How to Use Reminders on Mac: A Complete User Guide

In our increasingly busy lives, staying organized is paramount, and there’s no better digital companion for task management than the Reminders app on your Mac. Whether you’re a professional aiming to meet deadlines, a student juggling assignments, or simply someone looking to keep track of daily to-dos, the Reminders app is a powerful tool at your fingertips.

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This article is your one-stop resource for understanding and making the most of this versatile application. We’ll take you through the entire process, from creating and organizing lists to utilizing advanced features that will supercharge your productivity. By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to seamlessly integrate Reminders into your daily routine, ensuring that no task or deadline goes unnoticed.

Customize Notifications in Reminders on Mac

Customizing notifications within the Reminders app on your Mac can be a game-changer when it comes to staying on top of your tasks and commitments. Tailoring reminders to your preferences ensures that you never miss an important deadline, meeting, or to-do item.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Click the Reminders button in your Menu Bar.
3. Highlight and select Settings from the drop-down menu.
4. Under the All-Day Reminders section, click the checkbox next to Today Notification.
5. Set the time that the notification for all-day reminders will be delivered.
6. Toggle whether you want to have all-day reminders shown as overdue starting on the next day.
7. For Assigned Reminders, click the checkbox next to Mute Notifications if you don’t want to receive notifications for those reminders.

Add Reminders from Other Apps

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital productivity, the ability to seamlessly integrate and consolidate tasks and reminders from various sources is invaluable. The Reminders app on your Mac is not just an isolated tool; it’s a hub that can gather tasks from different applications and services, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.

1. From the website that you want to save in Safari, click the Share button in the top right corner.
2. Highlight and select Reminders from the list of options.
3. Enter a name for the reminder.
4. Click the Information button to the right of the Reminder name.
5. From here, you can customize the following:
   • Flag
   • Add Tags
   • Set a reminder
     • On a Day
     • When Messaging a Person
   • Priority
   • Images
6. Add any notes that you want to make regarding the reminder.
7. If you have multiple lists, select the list that you want to save the reminder to.
8. Click the Add button.

Use Siri with Reminders

Within the intricate tapestry of modern life, efficiency reigns supreme. Yet, managing a burgeoning to-do list can be a time-consuming endeavor, diverting precious focus from other critical tasks. Thankfully, the Mac Reminders app joins forces with the power of Siri, transforming your spoken commands into streamlined action, and weaving a symphony of productivity around your day.

Imagine the freedom of dictating your tasks, not to a passive notepad, but to an active digital assistant. With a simple “Create a reminder to pick up dry cleaning at 5 pm,” your spoken words materialize within Reminders, meticulously scheduled and ready to nudge you at the opportune moment. No more frantic keyboard entries or missed deadlines; Siri empowers you to capture fleeting thoughts and translate them into actionable reminders, all with the power of your voice.

Don’t hesitate to experiment with different commands and discover the full range of its capabilities. The more you leverage Siri with Reminders, the more intuitive and effortless it will become, transforming your Mac into a truly voice-activated orchestra of accomplishment.

Use Reminders Widgets

Efficient task management isn’t confined to the Reminders app on your Mac’s main interface; it extends seamlessly to your desktop with Reminders Widgets. These handy and customizable tools put your most critical tasks and lists right at your fingertips, helping you stay on top of your to-dos without even opening the app.

Add Reminders Widget in Notification Center

1. Click the Time and Date in the top right corner of the Menu Bar.
2. From the slide-out window, click the Edit Widgets button.
3. From the window that appears, scroll through the list of apps and select Reminders.
4. Select one of the Notes widgets that are listed. There are three different sized widgets for quickly accessing Reminders Lists.
5. Once the widget has been added, double-click the List Title before exiting Edit Mode.
6. Click the List button.
7. Select the List that you want to quickly access from the widget.

