Apple Reminders is one of those really useful apps that come preloaded on your iOS and Mac devices. As the name suggests and as you may already know, it allows you to create reminders that you want to be reminded of on your device. You can use it to get reminders of tasks you think you’ll forget if you don’t put them on your list.
Most people who use the Apple Reminders app only use its basic features. It has a lot more to offer that you can use to create advanced reminders on your device. Some of these features include the ability to add reminders using Siri, receive reminders when you are at a specific location, etc.
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Use lists to group similar tasks
One of the underutilized features of Apple Reminders is the task list. By default, what most people do is add all their reminders to a single list. While this can work if you’re only using the app for specific reminders, you can create lists for each type of reminder to keep things a little more organized.
You can create various lists and then record your reminders in them. For example, you can create a personal list for your personal reminders and an office list for your office-related reminders.
That way, you can quickly jump to a specific type of reminder and see all the tasks listed there.
- Launch Remind application on your device.
- Tap the bottom of the screen and you’ll see the available listings.
- Click + (plus sign) in the upper right corner to add a new list.
- It will ask which new item you want to create. Knock on List to create a new list.
- Enter a name for your list, choose a color for the list, and tap Accomplished to save the list.
- You can now start adding reminders to your newly created list.
Change the color of your listings
The Reminders app lets you customize the colors of your list to make it easier for you to find your list. You can assign from different colors available in the app and your list will be highlighted with your chosen color.
List colors can be assigned to both new lists as well as existing lists.
Assign color to a new list
- Picking a specific color for your new listing is pretty easy. While you’re on the create new list screen, just tap the color you want for your listing and that’s it.
Change the color of an existing list
- Open the list for which you want to change the color.
- Click Edit in the upper right corner.
- Select the option that says Color.
- Choose a new color from the list of available colors.
Share your list with others
Sometimes, you may want to share certain reminder lists with others. You’ll especially want to do that in a business environment where multiple people are working on a given task.
Apple’s Reminders app lets you add people to your list, and then they can contribute to it. All they need to do is turn on iCloud on their device and they’ll be able to access and add to your list.
- Open Remind application on your device.
- Select the list that you want to share with others.
- Click Edit in the upper right corner.
- Tap the option that says Share.
- On the following screen, tap More people to add people to your list.
- Choose a person from your list and tap add in the upper right corner.
- That person will be added to your list and they will be able to manage your list with you.
Hide & Unhide completed tasks in reminders
To keep your user interface tidy, the Reminders app hides all the tasks that you have marked as completed. As soon as you swipe away from a task, it is removed from the main list and moved to a hidden completed task list.
Many users may think that their completed jobs are deleted because the application does not prominently display how to view the completed jobs. However, that is not the case and you can view your completed tasks with an option in the application.
- Open Remind application.
- Select the list where your completed tasks are located.
- You will see an option that says Completed display at the bottom of your screen. Click on it and it will open.
- You will now see a list of all your completed tasks.
Create location-based reminders
Time-based reminders are very popular and they can be created in most of the existing reminder apps. However, location-based reminders are rare, but they can be created in Apple’s Reminders app on your iOS and Mac devices.
Location-based reminders will send you a notification when you are at a specific location assigned to your reminder. For example, you can set a reminder to buy milk when you’re near Walmart. When you are actually near that place, the app will notify and display your reminder.
- Launch Remind application.
- Open the list for which you want to create a location-based reminder.
- Start typing your reminder and then tap I icon next to it.
- Turn on the switch for Remind me at a place arrive ABOVE Position.
- Knock on Location and it will allow you to specify a location for your reminder.
- Enter the name of the place and select it when it appears.
- Knock on Accomplished in the upper right corner to save a reminder based on your location.
Add a new reminder using Siri
If you’re in a hurry or in a situation where you can’t enter a reminder, you can use Siri to create a new reminder in Apple’s Reminders app. Since both Siri and Reminders are developed by Apple, they are tightly integrated, and you can use one to create items in the other.
- Angry Siri as you usually do.
- Ask her Remind me and then add whatever you want to be reminded of. For example, you could ask her Remind me to buy milk at 8 am tomorrow and it will create a reminder for 8am tomorrow in the app.
- You can use natural language variations to create specific reminders.
Change default reminder list
If you don’t specify a specific list to add your new reminders to, they will be added to the default list by the app. You can change the default list if you want and all your future unassigned tasks will be added to that list.
- Launch Setting application on your device.
- Find and tap Remind right to buy.
- Click Default list right to buy.
- Select a list as your new default list.
If you use Apple Reminders as your primary reminder app, what tricks do you use to get the most out of it? Let us and our readers know in the comments section below.
