Smart Lists in iOS 15 Reminders Explained

With the release of iOS 15, Apple significantly upgraded the Reminders application by introducing custom Smart Lists alongside tag-based organization. This update transformed Smart Lists from a set of fixed, pre-configured views into a flexible automation tool, enabling users to automatically aggregate tasks based on multiple personalized parameters. The following overview covers all the key updates, filter parameters, and management capabilities added to Smart Lists in iOS 15.

Creation of Custom Smart Lists

Prior to iOS 15, users were limited to Apple’s default Smart Lists: Today, Scheduled, All, Flagged, and Completed. In iOS 15, users gained the ability to create their own custom Smart Lists from scratch. When creating a new list via the "Add List" prompt, users can select the "Make into Smart List" option, turning a standard manual list into a dynamic filter.

Tag-Based Filtering

A major addition to iOS 15 Reminders was support for hashtags (e.g., #errands, #work). Smart Lists integrated directly with this feature, allowing users to build lists that automatically pull in any reminder containing one or more specific tags. Users can select multiple tags and decide whether a task must match all selected tags or any of them.

Expanded Filter Attributes

In addition to tags, iOS 15 introduced several core filter criteria that can be combined to define a Smart List:

  • Date: Filters tasks by specific dates, relative ranges (such as the next 7 days), or relative markers (such as overdue or today).
  • Time: Filters tasks scheduled for specific times of day, including morning, afternoon, evening, or night.
  • Location: Gathers reminders associated with arriving at or leaving a specific address or geofence.
  • Flag: Filters tasks based on whether or not they are flagged.
  • Priority: Gathers tasks assigned a specific priority level, such as None, Low, Medium, or High.

Inclusion Logic ("All" vs. "Any")

iOS 15 introduced logic operators for Smart List criteria. When combining multiple filters (such as a tag, a date, and a priority level), users can specify whether the list requires tasks to meet All Filters (AND logic) or Any Filter (OR logic). This prevents clutter and ensures that tasks appear only when strict conditions are met.

Editing and Customization

Users can edit custom Smart Lists at any time by tapping the list menu and choosing "Show List Info." From this panel, list names, colors, icons, and the underlying filter rules can be modified without altering the individual reminders contained within them. Standard default smart lists can also be reordered or hidden from the main screen to streamline the interface.