How to use Siri with Reminders

In my last article, I showed how to set up a shared shopping list using the Reminders app, and I showed how to quickly use Siri to add items to those lists. Did you know that Siri and the Reminders app can help you remember many more things?

How To Be Reminded…

There are many ways that the Reminders app and Siri can remind you about something. Here are some that I think are pretty useful.

On a Date

When you want to be reminded about something on a certain date or time, use the word Remind along with the date or time. Here are some examples:

• “Hey Siri, on Saturday remind me to book the hotel room.”
• “Hey Siri, remind me to check on my order on March 13 at 11:00am.”

For these reminders you’ll get a notification at the time and date you specified.

About People

You can be reminded to call someone, and if they are in your contact list, you’ll get a reminder that lets you tap a Call button to quickly make the call. For example:

• “Hey Siri, remind me to call Alex tomorrow at 9:00am”

When you tap on the reminder, you’ll have an easy way to call:

About A Location

You can be reminded about something based on a location. For example, say you’re at the hardware store and want to remember to stop at the grocery store after you leave, just say:

• “Hey Siri, remind me to stop at the grocery store when I leave here.”

You can also use places that are in your contacts list. For example:

• “Hey Siri, when I arrive at Alex’s house remind me to get the ice cream out of the trunk.”

If you let Siri know about your home or work address, then you can say things such as:

• “Hey Siri, when I get home remind me to call Jane.”
• “Hey Siri, when I leave work remind me to stop at the store.”

To set this up, start the Contacts app and tap on My Card, which is the address card for yourself at the top of the list:

If you don’t have your home or work address in this card, tap Edit at the top right and then tap add address to enter the address:

When you’re finished, tap Done.

Next, go to Settings and tap Siri & Search:

If your name is not listed for My Information, tap it and choose your own contact card.

Now Siri will know what you mean when you say “home” or “work.”

Note: adding your address to Siri does not send it to Apple or anywhere else. It simply lets Siri know about it on your device.

About What You’re Doing

The Reminders app can even remind you about things you’re currently doing on your device. For example, say you’re out and about and glance at an email. You don’t have time to deal with it right then, but you want to remember it later. With the email still open on your device, you can say:

• “Hey Siri, remind me about this when I get home”

When you get home, you’ll get a reminder. Tap on that, which will take you to the Reminders app. Tap the icon on the reminder which will take you back to that email.

You can use the same technique for many different apps: web pages, reading a book, working on a note, and many more. For each one, while it’s on the screen, just say “Hey Siri, remind me about this” and you’ll get a reminder that links to that item.

Never Forget Anything

The Reminders app is one of my most-used apps. Between shopping lists, packing lists, tasks related to current projects, and simple reminders to call someone back, it’s invaluable. I hope these tips make it even more useful to you as well.