iOS 15 Reminders Custom Smart Lists Updates

Apple significantly expanded the functionality of the native Reminders app in iOS 15 by introducing fully customizable Smart Lists. This update transformed Reminders into a more versatile task manager by allowing users to automatically aggregate tasks based on specific, user-defined criteria rather than organizing everything manually. Below is a detailed breakdown of the updates and filtering parameters introduced to custom Smart Lists in iOS 15.

Tag-Based Filtering

The cornerstone of the iOS 15 Reminders update was the introduction of tags (e.g., #work, #errands). When creating a custom Smart List, users gained the ability to filter tasks based on these tags. The system allows you to select:

• All Selected Tags: Includes only tasks that contain every single tag you choose.
• Any Selected Tags: Includes tasks that have at least one of the tags you select.

Date and Time Parameters

Custom Smart Lists introduced granular scheduling filters to organize tasks dynamically by time:

• Date: Filter by specific dates, relative ranges (such as the next 7 days), or set parameters for tasks due "Today."
• Time of Day: Filter items scheduled for specific times, such as Morning, Afternoon, Evening, or Night.

Location Filters

Users can set a Smart List to trigger based on assigned geolocations. Tasks can be gathered based on whether they are set to alert you when arriving at or leaving specific saved locations, such as home, work, or a custom address.

Flagged Status

A simple toggle allows custom Smart Lists to filter items based purely on whether a reminder has been flagged, letting users easily separate high-importance tasks from general to-dos.

Priority Levels

The update added the ability to filter reminders according to four distinct priority levels:

• None
• Low
• Medium
• High

Combining Multiple Criteria

The primary power of the iOS 15 update is the ability to combine any or all of these filters into a single Smart List. For example, a user can create a list that only displays tasks that are tagged #work, set to "High Priority," and due within the next week. The Smart List updates automatically in real time as tasks are created, modified, or completed across all standard reminder lists.