How to Sync Reminders on iPhone and Mac

Reminders are very handy when it comes to reminding you of important things that you need to do. Apple Reminders is an amazing app that can sync between all your Apple devices and remind you no matter where you are. However, there might be times when not everyone knows about this. Hence we created this guide that tells steps to sync reminders on iPhone and mac.

To sync reminders on iPhone and mac, you need to start by checking whether you have the same Apple ID on both of your devices. Once done, you can then make sure that your iCloud sync is enabled on both devices. Lastly, open the date and time settings on both your Mac and iPhone and enabled Set it Automatically.

This is usually due to some problem with the iCloud account and can easily be fixed. This article details how you can sync reminders between your iPhone and your Mac.

Table of Contents

How to Sync Reminders on iPhone and Mac?

1. Check your Apple ID

The first and foremost thing you must ensure is that you use the same Apple ID on your iPhone and Mac. If you’ve logged into both devices using different Apple IDs, then your reminders are never going to sync between devices. Read the steps provided below to know more.

Checking Apple ID on your iPhone

To check the Apple ID on your iPhone just refer to the instructions provided below to know more.

Unlock your iPhone and open the Settings app.
Your Apple ID should be the first tab as soon as you open the Settings app,
Click on it and see which Apple ID you’re using.

Checking Apple ID on your Mac

Now, moving on to your Mac, you need to make sure your Mac is logged in using the same Apple ID you’ve used on your phone. Refer to the instructions provided below to know more.

Power on your Mac and sign into it.
Now head over to the System Preferences. You can find the System Preferences app on the dock; if you cannot find it there, click on the small magnifying glass icon on the Menu bar. This will launch the Spotlight search bar, type in “ System Preferences” without quotation marks, and hit the return key on your keyboard to open the app.
Subsequently, head over to the Menu bar, select the Apple logo, and choose System Preferences from the list.
Once System Preferences is open, click on the Apple ID tab to the right of the window.
Match the Apple ID used on your iPhone with the Apple ID you see here. If it is something different from the one used on your iPhone, click on the Overview tab and select the Sign out option at the bottom of the window.

Now log in with the same Apple ID you’ve used on your iPhone, and your reminders should automatically start syncing between your two devices.

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2. Check to See if iCloud Sync is Enabled on Both Your Devices

If the iCloud sync is disabled even on one of the devices, your reminders won’t sync to it. Refer to the instructions provided below to see how you can check to ensure that iCloud sync is enabled on both of your devices.

Checking iCloud Sync on iPhone

In order to check if the iCloud sync is turned on or not on your iPhone is pretty straightforward; just refer to the instructions provided below to know more.

Unlock your iPhone and open the Settings app.
Click on your Apple ID; it should be the first tab as soon as your open the settings.
Scroll down and select the iCloud tab.
A list of applications that is syncing between your devices will be displayed on the screen.
Scroll down until you see the Reminders app and ensure it is switched on.

Checking iCloud Sync on Your Mac

Now we’ll check for the same thing on your Mac. Refer to the instructions provided below to know more.

Power on your Mac and sign into it.
Now head over to the System Preferences. You can find the System Preferences app on the dock.
Subsequently, you can move the cursor over to the Menu bar, select the Apple icon, and choose System Preferences.
After opening System Preferences, click on the Apple ID tab to the right of the window.
Now, click on the iCloud tab.
You will see a list of apps that are allowed to sync between devices using iCloud.
Scroll until you see the Reminders app and ensure it is switched on.

After doing this, your reminders should begin syncing between your iPhone and Mac shortly.

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3. Date & Time

A lot of times, if the date and time on one of your devices are not properly set to the time zone and country you are in, it can cause problems communicating with the iCloud server, and you’ll be met with a message saying, “ reminders not syncing. “ Refer to the instructions provided below to see how this can be fixed.

On Your iPhone

Unlock your iPhone and open the Settings app.
Scroll down and click on the General tab.
Select the Date & Time tab.
Ensure the box next to the Set automatically option is toggled on, and you should be good.

On Your Mac

Power on and sign in to your Mac.
Now head over to the System Preferences. You can find the System Preferences app on the dock; if you cannot find it there, click on the small magnifying glass icon on the Menu bar. This will launch the Spotlight search bar, type in “ System Preferences” without quotation marks, and hit the return key on your keyboard to open the app.
Subsequently, you can move the cursor over to the Menu bar, select the Apple icon, and choose System Preferences.
Once you’ve opened System Preferences, click on the Date & Time tab
Make sure you automatically check the box next to the Set date and time.

Conclusion

In this mac tutorial, we learn how to sync reminders on iPhone and mac.

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Kirithika

I am Kirithika and a senior technical content writer expertise in using various Microsoft and Google tools like OneDrive, Outlook Online, Word Online, Microsoft Forms, Microsoft teams, Google Drive, etc. I love to share how-to tutorials, tips, and tricks on these tools. From last 5 years, I am trying to serve various clients across the United States of America. Check out more on About me page.