Shared reminders for couples on iPhone and Android
Apple Reminders is great for sharing, as long as you're both on Apple. If one of you has an iPhone and the other has an Android phone, it falls short. Here's what's going on, and what works instead.
The problem with Apple Reminders for mixed-phone couples
Apple's shared Reminders lists are built around iCloud: Apple describes sharing as being with other iCloud users, so everyone needs an Apple Account. There's no Reminders app for Android. Someone on Android can reach lists through iCloud.com in a browser, but Apple's own help notes limits there: with the newer version of Reminders you might not see all of your shared lists on iCloud.com, and you can't manage sharing on the web. It works as a stopgap, but not as the shared system for a household.
What to look for instead
- An app or installable web app that works on both phones, so reminders arrive as notifications for both of you.
- The same list for both of you, updated live, rather than copies you have to keep in sync.
- Task owners and due dates, so a reminder goes to the right person.
- No brand lock-in, so if either of you changes phone, the list keeps working.
Options that work across iPhone and Android
- Microsoft To Do: free, with apps for both phones and the web. You share a list by invitation link, and you each need a Microsoft account.
- Todoist: more powerful, with a free plan that lets you share a project with up to five people.
- TickOff: our app, a shared list for couples and small crews that works in the browser and installs to the home screen on both iPhone and Android.
Our comparison of shared to-do apps goes through the trade-offs in more detail.
How to switch without losing your list
- Pick the new app together. Create the shared list and have both phones signed in before you move anything.
- Copy over only what's still live. Open Reminders, pick out the open items, and paste or retype them into the new list. Leave the finished ones behind.
- Assign owners as you go. It's the ideal moment to decide who owns what.
- Retire the old list. Agree a date after which you stop using Reminders for shared things, or you'll end up checking both.
Getting notifications on each phone
- iPhone: web apps can send notifications once you add them to the Home Screen. Open the app in Safari, tap Share, choose "Add to Home Screen", then open it from the new icon and allow notifications.
- Android: open it in Chrome, choose "Add to Home screen" or "Install app", and allow notifications when asked.
Where TickOff fits
TickOff doesn't care which phone you each have. You both open the same list, changes appear for both of you in real time, and each task can be assigned to one of you or both. Reminders go to the person who owns the task: before it's due, at the due time, and once a day while it's overdue. It's free for up to three people and 30 active tasks.
Common questions
Will my partner see my reminders?
Reminders go to the person a task is assigned to. Everyone in the group can see the list itself, so keep anything private out of a shared list.
What if we change phones later?
Nothing changes. Your list lives in your account, not on the phone, so you just sign in on the new one.