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Delete all completed reminders?

P

pixelchild

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 8, 2011
78
0
i can't find a way to delete all or clear all completed tasks/reminders.

honestly, it's probably just me as apple is too smart not to include this feature so if someone could please direct me to how to do this...
 
Select the reminder and and look for the delete option. To my knowledge, there isn't a way to delete all of them at once.
 
pixelchild said:
i can't find a way to delete all or clear all completed tasks/reminders.

honestly, it's probably just me as apple is too smart not to include this feature so if someone could please direct me to how to do this...
Click to expand...

If you sync iCloud with iCal there is a setting in there to remove completed Reminders after a set period. As far as I know it's that way or delete one by one.
 
Can be done through iCal preference

In the preference and advanced check out the Hide Reminders after days has been completed and put 0.

This should work.

Cheers,
 
You could ask Siri (if you have a 4S) that's how I delete all my reminders. Works for alarms too, just say "Delete all of my X".
 
Jare said:
You could ask Siri (if you have a 4S) that's how I delete all my reminders. Works for alarms too, just say "Delete all of my X".
Click to expand...

Hmm..that's odd because Siri just told me "Sorry, I can't delete reminders."
 
This is simple and unlike someone else said, it is possible to delete them all at once. Even though you cannot drag, click and highlight it.
Step 1: Open iCal
Step 2: Scroll down to the last reminder
Step 3: Click on the last reminder
Step 4: Hold Shift
Step 5: Press the up arrow key while holding shift
Step 6: Click edit on the top
Step 7: Click delete
Step 8: TA DAH!
Steps 4-8 also work for deleting multiple songs on iTunes. Hope I helped.
 
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Another way to control them, at least somewhat, is in Settings > Mail/Contacts/Calendar > Reminders (at very bottom) > set to the minimum time (2 weeks back).
 
Fix!!!

OK, this is not very practical but it works. You can do this on your device. Right to delete all completed reminders:

1.Open the reminders app
2.Tap the "List" tab
3.Tap the top left button to go to the "Lists"
4. Tap Edit
5. Now delete the list you put your completed reminders in. E.g If I created a reminder in the "Reminders" list, then completed it. I would delete that list. I would recommend getting to around 50 reminders before doing this, otherwise its a bit repetitive.
6. Create a new list and call it what you want. E.g Reminders
7. Start adding reminders to your new list.
8. Do this again when you want to delete them all.
 
Finally figured this out

I haven't seen this solution posted anywhere, and was shocked when it actually worked.

(Note: I'm using iPhone 4s with iOS 6.0.1, and a Mac running Mountain Lion)

To remove all of the completed items in the "Completed" list of the Reminders app:

- Open Reminders app on the Mac
- Navigate to your "Completed" list. It's full of the stuff you want to get rid of.
- Hold down the SHIFT key, and click the first item in the list. It will turn slightly gray. (note: I had to fiddle with the location I was clicking sometimes, but a good spot to click is just before the frist word of the task.)
- Still holding down the shift key... scroll (if necessary) to the bottom of the list. I had tasks going back to 2008, so it was a loooong list.
- Still holding down the shift key... click on the last task you want to get rid of. ALL tasks should turn slightly gray.
- Release the SHIFT key
- Right-click in the grayed area. Select "Delete".
- Huzzah.

I hope this helps somebody. It was driving me nuts.
 
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Easier Way ...

  1. Open "Reminders" on Mac
  2. Go to "Completed" and do Ctrl + A to select all
  3. Hit your "Delete" button
  4. Presto! All of your completed reminders are gone.
 
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Delete completed reminders using iCloud.

Found a way to delete completed reminders. Little tedious but gets the job done fairly quickly.

  1. Go to iCloud
  2. Go to Reminders
  3. Go to Completed
  4. Select the first reminder
  5. Press del on your keyboard
  6. Repeat step 5

Hope this helps.
 
Canuckduck said:
  1. Open "Reminders" on Mac
  2. Go to "Completed" and do Ctrl + A to select all
  3. Hit your "Delete" button
  4. Presto! All of your completed reminders are gone.
Click to expand...

I'm fine with Step 1. Step 2 is throwing me. I hope it's not been removed, I am running OS X 10.10 Yosemite, and the Reminders app does not have a Completed list. In fact, I can find no menu option or anything in the Help on it (only on how to mark an item as complete). Hopefully someone will have some suggestions?

----------

SOLVED! I found this brilliant post on the iMore community, that you can expand the "Completed" section in the iCloud Reminders app, and clear from there. Thanks!
 
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That Works but... Really?

The solution above does solve the problem. (Thanks Jimerman.) But really? Doesn't it seem like there should be a setting to eliminated completed after a period of time? This is still a manual solution and you may, in fact, want to keep a record of completed tasks for a couple days, weeks or months for your records, performance review recollection, in case you make a mistake, etc. Kind of poor design.
 
Canuckduck said:
Easier Way ...

  1. Open "Reminders" on Mac
  2. Go to "Completed" and do Ctrl + A to select all
  3. Hit your "Delete" button
  4. Presto! All of your completed reminders are gone.
Click to expand...

Hi, I know I am answering 3 yrs later, but here I go...
What you suggest would delete all Reminders, completed and non.
To select only the completed ones:
1. Select the first completed Reminder
2. Press the "shift" key and select the last one (now you have selected only those completed)
3. Press "Delete" key.

Done.
 
Gregory66 said:
Hi, I know I am answering 3 yrs later, but here I go...
What you suggest would delete all Reminders, completed and non.
To select only the completed ones:
1. Select the first completed Reminder
2. Press the "shift" key and select the last one (now you have selected only those completed)
3. Press "Delete" key.

Done.
Click to expand...
Why would that original suggestion delete all reminders if first you are going to the "Completed" section/view that would just display the items have already been completed?
 
Ah! I found out that the view you are talking about is available within the "Scheduled" tag.
I have always been using the tag below (i.e. "Reminders"), as this one shows all of them (I have a number of timeless reminders). Everything is clear now.
Thanks for your help.
 
pixelchild said:
i can't find a way to delete all or clear all completed tasks/reminders.
Click to expand...

This is now the top google result for questions about clearing completed Apple reminders messages. You can accomplish this by logging into www.icloud.com, clicking on the reminders app and clicking clear completed in the top right hand corner of the screen.
 
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