12 Reminders App Features That Turn It Into a Proper Task Manager 📋

I've tried pretty much every task manager going. Things 3, Todoist, TickTick, you name it. But honestly? Apple's built-in Reminders app has quietly become one of the most powerful productivity tools on your iPhone. Here are the 12 features that made me stop looking elsewhere, with my favourite saved for last.

🗂️ Auto-Categorisation

If your iPhone supports Apple Intelligence, there's a feature called AutoCategorize that uses machine learning to group your tasks into sections automatically.

Turns a messy inbox list into a structured plan without you lifting a finger.

How to use it:

• Open a list in Reminders on your iPhone
• Tap the ⋯ (more) button in the top right
• Tap Auto-Categorize

Your reminders instantly get sorted into sections based on similar tasks. You can still drag and drop items between sections afterwards if you want to tweak anything. To turn it off, tap the same menu, tap Turn Off, then choose whether to keep or remove the sections it created.

It's a small thing, but it makes sense of all the random stuff you dump into your lists throughout the day.

📅 Calendar Integration

This is one of the biggest additions to Reminders in the last couple of years: your tasks and your time, in the same place.

How to use it:

• Give a reminder a specific time and it'll show up right next to your meetings in the Calendar app
• Tap the plus button in Calendar and toggle from event to reminder to create one on the fly

It makes time blocking so much more intuitive because you're not switching apps just to see what you need to do between calls. My one gripe is you can't change the duration of the task from Calendar. Maybe Apple sorts that in a future update.

💡 Suggested Reminders

Apple Intelligence can pull action items straight out of other apps. If you're reading a recipe in Safari or an email in Mail, it'll extract tasks and suggest them as reminders.

How to use it:

• Open the share sheet on any page or email
• Tap Reminders
• Apple Intelligence suggests relevant tasks based on the content
• It even links back to the original source so you've got context later

⚡ Quick Capture

Speed is everything for productivity, and Reminders now has a dedicated control for your Lock Screen and Control Centre.

How to use it:

• Add the Reminders control to your Lock Screen or Control Centre
• Tap it to open a small overlay where you can type a task, set a priority, and pick a list
• No need to fully open the app

You can also map the "Add Reminder" action to your Action Button, or long-press the Siri button on Apple Watch.

🌍 Time Zone Override

If you travel or work remotely, this one's a genuine lifesaver. You can now set a default time zone for the whole app, or choose a specific time zone for a single reminder.

No more getting a 9am notification at 3am because you flew somewhere new.

📞 Call Back Shortcut

How many times have you missed a call and completely forgotten to follow up? The Phone app now integrates directly with Reminders.

How to use it:

• Go to your Recent Calls list
• Swipe left on a missed call
• Set a call back reminder for an hour later, the next morning, or whenever suits
• It even links the contact directly in the reminder

📊 Kanban-Style Layouts

If you're a visual person, the column view is worth trying. Take any list, break it into sections, and view them as columns.

Essentially turns Reminders into a mini Trello or Kanban board. Perfect for tracking projects through stages like To Do, Doing, and Done.

🗑️ Recently Deleted

We've all accidentally swiped and deleted something important. Reminders now has a Recently Deleted section, working just like the Photos app.

Deleted items stick around for 30 days before they're gone for good, so you've got a proper safety net for your to-dos.

🔗 Subtasks in Smart Lists

Previously, subtasks stayed hidden when you looked at your Today or Scheduled lists, which was genuinely annoying. Now those smart lists support a full hierarchy.

You see the main task and all its subtasks at a glance, so you don't lose the "how" when you're looking at the "what".

👥 Shared Collaboration

If you're managing a household or a small project, you can turn any list into a shared workspace.

How to use it:

• Share a list via Messages or Mail
• Anyone on the list can add, edit, or check off tasks
• Assign specific tasks to people. Their contact bubble appears next to the task so everyone knows who's responsible for what
• Turn on notifications to get pinged when a collaborator finishes a task

🎯 Mastering Priority Systems

Instead of a flat list of tasks, use the built-in priority levels to filter your focus.

How to use it:

• Tag any task as low, medium, or high priority
• Create a custom Smart List that only shows high priority items across all your projects
• When you're feeling overwhelmed, jump into that one list and see your non-negotiables for the day

🔁 Reusable List Templates

This is my personal favourite, and something I wish apps like Things 3 had. If you're constantly recreating the same checklist for travel, grocery runs, or recurring work projects, start using templates.

How to use it:

• Take any existing list, complete with subtasks and tags
• Save it as a master blueprint
• Next time you're packing for a trip or starting a new client project, tap "Use Template"
• A fresh list generates instantly

It completely removes the startup friction of remembering every step from scratch. This one's been a total lifesaver for managing all my video projects, since most of the steps are the same or very similar each time.

✅ Final Thoughts

Ultimately, you want to use whatever tool removes the friction of capturing and organising tasks. For most people, I genuinely think Reminders is now that tool.

While we're on the topic of removing friction, my favourite app on the Mac right now is Willow, an AI notes and dictation app. It's a 10 out of 10 for my workflow. Check out the full breakdown here.