CorviToo much to read? Hear the gist first, then decide
Last updated: 2026-10-31
When there's more to read than time to read it, stop reading everything in full. On a Mac with Corvi, tap the Fn key on any e-mail, article, report, chat or video and hear the gist in 3–5 sentences, in your language. Then decide: read it properly, answer it, or move on. Double-tap Fn to ask about the detail you need.
Why reading piles up
Most knowledge work arrives as text: e-mail, chat, documents, tickets, articles, reports. A 2012 McKinsey report estimated that knowledge workers spend about 28% of their working week on e-mail alone (McKinsey Global Institute). Add documents, chat and the articles you meant to read, and the pile grows faster than anyone can work through it.
The usual answer, skimming, has a cost: you either miss the important line or you read everything twice. What helps is triage: knowing in a few seconds what a text says and whether it matters to you.
A better order: gist, decision, detail
- Gist: what is this, in a few sentences?
- Decision: does it need me? Read it fully, reply, save for later, or drop it.
- Detail: only for the texts that matter, go deep, with questions.
Reading everything in full puts step 3 first for every text, including the ones that didn't need you.
How to do it with Corvi
- Open the text: an e-mail, a web article, a Google Doc, a PDF, a Slack thread, a YouTube video.
- Tap Fn. You hear the gist in a few sentences. In e-mail and chat, what's asked of you and any deadline come first.
- Decide. If it matters, double-tap Fn and ask: "What are the numbers?", "What are the risks they mention?", "What do they want from me by Friday?"
- Reply by holding Fn and speaking.
Because you're listening, your eyes are free: you can lean back, stand up or keep a document open in another window while you take in the next one.
Stop typing. Stop reading. Talk and listen.
Free to download, no card needed. Setup takes a minute; if you don't like it, drag it to the Trash.
Download free for MacListening vs reading every word
| Read every word | Corvi's spoken gist | |
|---|---|---|
| Time for a 3,000-word report | About 12–13 minutes of reading | Under a minute of listening |
| Good for | Texts you must know in full | Triage, catching up, deciding |
| Questions | Search the text yourself | Ask aloud, get an answer |
Corvi gives you the gist rather than every word. For texts you need in full, read them, or have macOS read them aloud word for word. See read aloud on a Mac.
A daily routine
- Morning: tap through the first ten e-mails; answer the three that need you by voice.
- After meetings: catch up on the channels you missed. See catch up on long chats.
- Reading list: hear the gist of the saved articles; read the two that deserve it.
Frequently asked questions
What can Corvi summarize?
Selected text, YouTube videos (from their transcripts), the message or paragraph under your pointer, or the main content of any window: articles, e-mails, documents, PDFs and chats.
Can I change how long the summary is?
Tap Fn for the short gist. In settings you can make detailed summaries the default.
Does it work with content in other languages?
Yes. The summary comes in your language, whatever the language of the text.
Is it free?
Corvi is free to download and use on the free plan, with no card needed.