How-To Fix Reminders App Showing Incorrect Information
Is your reminder app or the calendar app on your Apple device showing incorrect information such as wrong counts on the badge? You don’t have any events but the badge still shows a number? Having trouble syncing your calendar or reminders on all your Apple devices. If you are experiencing any of these issues, follow the tips below to help fix the issue.
How To Fix Reminders Count Issue on Your Mac
If the symptoms described above are only occurring on your Macbook, follow each of the steps below until the issue is fixed.
On your macOS machine, click on > System Preferences > iCloud
Here Disable Calendars and reminders
Wait for a minute and then go back and enable the calendars and reminders in iCloud section
Reboot Your Mac/Macbook and check and see if this issue is fixed.
You can also try to force refresh the reminders app using a simple terminal command on your macOS
Open up a terminal session from your utilities folder and type in
Type in “defaults write com.apple.reminders RemindersDebugMenu 1” without the quotes
This will bring up the debug menu option on the app. Launch your Reminders app and now choose Debug > Refresh from the top menu.
To get rid of the debugs menu from your app, using the terminal again type in “defaults delete com.apple.reminders RemindersDebugMenu” without the quotes
Quit the Reminders app. Check when you launch the app again.
How-To Fix Calendars not syncing on iPhone/iPad
If the problems that you are experiencing is only happening on your iPhone or iPad, try the steps below and check if it addresses the issue.
The obvious answer is to start by performing a forced restart on your iOS device. If you have an iPhone 6 series or older model, press the Home and on/off button together and hold for about 10 seconds or so till the Apple logo shows up. Once the device restarts, check and see if the issue is resolved.
Try to force refresh the calendars on your iOS device. In order to do so, open the calendar app, press calendars and then try pulling down the entire page to refresh the calendars.
Tap on Settings > Your Apple id profile > iCloud. Here you can go ahead and disable the calendar/reminder from the list of apps. Create a new arbitrary task under the default calendar e.g. “test”. Re-enable Reminders/Calendars in the iCloud settings and choose “Merge” from the option
Restart your iPhone or iPad and launch Calendars/reminders and check if the issue is resolved.
One more trick to try when facing these issues with apps that have iCloud sync options is to simply log out of iCloud on your iPhone/iPad, restart your device and then log back in. The option to sign out of your iCloud account is available by going to Settings > Your Apple Id profile > tap on your Apple id and then choose ‘Sign out’ and confirm.
If your issue is related to wrong badge counts, we received reports from users who were having similar problems in the iMessage app. Updating to the latest iOS 11.2.2 has apparently fixed this issue for some folks. You may want to explore upgrading your iOS.
Fixing when your reminder app shows incorrect information
These basic tips should help you address the issue when your reminder app shows incorrect information on your Apple device.
If the problems are persistent, you may want to delete the app and re-install it from the Apple store and see if addresses your problems. For some reason, deleting and re-installing apps can go a long way in fixing user problems. You can read more details at the Apple Site.
The other option that you can try before calling Apple Support is to try “Reset All Settings”. This will, however, require you to set up all your settings on your iOS device again. You won’t lose any data or content but some of your settings may go back to default and it will require you to changing them back to your preferences.
Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions. Feel free to share any tips that helped you with your issue.
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
I did everything you want me to do so far.
Nope, it didn’t worked either (reply to April 26, 2020 at 10:02 AM).
I’m too far away from Apple support desk so, I think, involuntarily, I should try to “Reset All Settings” (once I had tried a year before and worked).
Thank you for your valuable efforts.
Regards
Sorry about that! It should have worked–it does not make sense that the Reminders data persists, even after deleting and disconnecting from iCloud syncing.
Yes, rather than spend a lot more time on it, a reset all settings should (fingers crossed) take care of this rouge Reminders issue.
Keep us posted and sorry that our efforts did not pay off.
Is there any way to reset (delete) all items on iphone?
There are three items which I couldn’t delete at all. At every attempt when I want to delete these items, the reminders app closes, does nothing…
(How this is occurred? I’m not sure but I think I did something wrong while swiping them so as to delete.)
Your advice “Settings > Your Apple id profile > iCloud. Here you can go ahead and disable the calendar/reminder from the list of apps. Create a new arbitrary task under the default calendar e.g. “test”. Re-enable Reminders/Calendars in the iCloud settings and choose “Merge” from the option” resulted with nothing too… Those there zombi items are not deleted, they stay and they appear after merge…
Deleting the app and re-installing doesn’t work too.
I once (2-3 years back) tried “Reset All Settings” and worked but I messed up with updating everything to return normal.
I believe in that there must be someway for reseting iphone reminders’ items…
The answer is ‘no’ then it is ridiculous. Shame on Apple…
Thank you for your reply instantly.
These zombi items are not on iCloud Website through safari and also not on Mac Reminders app.
Unfortunately they appear only on iPhone Reminders app.
That’s why ask the question “Is there any way to reset (delete) all (Reminders’) items on the iPhone?”
Resetting all settings on iPhone must not be the only solution, I believe….
Regards
1) Toggle off Reminders in your iPhone’s iCloud settings
2) Open Reminders
3) Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
4) Wait for information to populate
5) Scroll down and see if Reminders app is listed, if so tap it
6) Delete the app–this deletes the documents and data
7) Once deleted, open the App Store and install reminders again
8) Open the app and confirm that those zombie reminders are gone–if so, toggle Reminders back on in your iCloud settings to sync back to the reminders you saved via iCloud
When you delete the app, it should delete everything including the app software and its data.
Just to confirm, you did toggle iCloud reminders off before deleting the app.
