iOS 15 Reminders Gains New 'Smart List' Feature for Easily Filtering Reminders Based on Locations, Tags, and More

[MacRumors]

In iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, Apple is expanding the features built into the stock Reminders app, which received a major overhaul in 2019. With the new updates shipping this fall, users will be able to create "Smart Lists" that corral reminders based on different filters, such as their location, due date, flag, priority, and more.

With the new functionality, users can create powerful lists that show reminders based only on several filters. For example, users may create a Smart List with a filter to show reminders due on the weekend, with their location set to home. Apple offers five filters as of the current betas for the software, including date, time, location, flag, and priority.

For date, users can select to show reminders only due on a specific date, a relative range, a specified range, such as over the weekend or longer, and reminders due on any date. Users can select a filter for any time of day or more granular options for morning, afternoon, evening, and night. The location filter allows users to see only reminders due in a specific location. Users can also select the flag filter to show only flagged reminders and the priority filter.

iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey are all currently in beta testing for members of the Apple Developer Program, with public beta versions set to be released soon.

(Thanks, Rubèn)

Article Link: iOS 15 Reminders Gains New 'Smart List' Feature for Easily Filtering Reminders Based on Locations, Tags, and More

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I’ll still go “Oh yeah” and avoid them (like everything else in my sad life), but anything to help me is appreciated.

 

[ericwn]

Sounds like some good improvements on the way.

 

[jonnysods]

I just wish Apple would buy Fantastical! The mix of events and reminders is perfect.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I just wish Apple would buy Fantastical! The mix of events and reminders is perfect.

I wish Apple would work on natural language for events. Natural language with Reminders is not too bad (about 60% for me).

 

[BJMRamage]

I would hope for SubHeads on lists. I know I can put items under another item but I would like on a Groceries list to have "Produce" and "Dairy" as subheads so I can categorize a bit easier. I still reorder the lists based on the grocery store but just to have it a little easier would be nice.

 

[iDento]

This is great, so much possibilities, but still simple.

 

[ignatius345]

I hope they fix the way notifications sync. Presently, I find myself dismissing a notification three times: on my iPhone and then each of my Macs, because the dismissal of the notification isn't synced. When I dismiss a notification in Things, by contrast, it disappears across all three devices. (Apparently I was wrong about Things doing this)

 

[TechRemarker]

Glad to see Notes and Reminders if finally embracing tags (aka smart folders, smart lists, or whichever alt name they use). But not sure why still inconsistency on their other apps. Like iCloud Contacts and Mail on Mac you can create them but they don't sync to iOS.

 

[coffeeplease]

I hope they fix the way notifications sync. Presently, I find myself dismissing a notification three times: on my iPhone and then each of my Macs, because the dismissal of the notification isn't synced. When I dismiss a notification in Things, by contrast, it disappears across all three devices.

I have the same issue with Things. How do you get notifications to dismiss across all devices?

 

[ignatius345]

I have the same issue with Things. How do you get notifications to dismiss across all devices?

Wait. I could swear this has worked for me in the past but I just did a test and it didn't work in Things. OK, well, it should work this way! I am surprised it doesn't.

 

[Mr. 123]

Glad to see Notes and Reminders if finally embracing tags (aka smart folders, smart lists, or whichever alt name they use). But not sure why still inconsistency on their other apps. Like iCloud Contacts and Mail on Mac you can create them but they don't sync to iOS.

iCloud tags do sync to iOS from macOS. You can use them in the Files app!

 

[Mi1lion]

My most used native app just got even better. I was hoping for “filters” in this update. No need to look at 3rd Party Apps anymore (e.g. Todoist).

 

[lankox]

Was really hoping that we would get repeat based on completion date. Maybe next year.

 

[jonnysods]

I wish Apple would work on natural language for events. Natural language with Reminders is not too bad (about 60% for me).

I live and die by reminders - so I love that its inline with the calendar - plus it would be sweet if they bought out Fantastical so there are no more subscription fees!

 

[Mister T]

In iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, Apple is expanding the features built into the stock Reminders app, which received a major overhaul in 2019. With the new updates shipping this fall, users will be able to create "Smart Lists" that corral reminders based on different filters, such as their location, due date, flag, priority, and more.

With the new functionality, users can create powerful lists that show reminders based only on several filters. For example, users may create a Smart List with a filter to show reminders due on the weekend, with their location set to home. Apple offers five filters as of the current betas for the software, including date, time, location, flag, and priority.

