Reminders

Reminders is one of those apps people underestimate until the day they finally use it to its fullest. Hidden beneath the simple-sounding name is a powerful task manager that you can use for free across all your Apple devices.

Reminders is one of the best productivity apps because it’s already on your iPhone, it syncs with iCloud, and it’s super quick to access. You can create a new reminder from the app or ask Siri to add it for you, which means you’ll never forget an idea or an important task you need to tackle. That matters more than features, especially if you’re someone who always says, “I’ll remember it later,” even though you know that’s not true.

Reminders has gotten way more flexible over the years. You can now organize lists with sections and subtasks, which makes it surprisingly good for light and pro projects. And if errands are a recurring source of chaos, Grocery Lists can automatically categorize items for you (as long as you have iOS 17 or a later software update).

When your task manager app is easy to use, you stop carrying tasks in your brain. And that’s where the real productivity boost comes from.