Add Reminders Widget to Desktop

1. Right-click an empty space on your desktop.
2. From the drop-down menu that appears, highlight and select Edit Widgets.
3. From the window that appears, scroll through the list of apps and select Reminders.
4. Drag and drop the Notes widget to where you want it to reside on your desktop.
5. Once the widget has been added, double-click the List Title before exiting Edit Mode.
6. Click the Folder/Note button.
7. Click the List button.
8. Select the List that you want to quickly access from the widget.

Add and Create Tags for Reminders

Tags are the secret sauce of efficient organization and task management within the Reminders app on your Mac. They offer a powerful way to categorize and group your reminders, making it easier than ever to find, filter, and prioritize your to-dos.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the reminder that you want to add a tag to.
2. Click the Information button to the right of the reminder.
3. Place your cursor within the Add Tags field.
4. Enter the tag that you want to use for the reminder.
5. If necessary, add more tags.

Once you’ve created a few different tags, a new section will appear in the sidebar. From here, you’ll be able to manage the different tags that you’ve created, including seeing any reminders that use a tag that you select from the list.

1. With the Reminders app open, scroll to the bottom in the sidebar on the left.
2. Click the Down Arrow next to Tags.

This will give you an overview of all of the different tags that you have created within the Reminders app. If you want to delete one, just right-click it and select Delete Tag from the list of options.

Add Subtasks to Reminders

The devil is often in the details, and subtasks are the secret to keeping those details organized. The Reminders app on your Mac provides a powerful feature that allows you to break down your tasks into smaller, manageable parts – subtasks.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the reminder that you want to add a subtask to.
2. Enter the first subtask as if you were adding a standalone reminder.
3. Perform one of the following actions to add subtasks:
   • Drag the newly created reminder on top of the primary reminder.
   • Press Command + ].
   • Click the Edit button in the Menu Bar, then highlight and select Indent Reminders.

Mark Reminders as Complete or Incomplete

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as checking off completed items from your to-do list. The Reminders app on your Mac not only empowers you to create and organize tasks but also makes it incredibly simple to mark them as complete or incomplete, helping you stay on top of your responsibilities and track your progress.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the reminder that you want to complete.
2. Click the Circle next to the reminder to complete it.
3. If you want to quickly mark it as incomplete, click within the circle again.

If you ever need to go back and mark a completed task as incomplete, you don’t have to worry about creating another reminder altogether. Instead, just follow these steps:

1. With the Reminders app open, click the Completed box in the left sidebar.
2. Locate the reminder that you want to mark as incomplete.
3. Click the circle next to the reminder to mark it as incomplete.

Set a Date and Time for Reminders

Time management is a critical skill in today’s fast-paced world, and the Reminders app on your Mac is your trusty companion in this endeavor. By setting specific dates and times for your reminders, you can ensure that you stay on track and never miss an important task or appointment.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the reminder that you want to add a location to.
2. Click the Information button to the right of the reminder.
3. Within the Remind Me section, click the checkbox next to On a Day.
4. Enter the date that you want to be reminded.
5. Click the checkbox next to At a Time.
6. Enter the time that you want to be reminded.

Be Reminded At a Location

Within the bustling symphony of modern life, timeliness is paramount. Yet, juggling a packed schedule amidst the ever-shifting scenery of daily errands can leave even the most organized individuals vulnerable to missed appointments or forgotten tasks. Thankfully, the Mac Reminders app’s geofencing feature emerges as a technological conductor, harmonizing your location with your to-do list, ensuring precise reminders that resonate with your surroundings.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the reminder that you want to add a location to.
2. Click the Information button to the right of the reminder.
3. Within the Remind Me section, click the checkbox next to At a Location.
4. Place your cursor within the Enter a Location field.
5. Start typing a location.
6. Alternatively, you can select one of the pre-populated options:
   • Current Location
   • Getting in Car: When connecting to any paired car
   • Getting out of Car: When disconnecting from any paired car

Manage Your Lists

Creating lists with the Reminders app on your Mac is just the beginning of your journey toward enhanced productivity and organization. Equally important is mastering the art of managing those lists efficiently. The ability to organize, edit, and optimize your task lists is essential for staying on top of your daily responsibilities and achieving your goals.