For date, users can select to show reminders only due on a specific date, a relative range, a specified range, such as over the weekend or longer, and reminders due on any date. Users can select a filter for any time of day or more granular options for morning, afternoon, evening, and night. The location filter allows users to see only reminders due in a specific location. Users can also select the flag filter to show only flagged reminders and the priority filter.

iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey are all currently in beta testing for members of the Apple Developer Program, with public beta versions set to be released soon.

(Thanks, Rubèn)

Article Link: iOS 15 Reminders Gains New 'Smart List' Feature for Easily Filtering Reminders Based on Locations, Tags, and More

The only thing preventing me from using reminders is that I cannot quickly add a reminder without opening the reminders app.

 

[furou]

This is nice to have. But I hope they fix iCloud sync of Reminders, for me it’s usually broken and doesn’t sync between my devices. It should work fast and reliably just like Calendar and Notes iCloud sync.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The only thing preventing me from using reminders is that I cannot quickly add a reminder without opening the reminders app.

Using Siri works fairly well for creating reminders.

 

[Yigal Arens]

So when will Apple *finally* add the ability to have repeating reminders that repeat a fixed length of time after an instance is checked, as opposed to just every fixed period?

For example, today I can set a reminder to replace my AC filter every 8 weeks. But if I miss a particular time by 2 weeks, say because I'm out of town, when I get home and check it off I'm reminded again *6* weeks later – which is 8 weeks from when the reminder was generated. What it should do is remind me 8 weeks after now, of course.

I've been waiting for this feature for years. Other reminder apps have it.

 

[Wolffie]

Is it me or does this look like ServiceNow?

 

[NervousFish2]

As a former longtime omnifocus user, then Things user, I can say that I have been very happy using Reminders for the last 12 months or so. The improvements made to recent versions of Reminders have been great. And with tagging etc, this looks like some MAJOR wished-for improvements are now finally coming. One thing I would like to see is better ability to share emails into Reminders. And perhaps an email forwarding option, where you can email stuff into reminders. Its these sorts of 'icing on the cake' things I miss, from Things.

 

[NervousFish2]

So when will Apple *finally* add the ability to have repeating reminders that repeat a fixed length of time after an instance is checked, as opposed to just every fixed period?

For example, today I can set a reminder to replace my AC filter every 8 weeks. But if I miss a particular time by 2 weeks, say because I'm out of town, when I get home and check it off I'm reminded again *6* weeks later – which is 8 weeks from when the reminder was generated. What it should do is remind me 8 weeks after now, of course.

I've been waiting for this feature for years. Other reminder apps have it.

This would be nice. I have a reminder to change my AC filter set. But until now, I hadn't thought about this aspect of it.

 

[Luke MacWalker]

I hope they fix the way notifications sync. Presently, I find myself dismissing a notification three times: on my iPhone and then each of my Macs, because the dismissal of the notification isn't synced. When I dismiss a notification in Things, by contrast, it disappears across all three devices. (Apparently I was wrong about Things doing this)

I think it must be a bug or a configuration problem: usually, it works well for me in Reminders, and it has been for a few years now. 🤔
(iCloud synchronisation sometimes break, for example the tabs open in Safari on one of my devices are not available on another one, until suddenly, days or weeks later it starts working again. Maybe there is a similar problem with the synchronisation of dismissals of reminders?)

 

[amartinez1660]

The only thing preventing me from using reminders is that I cannot quickly add a reminder without opening the reminders app.

Like others have alluded to, Siri with a natural language works amazingly well.
“Hey Siri” (or long press the lock button or raise the Apple Watch close to you) followed by:
- “Remind me to pay the credit card bill next friday”
- “Remind me to watch Top Gear when I arrive back home (or leave/arrive from/to work/home/etc)”. This one relies on your own contacts work/home/etc addresses tags, don’t know what’s the extent of these… haven’t tried “buy things at my favorite supermarket (or closest Costco or gym)” for example.
- Remind me in 15mins that I left a coke can in the freezer.
- Suppose recycling trucks changed schedule: Remind me on Thursday’s weekly to take out the recycling bags.

The coke can in the freezer is an extreme example, for that I would probably just say “Hey Siri set a timer for 15mins” as the alarm is more chaotic (either louder sounds or taps on the wrist if a watch is being worn by the time it triggers) than a reminder. But hopefully won’t forget what the alarm was for.
Would be great to label a timer for when it triggers: “set a timer for 30mins, label it as ‘oven’ ”.

Between Reminders and Timers I get by daily chores and life quite more smoothly than without them.

My .002 cents for how it can work.

 

[JosephAW]

I got an alert today on iOS 14.6 that if I upgrade reminders it will not be compatible with my computer running Mojave and my iPad on iOS 12.