How to set reminders on iPhone
To set a reminder on iPhone, open the Reminders app, tap New Reminder, type what you need to do, then tap the Date and Time button to choose when. Or just say “Siri, remind me to call the dentist tomorrow at 10am.” To make a reminder repeat, give you a heads-up in advance or ring like an alarm, open its details and use Repeat, Early Reminder or Urgent.
If a reminder doesn't go off, the cause is usually one of four things: notifications are off for Reminders, a Focus is hiding it, it has a date but no time, or it was saved to a different account. The last section walks through each fix.
Steps were checked against Apple Support for iOS 27 and iOS 26 on 12 November 2026. Button names can differ slightly on older versions of iOS.
On this page
Which kind of reminder do you need?
Apple Reminders can alert you at a time, at a place or in a conversation. Pick the row that matches what you want, then follow the steps below.
| You want to be reminded | Use | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Once, at a set time | Date and Time | The calendar button when you add the reminder |
| Every day, week or month | Repeat | The reminder's details, after a date is set |
| Some time before it's due | Early Reminder | The reminder's details |
| Even when the phone is on silent | Urgent (iOS 26.2 and later) | The reminder's details, under Date & Time |
| When you arrive or leave somewhere | Location | The location button |
| Next time you text someone | When Messaging | The reminder's details |
How to set a reminder in the Reminders app
Reminders comes with every iPhone. It works best with iCloud Reminders turned on, which also keeps your list in sync on your iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
Open Reminders and tap New Reminder
Type what you need to do. Start with the action, such as “Call the dentist to move Friday's appointment”, so you know what to do the moment it appears.
Tap the Date and Time button
Choose Today, Tomorrow, This Weekend or Next Week, or tap Custom to pick an exact date and time.
Add a time, not only a date
A reminder with a date but no time alerts you at 9am by default. To change that hour, go to Settings, then Apps, then Reminders, and tap the time under All-Day Reminders.
Or type it all in one go (iOS 27)
On iPhones with Apple Intelligence, you can type a full sentence such as “pay the water bill Friday at 6pm”. Reminders suggests the date and time above the keyboard for you to add.
Quicker ways to add a reminder
You don't have to open the app first. On iOS 26 and later you can add a reminder from the Reminders widget on your Home Screen, the Reminders control in Control Center, or the Action Button if you assign Reminders to it. In the Calendar app, tap the plus button and choose Reminder to add one straight into your day.
How to set a reminder with Siri
Say what and when in one sentence. Siri saves it to Reminders and shows you what it understood, so glance at the time before you move on.
For “when I get home” or “when I get to work”, Siri needs those addresses on your own card in Contacts. Open Contacts, tap your name, tap Edit, add the address, then tap Done.
Remind me tomorrow at 3pm to call TaraRemind me to feed the dog every day at 7:30amRemind me when I get home to check the mailRemind me when I leave here to stop by the grocery storeHow to make a reminder repeat
Repeat only works on a reminder that has a date, so set the date first.
Open the reminder's details
Tap the reminder, then tap the Info button next to it.
Turn on Date or Time
Set when the first one should go off.
Tap Repeat and choose how often
Pick a ready-made option such as daily, weekly or monthly, or Custom for a schedule like every other Tuesday. To stop it after a certain day, set End Repeat.
How to get an early reminder
An early reminder is a second alert before the due time. It helps when you need time to get ready, such as leaving for an appointment or gathering papers before a deadline.
Open the reminder's details and tap Early Reminder, then choose how far ahead you want it, for example “5 minutes before” or “2 days before”. The reminder needs a date and time first.
How to make a reminder ring like an alarm
On iOS 26.2 and later, an Urgent reminder sounds an alarm when it's due, even if your iPhone is on silent or a Focus is on. Use it for the few things you truly can't miss, like medicine or a school pickup.
Open the reminder's details
Tap the reminder, then tap the Info button.
Turn on Urgent under Date & Time
If no time is set, it defaults to the next hour. Change the date and time to when you want the alarm.
Allow alarms if you don't see the option
Go to Settings, then Apps, then Reminders, and turn on Alarms.
Know which device rings
The alarm only sounds on the device Find My uses as your location. If you carry an iPad too, check Find My, then Me, to see which one it is.
How to get reminded at a place or in a chat
To be reminded at a place, tap the Location button, choose a place such as Home or a custom address, and pick whether to be reminded when you arrive or when you leave. You can also choose getting into the car, if your car connects to the iPhone over Bluetooth. Location reminders need Location Services on: go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Location Services, tap Reminders, choose While Using the App and turn on Precise Location.
