Maximize Your Productivity with Apple Reminders

Apple Reminders has long been a simple yet powerful tool for staying organized, but with iOS 18 and beyond, it’s evolved into a productivity powerhouse. Whether you’re juggling work tasks, personal errands, or long-term goals, this app offers a range of features—some brand new, others lesser-known—that can help you manage your life with ease. In this tech tips and tricks guide, we’ll dive into how to maximize Apple Reminders, spotlighting the game-changing calendar integration in iOS 18 and uncovering hidden features you might not know about. Let’s get started!

Seamlessly Integrate Reminders with Calendar (iOS 18)

One of the most exciting updates in iOS 18 is the deep integration between Apple Reminders and the Calendar app. No longer do you need to flip between apps to see your tasks and events—now they live together in harmony, giving you a unified view of your day.

How to Use It:

• Enable Calendar Integration: Open the Calendar app on your iPhone (running iOS 18 or later). Tap “Calendars” at the bottom, scroll to the “Other” section, and ensure “Scheduled Reminders” is checked. This is on by default, but if you’ve turned it off, this step brings it back.
• View Reminders in Calendar: Scheduled reminders (those with a date and time) automatically appear in your Calendar’s Day, Week, or Month views. All-day reminders sit at the top of the day, while timed ones slot into the schedule with a checkbox icon.
• Create a Reminder in Calendar: Tap the “+” button in the Calendar app, then select “Reminder” instead of “Event.” Enter a title (e.g., “Call dentist”), set a date and time, and tweak details like priority or list. Hit “Add,” and it’ll sync to both Calendar and Reminders.
• Complete Tasks Without Leaving Calendar: In the Calendar app, tap the checkbox next to a reminder to mark it complete. It dims out but stays visible (unless you hide completed tasks—more on that later). Changes sync instantly to Reminders.

Pro Tip:

Pinch-to-zoom in the Calendar’s Month view to see reminders alongside events in a more detailed layout. Drag a reminder to reschedule it—say, from 2 PM to 3 PM—and watch it update in Reminders too. This integration eliminates the app-switching hassle, making it perfect for busy days.

Recover Deleted Reminders (iOS 18)

Accidentally deleted a critical task? iOS 18 introduces a “Recently Deleted” feature in Reminders, giving you a 30-day window to recover lost items—a lifesaver for the forgetful among us.

How to Use It:

• Access Recently Deleted: Open the Reminders app, tap the three-line menu (top left), and scroll to “Recently Deleted” under My Lists.
• Restore a Reminder: Tap a deleted reminder, then hit “Recover” to bring it back to its original list. Need it elsewhere? Swipe left and choose “Move” to pick a new list.
• Purge Old Items: To clear space, tap “Delete All” from the More (•••) menu, or swipe left on individual reminders to delete them permanently before the 30 days are up.

Pro Tip:

This feature mirrors the trash bin in Notes and Photos, so it’s intuitive if you’re already familiar with those apps. Use it to double-check completed tasks you might need to revisit.

Leverage Smart Lists for Automatic Organization

Smart Lists aren’t new, but they’re often overlooked. These auto-updating lists—like Today, Scheduled, and Flagged—organize your reminders without manual effort, and iOS 18 makes them even more customizable.

How to Use It:

• Explore Built-In Smart Lists: Open Reminders and look at the top section. “Today” shows tasks due now, “Scheduled” lists all dated reminders, and “Flagged” highlights priority items.
• Customize Today’s Order (iOS 18): In the Today list, tap the More (•••) menu, then “Sort By” > “Manual.” Drag the Overdue, Due Today, and Completed sections to reorder them—put Overdue at the bottom if you’d rather focus on upcoming tasks first.
• Create Your Own Smart List: Tap “New List,” name it (e.g., “Work”), then tap “Make into Smart List.” Add filters like tags, dates, or locations (e.g., “Due this week” + “Tagged #urgent”). Save it, and it’ll auto-populate with matching reminders.