Create Groups of Lists

Juggling multiple to-do lists? Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks? Fear not, fellow productivity warriors! The Reminders app on your Mac holds a hidden gem: list groups. These organizational powerhouses let you bundle related lists, making it easier to conquer your chaos and achieve your goals.

1. With the Reminders app open, click the File button in the Menu Bar.
2. From the drop-down menu, highlight and select New Group.
3. Enter a name for the Group that you want to create.
4. Drag any other lists that you want to add to the Group.

Reorganize Your Lists

As life evolves and priorities shift, the ability to adapt and reorganize your task lists becomes crucial for maintaining order and efficiency. The Reminders app on your Mac not only helps you create lists but also offers powerful tools to restructure and refine them as your needs change.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the list that you want to move.
2. Drag the Reminders List to your preferred location.
3. Before letting go, make sure that you see the Highlighted Line above or below the other lists.
4. If you drag a Reminders List into another list, it will create a Group.

Pin a List

Ever feel like your Reminders app is overflowing with lists? Important tasks get buried beneath a mountain of errands, hobbies, and aspirational goals. Luckily, macOS has a secret weapon for combating list clutter: pinned lists. By pinning a list, you elevate it to the top of your sidebar, keeping it front and center in your daily workflow.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the list that you want to pin.
2. Right-click the list title.
3. From the drop-down menu, highlight and select Pin List from the list of options.

Create Custom Smart Lists

Forget the days of endless scrolling through generic to-do lists. With Reminders on Mac, you can unleash the power of Smart Lists, personalized filters that curate your tasks like a digital butler. Imagine a list that automatically shows only upcoming errands near your current location, or one that gathers all work-related deadlines – no more sifting through the mundane!

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Click the Add List button in the bottom left corner.
3. Enter a name for the list.
4. Choose the color for the list.
5. Customize the icon for the list.
6. Click the drop-down menu next to List Type.
7. Select Smart List from the list of options.
8. Customize the filters that you want the Smart List to show. These include the following:
   • Tags
   • Date
   • Time
   • Priority
   • Flag
   • Location
   • Lists
9. Once complete, click the OK button in the bottom right corner.

Convert Reminders List to Smart List

1. With the Reminders app open, locate and select the list that you want to convert.
2. Click the File button in the Menu Bar.
3. From the drop-down menu, highlight and select Convert to Smart List.
4. When prompted, click the Convert button.
5. Once converted, right-click the Smart List.
6. Select Show Smart List Info from the list of options.
7. Customize the Name, Color, and Icon, if necessary.
8. Add any filters that you want to include for this smart list.
9. Click the OK button in the bottom right corner to save your changes.

Add and Manage Sections in Reminders Lists

Ever felt like your “To-Do” list resembles a snowball rolling downhill, gathering more and more tasks until it becomes a chaotic, unmanageable mess? Fear not, fellow list-lovers! The Reminders app on your Mac has a secret weapon tucked away: Sections. These organizational lifesavers within your lists let you compartmentalize your tasks, transforming that avalanche into a neatly stacked pile of snowcones – ready to be tackled one sweet scoop at a time.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate and select the list that you want to add sections to.
2. Right-click within the list on the right side of the window.
3. From the menu that appears, highlight and select New Section.
4. Enter the title for the section.
5. Press the Enter key on your keyboard to save the section title.
6. Repeat these steps for any other sections that you want to add.

Flag a Reminder

Amidst the daily deluge of tasks and appointments, it’s easy for even the most critical reminders to get lost in the shuffle. The Reminders app on your Mac has a hidden weapon in its arsenal: the flag feature. Think of it as a digital spotlight, illuminating the reminders that demand your immediate attention. No more buried in endless lists, these flagged reminders rise to the top, ensuring you never miss a beat.