To be reminded in a conversation, open the reminder's details, turn on When Messaging and choose a contact. The reminder pops up the next time you chat with that person in Messages. It's handy for things like “ask Sam about the weekend plans”.
How to complete, edit or delete a reminder
Tap the empty circle next to a reminder to mark it done. For a repeating reminder, the next one appears after you complete the current one. To see finished items, tap the More button, then Show Completed.
To change a reminder, tap it and edit the text, or tap the Info button for its date, repeat and other details. To delete one without completing it, swipe left on it and tap Delete. Deleted reminders stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days if you change your mind.
You can also complete a reminder from the Lock Screen: swipe left on the notification, tap View, then tap Mark as Completed.
See your reminders on Apple Watch, iPad and Mac
Turn on iCloud Reminders and the same list appears on every Apple device signed in to your Apple Account. Go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then See All, and turn on Reminders. You can then ask Siri on Apple Watch to add a reminder, and it shows up on your iPhone too.
Reminders that have a date also show in the Calendar app, so you can see tasks and events in one place. On a Windows PC or an Android phone there is no Reminders app, but you can open your list at iCloud.com in a web browser.
Why iPhone reminders don't go off, and how to fix it
If a reminder was saved but you never saw it, work through these checks in order. Most people find the cause in the first three.
Notifications are off for Reminders
Go to Settings, then Notifications, then Reminders. Turn on Allow Notifications, and make sure Lock Screen, Notification Center and Banners are all ticked. Turn on Time Sensitive Notifications too.
A Focus or Do Not Disturb hid it
Open Settings, then Focus, choose the Focus you use and add Reminders under Allowed Apps. For anything that must break through, make the reminder Urgent instead.
It's going into a Scheduled Summary
If you use Scheduled Summary, reminders can wait for the next summary instead of arriving on time. In Settings, then Notifications, then Scheduled Summary, turn it off for Reminders.
It has a date but no time
Date-only reminders alert at 9am, or at the hour set under All-Day Reminders. Open the reminder and add the time you actually need.
It was saved to another account or list
If you have Reminders from more than one account, Siri may have saved it to the other one. Check every list, and set your Default List in Settings, then Apps, then Reminders. Make sure iCloud Reminders is turned on as well.
The alarm rang on another device
Urgent alarms only sound on the device Find My uses as your location. Check Find My, then Me.
Still nothing
Restart your iPhone and install any iOS update. If reminders still don't sync or alert, check Apple's System Status page for a problem with iCloud Reminders.
Reminders that arrive in WhatsApp
Some people swipe away app notifications without reading them but always open their messages. If that's you, Pokobot sends reminders as WhatsApp messages instead. Message Poko something like “remind me at 6pm to call the dentist”, check the time it confirms, and the reminder comes back in the same chat. Repeats work the same way: “every Monday at 9am remind me to send the timesheet”.
We build Pokobot, so weigh this as our suggestion. It has no Siri support, location reminders or Apple Watch app, and it needs an internet connection. Every feature is free for 7 days with no card required, then reminders need a paid plan. If Apple Reminders already reaches you, stick with it.
Remind me in 2 minutes to check this reminder arrives on my iPhoneOpen in WhatsApp On iPhone but not on WhatsApp? We're thinking about adding iMessage. Leave your email and we'll tell you if we do.
Questions, answered
- Can I set a reminder without unlocking my iPhone?
- Yes, with Siri, as long as Allow Siri When Locked is turned on in your Siri settings. Say “Siri, remind me…” with the time, and it's saved to Reminders.
- How do I change the sound of iPhone reminders?
- Go to Settings, then Sounds & Haptics, then Reminder Alerts, and pick a sound. Urgent reminders use an alarm sound instead, which plays even on silent.
- Why did my reminder go off at 9am instead of the time I wanted?
- It had a date but no time, so it used the All-Day Reminders time, which is 9am unless you change it. Open the reminder and set an exact time.
- Can I share reminders with my family?
- Yes. Open a list, tap the More button and choose Share List, then invite people who use iCloud. Everyone can add and tick off items, and you can assign a reminder to a person in the list.
- Do iPhone reminders work on Android or Windows?
- Not as an app. On a Windows PC you can open your reminders at iCloud.com in a browser. For reminders that reach any phone, a WhatsApp reminder service such as Pokobot works on iPhone and Android alike.
- What's the difference between Reminders and an alarm in Clock?
- A Clock alarm only rings at a time. A reminder holds a task you can tick off, can repeat, and can alert you at a place or in a chat. Urgent reminders combine both: a task that rings like an alarm. They don't appear in the Clock app.
- Where did my completed reminders go?
- They are hidden, not deleted. Open the list, tap the More button, then Show Completed. Reminders you deleted stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days.