Google Tasks Reminders: How They Work Now That Reminders Are Gone

If you used to create reminders in Google Calendar or with Google Assistant, you have probably noticed they now show up as Google Tasks. Google moved its old Reminders into Tasks, so "a Google reminder" and "a Google task with a time" are now the same thing.

How to create a Google Tasks reminder

In Google Calendar on a computer

1. Click an empty time slot, or click Create, and choose Task.
2. Add a title, then set a date and a time.
3. Click Save.

In the Google Tasks app (iPhone or Android)

1. Tap + (or New task).
2. Type the task, then tap the calendar icon to add a date and time.
3. Save it.

Give the task a time, not just a date, if you want to be reminded at a specific moment.

How to make a Google Tasks reminder repeat

When you set the date, choose Repeat and pick daily, weekly, monthly, or a custom pattern. Repeating tasks are useful for bills, medication, and chores. Each time you mark one complete, the next one is created.

Google Tasks reminders on iPhone

On an iPhone, install the Google Tasks app (or use the Google Calendar app) and allow notifications for it in Settings > Notifications. Without that permission, tasks still appear in the app but you will not get an alert.

What Google Tasks reminders cannot do

• They are notifications only. No alarm, no repeat alert. On silent or in Do Not Disturb, they arrive quietly.
• They only reach you. You cannot send a task reminder to someone else's phone.
• They are easy to clear. One swipe and it is gone, done or not.

For most tasks that is fine. For the few that cannot slip, like a medication dose, a bill due today, or a call you promised to make, you may want something louder.

When a phone call works better

DoNotify places a real phone call at the time you set and reads out your note. It can call you or someone else, it works on any phone, and if voicemail picks up it calls back from a different number. You can also connect Google Calendar and get calls before chosen events. See phone call reminders for how it works. The first 14 calls are free.

For the basics of Calendar reminders and notifications, see how to set a reminder in Google Calendar.