1. With the Reminders app open, locate the reminder that you want to flag.
2. Click the Information button to the right of the reminder.
3. Next to the title, click the Flag button.
4. Alternatively, you can right-click the reminder then select Flag from the drop-down list.

Create a Reminders List Template

Within the digital landscape of the modern workplace, efficiency reigns supreme. To-do lists are the foot soldiers in this battle, and their effectiveness hinges on structure and clarity. While prefabricated lists abound, true productivity warriors crave bespoke solutions – Reminders List Templates on Mac offer just that.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Tap the Add List button in the bottom left corner of the sidebar.
3. Enter the name of the list.
4. From here, you can also change the color and the icon.
5. Click the OK button in the bottom right corner of the window.
6. Add items to the list by clicking the + icon in the top right corner.
   • You can also add items using the CMD + N keyboard combination.
7. Once the items have been added, click File in the Menu Bar with the Reminders app still open.
8. From the drop-down menu, select Save as Template…
9. If you need to, change the name of the template list.
10. Click the Create button in the bottom right corner.

Use Templates in Reminders

Now that you’ve gone through the steps to create templates in Reminders, how do you use them? Of course, if you never delete the created template from the My Lists section, then it’s always accessible. But since this is a template the obvious goal is to be able to delete the original list and then create future lists using that template. Here’s how you can use templates in Reminders on Mac:

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Tap the Add List button in the bottom left corner of the sidebar.
3. From the pop-up dialog box, click the Templates tab at the top.
4. Select the template that you want to use.
5. Click the Create List button in the bottom right corner.

With these new lists created, you’ll be able to delete the list once you’ve finished packing or completed your trip to the grocery store. You can delete the lists created based on templates, but you are also now able to create a new list based on your templates in the future.

Set Your Default List

The ability to navigate task-laden seas efficiently is paramount. While pre-determined courses may exist, true masters of their to-do domains carve their own paths. Setting your Default List in the Mac Reminders app equips you with the navigational tools needed to chart a course towards unwavering productivity.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Click the Reminders button in the top left corner of the Menu Bar.
3. Highlight and select Settings from the drop-down menu.
4. Click the drop-down menu next to Default List.
5. Highlight and select the list that you want to set as the default.

View Your Completed Reminders

In the realm of productivity, often, it’s not just about what you have to do but also about acknowledging what you’ve already accomplished. The Reminders app on your Mac is more than just a task list; it’s a powerful tool for tracking your progress and celebrating your successes.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. In the sidebar on the left, click the Completed button.

From here, you’ll be able to see all of the different tasks and reminders that you’ve completed. The Reminders app also automatically sorts and categorizes your completed reminders, making it easier to see what you’ve done, or find something specific.

Shared Reminders and Lists

In the world of productivity and task management, collaboration is often the cornerstone of success. The ability to share reminders and lists seamlessly with others can elevate your teamwork to a new level. The Reminders app on your Mac empowers you to achieve precisely that.

Share Reminders Lists

Task management often extends beyond personal to-dos and enters the realm of collaboration and shared responsibilities. The Reminders app on your Mac caters to this need by allowing you to share your lists with others, fostering efficient teamwork and shared accountability.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Navigate to the list that you want to share.
3. Click the Share button in the top right corner.
4. If applicable, select the contact from the list of suggestions.
5. Otherwise, choose the app that you want to use in order to share the Reminders list.

Assign Shared Reminders

Whether you’re working with a team, coordinating family responsibilities, or managing projects with colleagues, this feature is indispensable. It fosters a culture of accountability and ensures that everyone is aligned with the task at hand.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Select a shared list from the left sidebar.
3. Click the Add button to create a new reminder that is to be assigned.
4. Enter the details for the reminder.
5. Click the Person button.
6. Select an assignee from the list.
7. If you are assigning a reminder that has already been created, locate the reminder.
8. Click the Information button to the right of the reminder.
9. From the window that appears, click the None button next to Assign to.
10. Select the assignee for the reminder.

