How to use templates in Reminders app on iPhone, iPad, Mac

Learn how to create and manage reusable reminder templates on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro to quickly create new to-dos and save time.

Why use reminder templates

The templates feature in the Apple Reminders app lets you quickly create new reminder lists with all their tasks from a saved template. Plus, you can share your templates with others or use templates shared by someone else.

For instance, I go grocery shopping every week for perishable items that I buy regularly. While shopping, I have some specific preferences, such as a particular yogurt brand. I took the time to carefully create my grocery list with all my preferences (see the image below), then saved it as a template.

Now whenever I have to go grocery shopping, I can create a new list using that template, and all my items are automatically added. I don’t have to manually type eggs, fruits, and other items each time. I can even share this template with my wife, who can use it on her phone.

Create a reminder template

1. Open the iOS Reminders app and go to the reminder list you want to use as a template. If you don’t have such a list, create one and add the tasks.
2. Once you’re inside a reminder list, tap the three-dot menu button at the top and select Save as Template.
3. Edit the template name if you want and save it.

You have successfully created a reminder template. Next, here’s how to use it.

Use a reminder template to make a new list

1. Open the Reminders app, then tap the add list icon to create a new list.
2. Tap Templates from the top.
3. The reminder template you created earlier will appear here. Select it.
4. Give your list a relevant name and tap Create.

You have created a new reminders list using the template. Tap this newly added list, and you’ll see that all the tasks/reminders from the template are automatically added to this list.

Edit, share, or delete reminder templates

1. Tap the three dots menu button in the Reminders app, then choose Templates.
2. From here, touch & hold a template or tap its info button ⓘ to edit, share, or delete it. Alternatively, you can swipe left or right to delete or share a template, respectively.

Here’s more about these actions.

Edit a template

• While editing a template, tap the plus button (+) to add a new task.
• Swipe left on an added task to delete it, flag it, or add more details like date, time, tags, location, priority status, etc.
• To rename the reminder template, tap the three dots menu button at the top, followed by Show Template Info, and give it a new name. From this screen, you can also change the template color and glyph (symbol). When you have made your changes, tap the checkmark icon to save them.

Share a template

After you tap Share Template > Continue, you can use one of the available options on the iOS Share Sheet, like Messages, Mail, WhatsApp, etc. You can also copy the iCloud link for that template and share it as needed.

Choose what you share: When you follow the initial steps to share a reminder template, you’ll see a screen that lets you include or exclude date & time, tags, or locations from the shared template. Please note that if your reminder task has images, they are always removed from the shared template.

Stop sharing a template: If you no longer want to share a template, go to the Templates screen and tap the info button ⓘ next to a shared template. Next, tap Manage Link and select Stop Sharing.

Delete a template

Once you save a reminder template, it stays persistent and isn’t deleted even if you delete the reminder list you initially used to make the template. For example, let’s say you created a list called Grocery and saved it as a template. Now, even if you delete the Grocery reminder list or mark all its tasks as completed, the template will stay as is. If you think you no longer need a particular reminder template, follow the above steps to delete it permanently.

Duplicate a template

There is no clear toggle to duplicate a template, but if you must, there is an easy workaround. Create a new reminder list using the template. Now, save that list (which is a replica of the template) as a new reminder template. Before saving, you may optionally make changes to the tasks if necessary.

Reminder templates on Mac

You can also use templates inside the Reminders app on a Mac running macOS Ventura or later. To do that, select a reminder list and click File > Save as Template from the top menu bar.

When it comes to using that template, click the add list icon or button and choose Templates. The process is almost identical to using reminder templates on iPhone and iPad.

Reminder templates on Apple Vision Pro

Thanks to iCloud, your iPhone, iPad, and Mac reminders and templates are already on your Vision Pro headset. This ensures you have a seamless experience there.

However, if you like, you can also save a new template directly on your Apple Vision Pro. And as you’ve expected, this will sync across all your other iOS and macOS devices.

1. Open the Reminders app on your Vision Pro and view a list.
2. Tap the three dots icon and choose Save a Template.
3. Now, give the template a name, choose to include completed reminders, and tap Save.

This template is now ready to be used in the Vision Pro Reminders app when you tap Add List to create a new list.

Also, check out:

• How to delete all completed reminders
• How to create a shared family grocery list on iPhone