You Should Definitely Use Smart Lists on Your IPhone
The Reminders iPhone app is a simple and unassuming to-do list management app, but once you start using it, you realize how powerful it is because it is so well integrated into the OS. (This works especially well with Siri, for example.) Reminders are more than enough for most users (no need for third-party alternatives like Todoist or TickTick ), but two of the important features missing from the app are tags and smart lists. With the iOS 15 update, Apple has taken care of both.
This is a big deal because tags give you a level of freedom in sorting tasks that a simple list simply cannot. You can add multiple tags to one task, which will then appear in multiple lists at the same time. And you can create smart lists that display reminders from multiple tags. This is how it all works.
How to mark tasks in the Reminders app on iPhone and iPad
Marking tasks in the Reminders app couldn’t be easier. Open the Reminders app on your iPhone or iPad and navigate to the list where you want to add a reminder. Click on an empty space to create a new reminder.
After entering your reminder text, click the # button in the toolbar above the keyboard. A new section “Tags” will appear under the task. Enter a tag for the reminder. If not, the Reminders app will create a new tag for you. You can create multiple tags for one note. When you’re done, tap Done to save the reminder.
How to find tagged tasks in the Reminders app on iPhone and iPad
Okay, so you’ve tagged a couple of reminders, but they’re useless if you can’t find tagged tasks. The reminder app has a separate section for tags, but it’s kind of hidden if you have a lot of lists.
Open the Reminders app on your iPhone or iPad and scroll down from the home screen. Here you will see the “Tags” section. You can click on the arrow next to it to expand the list.
Here you can select the All Tags option to see all tagged tasks. Alternatively, you can select a tag to see all related tasks.
How to filter smart tag lists in Reminders app on iPhone and iPad
Once you’ve tagged all the important reminders, it’s time to create a smart list. This is where the power of automation comes in. Using a smart list, you can create a list that follows several rules. For example, it can filter tasks of three tags that must be completed by Sunday and marked as important. There is a lot you can do with smart lists, but we’ll focus on tags here.
Open the Reminders app and click the Add List button. Give the list a name and then select the Make to Smart List option.
Then select the tags you want to include in the list. In the Other Filters section, you can select filters such as date, time, location, flag and priority. After configuring the filters, click Finish twice to save the list.
That’s it, your smart list containing tasks from multiple tags is now complete (smart lists are indicated by a gear icon).
How to remove tags in reminders on iPhone and iPad
There is no direct way to remove tags in the reminder app. To get rid of a tag, you will have to either delete all associated tasks or manually disable all associated tasks.