You can create a custom “Remind Me on Startup!” tool using simple, native scripting languages built into Windows and macOS. This tool will launch a custom popup window every time you boot your computer. Windows Implementation (VBScript)
Windows allows you to run Visual Basic Scripts automatically by placing them in the hidden Startup folder.
Create the Script: Open Notepad and paste the following code:
MsgBox “Don’t forget to check your calendar and stretch today!”, 64, “Daily Reminder” Use code with caution.
Save the File: Save it as reminder.vbs. Ensure the extension is .vbs and not .txt.
Open Startup Folder: Press Win + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter.
Deploy: Move your reminder.vbs file into this opened folder. macOS Implementation (AppleScript)
macOS achieves the same result using AppleScript combined with System Settings Login Items.
Create the Script: Open the Script Editor app on Mac and paste: applescript
display dialog “Don’t forget to check your calendar and stretch today!” with title “Daily Reminder” buttons {“OK”} default button “OK” with icon note Use code with caution.
Save as Application: Click File > Export. Set the File Format dropdown to Application and save it as Reminder.
Open Login Items: Go to System Settings > General > Login Items.
Deploy: Click the + button under the “Open at Login” list and select your saved Reminder application. Customising Your Tool
Edit Text: Change the phrase inside the quotation marks to your custom reminder.
Add Sound: On Mac, add beep 2 to the line before your dialog box to play an alert sound.
Change Windows Icons: In VBScript, changing the number 64 changes the icon (e.g., 16 for a critical error icon, 48 for a warning icon).
We can also explore how to build a cross-platform version using Python, or discuss how to add custom interactive buttons to these popups.
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