’ve tried different todo apps, but they all seem to disappear when you need them most. Fullscreen documents cover them. Browser tabs hide them. Your phone has them, but you’re at your computer.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone in wanting your todos to just “show up” on your desktop where you actually work.

The solution is simpler than you think. A desktop widget app like YYNote can display your todo list directly on your wallpaper — transparent, always visible, and impossible to lose behind other windows. Here’s how to set it up in minutes.

Why Desktop Todo Widgets Work Better Than Apps

Traditional todo apps have a visibility problem. You write a todo on your phone in the morning, but when you sit down at your computer to work, that todo is invisible. Your phone is in your pocket. The todo app is behind a browser window. You forget it exists.

YYNote solves this by writing todos on your wallpaper. The todo list appears as a transparent floating panel directly on your desktop. No window to open, no Alt+Tab to press. When you arrive at your computer in the morning, your todo list is already there — sitting on the wallpaper, waiting.

Smart date and time recognition means you can type natural phrases like “3pm tomorrow meeting” and YYNote automatically parses them into proper due dates. No tapping through date pickers.

Tags, lists, and auto-tagging keep your todos organized without manual effort. Archive completed tasks, export to Excel, and sync across Windows, Android, iOS, and HarmonyOS devices.

Five recurring pattern options handle repeated tasks — daily standups, weekly reviews, monthly reports — without re-entering the same thing every time.

Three Steps to Show Todo on Your Desktop

Step 1: Download and install YYNote

Visit the official website and download the Windows client. Run the installer and follow the prompts. Launch the application and create an account using your phone number. Your data syncs automatically to the cloud.

Step 2: Configure Desktop Widget Quantity

Right-click the YYNote tray icon in your system tray. Select “App Settings.” Find the “Desktop Widget Quantity” option and set it to 1 or higher. This tells YYNote how many desktop widgets to display.

Step 3: Switch to Todo List

Look for the widget on your desktop. Click the module switcher (usually in the top-left corner of the widget) and select “Todo.” Your todo list now appears transparently on your wallpaper. Double-click the desktop to add new todos directly.

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