Use Reminders for Your Grocery List

The weekly pilgrimage to the supermarket – a task often treated with a sigh and a resigned acceptance of its chaotic potential. Yet, for the discerning individual, even the procurement of groceries can be transformed into a masterpiece of efficiency and organization. Enter the Reminders app’s Grocery List function on Mac – your personal conductor for this culinary symphony.

Create Grocery Lists

In our busy lives, the simple act of grocery shopping can sometimes feel like a daunting task. The Reminders app on your Mac, however, offers a practical solution by allowing you to create well-organized and efficient grocery lists. With the right approach, this feature can elevate your shopping experience to a new level of precision and convenience.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
2. Click the Add List button in the bottom left corner.
3. Enter a name for the list.
4. Choose the color for the list.
5. Customize the icon for the list.
6. Click the drop-down menu next to List Type.
7. Select Groceries from the list of options.
8. Click the Add button in the top right corner.
9. Start adding different groceries to your list.

As you add different items and products, the Reminders app will automatically create different sections, or categories. This is done in an effort to group similar items together, making your trip to the grocery store much less painful and annoying.

Manage Categories

While the Reminders app does a pretty good job at understanding and creating appropriate categories, it’s not perfect. In any case, it’s possible to add or customize the categories to fit your needs and preferences.

Add More Grocery Categories

1. From the Reminders app, select your grocery list from the sidebar.
2. Click the Add Section button in the top right corner.
3. Enter a name for the grocery category.
4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Rename Grocery Categories

1. From the Reminders app, select your grocery list from the sidebar.
2. Place your cursor at the end of the section header.
3. Delete the current title and enter the new category name.
4. Alternatively, you can click the File button in the Menu Bar with the grocery list selected in the Reminders app.
5. From the drop-down menu, highlight and select Edit Sections.
6. Highlight the category that you want to rename.
7. Click the More button to the right of the category.
8. Select Rename Section.
9. Enter the new name for the category.
10. Once complete, click the Done button in the bottom right corner.

All of the Settings For Reminders

Attention to detail is often the hallmark of effective task management, and the Reminders app on your Mac leaves no stone unturned when it comes to customization and control. Behind its seemingly simple interface lies a plethora of settings and configurations that allow you to tailor your Reminders experience precisely to your needs.

• Default List
  • Choose the list to put new reminders in when they’re created outside of a specific list.
• All-Day Reminders
  • Today Notification: Set a time to show a notification for all-day reminders with no specified time.
  • Show all-day reminders as overdue: Show all-day reminders as overdue starting on the next day.
• Badge Count
  • Include both overdue items and items due today in the badge count shown on the Reminders app icon in the Dock.
• Assigned Reminders
  • Turn off notifications for reminders assigned to you in a shared list.
• Adding Reminders
  • Show suggestions when adding reminders.
• Grocery Lists
  • Click Reset Grocery Categories to clear the categorization learned as you manually move items in grocery lists.

Use the Reminders App on Mac with Keyboard Shortcuts

Efficiency in productivity often comes down to the seamless integration of tools and techniques. For those who value the power of keyboard shortcuts, mastering the Reminders app on your Mac with these time-saving keystrokes can be a game-changer.

Conclusion

The Reminders app on your Mac is the key to unlocking a more organized and productive life. Whether you’re managing personal tasks or collaborating on projects, it offers a range of features designed to simplify your workflow.

We hope this comprehensive guide has illuminated the vast potential of Reminders on your Mac. By mastering the art of task management, you’ll not only achieve more but also gain precious time to focus on what truly matters to you. So, start using Reminders today, and experience the transformative power of efficient task management on your Mac.