Let’s try this process instead adding some restarts so iOS “sees” your changes to Reminders:
1) Toggle off Reminders in your iPhone’s iCloud settings
2) RESTART your iPhone
3) Go to back iCloud settings and confirm Reminders is off
4) Once confirmed off, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
5) Wait for information to populate
6) Scroll down and tap Reminders
7) Choose to Delete the app and confirm you want to delete it
8) Restart again
9) Open the App Store and install Reminders
10) Open the Reminder app and confirm that those zombie reminders are gone–if so, toggle Reminders back on in your iCloud settings to sync back to the reminders you saved via iCloud
I really hope this time it works!
Let me know.
Liz
Waynesays
Reinstall reminders app really help me to fix the problem, thanks!
I just solved this issue, but I’m sure the solution is tied to the underlying cause.
I had three existing reminder lists in iCloud, so they were shared among my devices. Using my iPhone, I shared those three lists with my wife. When I did so, I received notifications on my phone that my wife had accepted the invitations. The next time I opened my MBP, Reminders had a badge (“3”) and I could not clear. Here is what I did to clear the badge:
1) Open the regular macOS Calendar application.
2) Go to Preferences->Alerts and check the “Show shared calendar messages in Notification Center” item.
3) Restart the MBP.
After restart, I received three notifications matching my wife’s acceptance of the shared reminder list invitations. Clicking OK on those notifications cleared the badge. The notifications did not appear until after restart.
I did everything you want me to do so far.
Nope, it didn’t worked either (reply to April 26, 2020 at 10:02 AM).
I’m too far away from Apple support desk so, I think, involuntarily, I should try to “Reset All Settings” (once I had tried a year before and worked).
Thank you for your valuable efforts.
Regards
Hi Ert,
Sorry about that! It should have worked–it does not make sense that the Reminders data persists, even after deleting and disconnecting from iCloud syncing.
Yes, rather than spend a lot more time on it, a reset all settings should (fingers crossed) take care of this rouge Reminders issue.
Keep us posted and sorry that our efforts did not pay off.
Liz
Is there any way to reset (delete) all items on iphone?
There are three items which I couldn’t delete at all. At every attempt when I want to delete these items, the reminders app closes, does nothing…
(How this is occurred? I’m not sure but I think I did something wrong while swiping them so as to delete.)
Your advice “Settings > Your Apple id profile > iCloud. Here you can go ahead and disable the calendar/reminder from the list of apps. Create a new arbitrary task under the default calendar e.g. “test”. Re-enable Reminders/Calendars in the iCloud settings and choose “Merge” from the option” resulted with nothing too… Those there zombi items are not deleted, they stay and they appear after merge…
Deleting the app and re-installing doesn’t work too.
I once (2-3 years back) tried “Reset All Settings” and worked but I messed up with updating everything to return normal.
I believe in that there must be someway for reseting iphone reminders’ items…
The answer is ‘no’ then it is ridiculous. Shame on Apple…
Hi Ert,
How about deleting them using iCloud’s website instead and see if that clears those 3 reminders out.
Open Safari or your browser of choice and go to iCloud’s website
Once logged in, choose the Reminders app
Delete the notes that you experience problems with
Hopefully, that does the trick.
Thank you for your reply instantly.
These zombi items are not on iCloud Website through safari and also not on Mac Reminders app.
Unfortunately they appear only on iPhone Reminders app.
That’s why ask the question “Is there any way to reset (delete) all (Reminders’) items on the iPhone?”
Resetting all settings on iPhone must not be the only solution, I believe….
Regards
Hi Ert,
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Have you tried this process:
1) Toggle off Reminders in your iPhone’s iCloud settings
2) Open Reminders
3) Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
4) Wait for information to populate
5) Scroll down and see if Reminders app is listed, if so tap it
6) Delete the app–this deletes the documents and data
7) Once deleted, open the App Store and install reminders again
8) Open the app and confirm that those zombie reminders are gone–if so, toggle Reminders back on in your iCloud settings to sync back to the reminders you saved via iCloud
Let us know if this works for you!
Liz
Ert,
Oh my goodness, it’s ridiculous!
When you delete the app, it should delete everything including the app software and its data.
Just to confirm, you did toggle iCloud reminders off before deleting the app.
Let’s try this process instead adding some restarts so iOS “sees” your changes to Reminders:
1) Toggle off Reminders in your iPhone’s iCloud settings
2) RESTART your iPhone
3) Go to back iCloud settings and confirm Reminders is off
4) Once confirmed off, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
5) Wait for information to populate
6) Scroll down and tap Reminders
7) Choose to Delete the app and confirm you want to delete it
8) Restart again
9) Open the App Store and install Reminders
10) Open the Reminder app and confirm that those zombie reminders are gone–if so, toggle Reminders back on in your iCloud settings to sync back to the reminders you saved via iCloud
I really hope this time it works!
Let me know.
Liz
Reinstall reminders app really help me to fix the problem, thanks!
I just solved this issue, but I’m sure the solution is tied to the underlying cause.
I had three existing reminder lists in iCloud, so they were shared among my devices. Using my iPhone, I shared those three lists with my wife. When I did so, I received notifications on my phone that my wife had accepted the invitations. The next time I opened my MBP, Reminders had a badge (“3”) and I could not clear. Here is what I did to clear the badge:
1) Open the regular macOS Calendar application.
2) Go to Preferences->Alerts and check the “Show shared calendar messages in Notification Center” item.
3) Restart the MBP.
After restart, I received three notifications matching my wife’s acceptance of the shared reminder list invitations. Clicking OK on those notifications cleared the badge. The notifications did not appear until after restart.