Pro Tip:

Flag a reminder (tap the flag icon) to make it stand out in the Flagged Smart List—great for high-priority tasks you can’t miss.

Master Location-Based Reminders

A little-known gem, location-based reminders alert you when you arrive at or leave a specific place. Perfect for remembering to grab groceries when you’re near the store or call someone when you get home.

How to Use It:

• Set a Location Trigger: Create a reminder (e.g., “Buy milk”). Tap the “i” icon, then toggle “Location.” Choose “Arriving” or “Leaving,” pick a saved address (like Home or Work from Contacts), or tap “Custom” to search for a spot. Set a radius (e.g., 100 feet) and save.
• Enable Location Services: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, ensure it’s on, then confirm Reminders has “While Using the App” or “Always” access.
• Check Your Contacts Card: For Home/Work triggers, open Contacts, tap “My Card,” and add your addresses if they’re missing.

Pro Tip:

Combine location with time—set “Buy milk” to trigger when you leave work at 5 PM—for pinpoint precision.

Organize with Tags and Subtasks

Tags and subtasks add depth to your reminders, letting you categorize and break down complex projects. These features fly under the radar but are incredibly versatile.

How to Use It:

• Add Tags: Create a reminder, tap the “i” icon, and select “Tags.” Type a keyword (e.g., #work, #errands) and hit Done. Later, tap the tag name in the Reminders sidebar to filter all matching tasks.
• Create Subtasks: Open a reminder (e.g., “Plan trip”), tap “Add Subtasks,” and list items like “Book flight” or “Pack suitcase.” Tap the blue “[#] Subtasks” link in a list view to jump straight to them and check them off.
• Quick Tag Search: Swipe down in Reminders to reveal the search bar, type a tag (e.g., #work), and see all related reminders instantly.

Pro Tip:

In iOS 18, Smart Lists can filter by tags—set one up for #urgent tasks due today to stay laser-focused.

Use Siri for Hands-Free Task Management

Siri makes Reminders a breeze when you’re on the go. It’s not new, but its natural language processing is slicker than ever, and it ties into iOS 18’s calendar integration beautifully.

How to Use It:

• Basic Commands: Say, “Hey Siri, remind me to call Mom at 3 PM tomorrow.” It’ll create the reminder and sync it to Calendar.
• Location Triggers: Try, “Remind me to water the plants when I get home.” Ensure Siri knows your home address (via Contacts) and Location Services are enabled.
• List-Specific Tasks: Say, “Add ‘Buy paint’ to my Home list.” Set your default list in Settings > Apps > Reminders if you haven’t already.

Pro Tip:

With Apple Intelligence rolling out in iOS 18.1 and beyond, Siri’s getting smarter—expect it to soon handle context like “Add this to my reminders” while viewing an email, no extra steps needed.

Hide Completed Tasks for a Cleaner View

Cluttered lists can overwhelm you, but hiding completed reminders—available pre-iOS 18 but enhanced with Calendar integration—is a game-changer for focus.

How to Use It:

• In Reminders: Tap the More (•••) menu in any list, then “Show Completed” to toggle it off. Completed tasks vanish until you toggle them back.
• In Calendar: Open “Calendars” at the bottom, tap “Show Completed” under “Other” to hide them across all views. Uncheck it to declutter your day.
• Automate It: Create a Shortcut (in the Shortcuts app) to toggle this setting with a single tap or Siri command.

Pro Tip:

For repeating reminders, future instances stay dimmed in Calendar until the current one’s done—hiding completed tasks keeps your view pristine.

Apple Reminders is no longer just a basic to-do list—it’s a robust tool that, with iOS 18’s calendar integration, bridges the gap between tasks and time management. Add in smart lists, location triggers, tags, Siri, and recovery options, and you’ve got a system that rivals third-party apps without the complexity. Experiment with these tips and tricks to tailor Reminders to your workflow. Which feature will you try first? Let us know how it boosts your productivity!