Integration / sync between Apple Reminders and Calendar?

AGKH wrote:

BusyCal has been doing this really well for years. I keep checking back with Apple development, but nothing to meet BusyCal functionality yet.

That is fairly typical; Apple’s apps are basic and entry level for the most part. For any iPhone function there are 3rd party apps that provide much greater functionality than the built-in apps; I suspect this is to encourage developers, and demonstrate to them that Apple isn’t trying to compete with them. If Apple provided robust features there might not be a BusyCal, Fantastical or WeekCal and as end users we would have less variety to choose among the various features offered, so users benefit also.

Juedne wrote:

Thanks for replying :-) Pity. I wonder why? It seems crazy to have to hunt for a 3rd party app for this when Apple has two excellent apps that just need to talk to each other.

No one here in this user-to-user forum would be able to answer that. However, you can let Apple know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Apple's productivity apps have always been pretty basic. It makes sense that their free apps would be pretty basic, leaving the space open to third-party developers who charge money (of which Apple gets a cut). I also suspect that a lot of people want simple.

No, that is not an option that Apple provides. However, there are other apps (which use the same databased so there's no need to re-enter anything) that provide some syncing. One that I've used is Fantastical. I don't know of any apps that will do time blocking from the Reminders app.

If are willing to spend money, there is a pretty cool (though still a bit rough) application called "Motion" that, does amazing time blocking. You do have to enter your tasks into it but then it syncs them to your calendar as time blocks.

BusyCal is the best solution I've seen, in functionality and pricing. Beware though, no 3rd party app can access all of the features Apple includes in Reminders (Tags, Groups, ...). I suspect Apple has a contract with Microsoft, from when Steve Jobs came back to Apple, and needed a M$ investment to keep Apple alive, that limits their ability to offer certain capabilities that match M$s apps. Does this explain why they don't let developers access Tags or group information?? This is only speculation, but those who know of Apples deeper history, know of the well integrated PIM, Claris Organizer, which morphed to Palm Organizer and then faded away with Palm.

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@dancin_brook “Neither BusyCal nor Fantastical offer two way sync (keeping a task up-to-date in both Reminders and Calendar).”

BusyCal is two-way syncing reminders and BusyCal which works well enough for me 🤷‍♂️ For specifics: An edit to the task/reminder for either app will update the other automatically. It’s limited in terms of *where* the reminders can/will show up inside Reminders if you add a new task (reminder) from inside the BusyCal calendar—you can’t customize that unfortunately. But it definitely syncs two-way BusyCal to Reminders, and within seconds.

As is, it’s working great for what I wanted: I want to see a list of tasks in my calendar view alongside all the events, that I can check off right there in the calendar, that show on the calendar itself before and after completion, and that two-way syncs those tasks between Apple Reminders whatever calendar app. :) 🙏

alexfromnewport news wrote:

I guess everyone else is missing the point.

I'm certainly not missing the point. You want Calender and Reminders to sync.

Why not have them sync (Not a 3rd party solution)?

No one here in this user-to-user forum would know why Apple does not offer that as a feature.

Why install a bunch of other software when we should be able to use the native software?

Because, no matter how much you want it to be the case, the native apps do not currently support it. So, you're left with two choices. 1) Do without or 2) find a third-party solution.

If a simple person as myself can think of this then the highly paid people at Apple should have figured this out.

I have no doubt that Apple is quite capable of making this happen if they wanted to. Apparently, though, they don't want to do so. You can let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

njthemen wrote:

I agree... I always loved the Apple user experience of ios and the mac osx. Always expected high... so much that I thought that this was a very obvious feature... I just planned a whole year of graduating using the reminder app like a task manager only to discover that all of the deadlines I installed don't auto sync to my agenda. I hope it will get fixed soon.

Apple has given no indication that they plan on adding such a feature. You can let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

And, in the meantime, you could use one of the apps mentioned in this thread that does what you want. In the case of Fantastical, it reads from the same reminders database as the built in Apple app so you don't need to re-enter anything. I would image BusyCal is similar that I have no experience with it.

I’ve honestly been looking for this. The closest I got two was an app called Structured on the App Store. It integrates well with both iCal and reminders, but I don’t love the interface too much.

should meet your requirement though!

My Current Solution: the app BusyCal can do it and does it wonderfully with more features. Integrates great with Apple Calendar and Apple Reminders apps, showing each reminder task in the calendar views with easy to use check bubbles.

cozy256 wrote:

I have been slamming the me too button, giving feedback through the forms, and following these community posts for years now. There is no way they haven't jotted this software development down as a dev/fix option on their secret, shiny Apple exclusive kanban board software lmao. PLEASE APPLE. JUST FLIP THE SWITCH. I was really hoping Sonoma would have this stupid blindspot fixed. Guess we'll have to wait for a whole new operating system where Apple says wow hey, we have this new incredible feature no one's ever heard of... *REMINDERS AND CALENDAR IS NOW INTEGRATED...." Just do it already.

On the other hand, perhaps the fact that they have not included this feature on any of their devices despite having Calendar (previously known as iCal) since 2002 and Reminders since 2011, it's time to accept this is not something Apple is interested in doing. It makes far more sense for them to allow third-party apps, especially the ones that cost money, to use this feature to distinguish themselves. Apple doesn't have to spend money developing and testing such a feature and they get a percentage of the take from the third-party.

So, perhaps it's time to avail yourself of one of those third-party apps.

Paul Phillips1 wrote:

This doesn't fully solve your issue, but if you set up a calendar event you can drag it into your reminders so that they are in both places. I use this when I have a deadline - I start with calendar and add the thing I need done when it's expected and then drag it to reminders so that I have it on my list. It does retain a link to your calendar so you can click over to the other app. Unfortunately this is a one-way street, I haven't figured out a way to create a task and then drag it to my calendar. It's odd, as reminders can select a date FROM your calendar but it doesn't create an event when you select it (not does it allow you to auto select a time, just a general range).

Great suggestion.

This is probably what you’re looking for: https://apps.apple.com/in/app/remindercal-reminders-to-cal/id1662218674

I haven’t tried it, but it’s fully local sync, with one time payment, no subscription, and Shortcuts integration. Looks good.

Just appending my previous post…

in addition to Fantastical, I’m really liking BusyCal and Calendars 5.

All are strong contenders for apps that combine Apple calendars and reminders.

it’s hard to decide which is better. They’re all great.

Sorry but BusyCal is a pay once, for 18 months of upgrades, then pay again if their grades are worth paying for again. Otherwise, you get to keep using it without paying for any upgrades.

check their website.

Fantastical requires an ongoing license renewal to use it.

Neither BusyCal nor Fantastical offer two way sync (keeping a task up-to-date in both Reminders and Calendar).

thomasbricker wrote:

I totally agree. The fact that the two of these apps don’t integrate more fully is simply weird. They obviously should.

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple