How to Make a To-Do List on Mac: Reminders, Notes, Gubb

The quickest way to make a to-do list on a Mac is Apple Reminders. Open it, click Add List at the bottom of the sidebar, then type each task and press Return. For a simple checklist inside a note, open Notes and press ⇧⌘L (Shift-Command-L).

Both are free and built in. Of the three apps here, only Reminders can alert you when something is due. Notes is better when the list sits next to other text. We make Gubb, a scratchpad app that turns a note into a to-do list with dates, priorities and subtasks when you type gubb@todo on its own line. Below are exact steps for all three, followed by a table to help you pick.

Make a to-do list in Apple Reminders

Reminders is a task app. Each item can have a date, a time, a priority and an alert, and your lists sync to your iPhone and iPad through iCloud.

1. Open Reminders. It's in your Applications folder, or you can press ⌘Space (Command-Space) and type "Reminders".
2. Click Add List at the bottom of the sidebar.
3. Type a name for the list and press Return.
4. Click the + button at the top right of the window, or press ⌘N, to add a reminder.
5. Type the task and press Return. A new empty line appears for the next one.
6. Click the circle next to a task when it's done.

Add a due date and an alert

Reminders understands natural language. If you type a date and time into the task, such as "Send invoice Friday at 10am", Reminders can set them for you.

To set them by hand, hover over a reminder, click the Info button (the small "i"), and turn on a date and a time. At that time your Mac shows a notification.

What else Reminders can do

Reminders also supports:

• sections inside a list
• tags and flags
• repeating reminders
• location-based reminders
• Smart Lists
• grocery lists that sort themselves into categories

Some of these need upgraded iCloud reminders and the same Apple Account on each device.

What it can't do: Reminders is a task list, not a writing space. Meeting notes or a running brain dump don't fit well around the tasks. It also runs only on Apple devices, so there's no Windows version.

Make a checklist in Apple Notes

Notes is the better pick when the checklist belongs inside other writing, such as a packing list under trip details or action items under meeting notes.

1. Open Notes.
2. Press ⌘N (Command-N) to start a new note.
3. Type a title and press Return.
4. Press ⇧⌘L. You can also choose Format > Checklist or click the checklist button in the toolbar.
5. Type the first item and press Return to start the next one.
6. Press Return on an empty item to end the checklist and go back to normal text.
7. Click the circle next to an item to tick it off.

What it can't do: checklist items in Notes have no due dates, no priorities and no alerts. If you need a reminder at 3 p.m., put that item in Reminders. Notes does sync through iCloud, and you can share a note with other people. That works well for a shared shopping list.

Make a to-do list in Gubb

Gubb is a single-window scratchpad for Mac, also available on Windows. It holds notes, checklists, to-do lists, Kanban boards, clipboard history and timers. It gives you two kinds of list.

Before you start, note that Gubb hides its buttons until you need them. Hover over the title bar to see + (Create New Note). Move the pointer to the right edge of the note to see the button column.

Quick checklist with [ ]

Use this when you want a list of things to tick off inside a normal note.

1. Click + in the title bar to start a new note.
2. At the start of a line, type [ ] (or []) and press Space. The line becomes an unchecked checklist item.
3. Type the task and press Return to add the next item.
4. Press Return on an empty item to end the list.
5. Click the box to tick an item. Checked items are struck through.

Typing [x] and then Space makes an item that starts out checked. You can mix checklists with headings (# then Space) and bullet lists (- then Space) in the same note. Our Markdown checklist syntax page explains this notation if you want to use it elsewhere.

Full to-do list with gubb@todo

Use this when tasks need due dates, priorities or subtasks.

1. Click + in the title bar to start a new note.
2. On an empty line, type gubb@todo (or /todo) with nothing else on that line. Another way is to type gubb@, pick To-Do from the menu with ↑/↓, and press Return or Tab.
3. The line becomes a to-do block, and the note is titled "Todo List".
4. Click in the Add a task... field, type a task and press Return. Repeat for each task.
5. To give a task a date or priority as you create it, click the + button (Add new task) instead. Enter the task name, set Due Date and Priority, add notes if you like, and click Add Task.
6. Click the circle next to a task to complete it.
   Tasks are grouped automatically into Overdue, Today, Tomorrow, Upcoming and No Date. You can collapse each section.

To keep the list in view while you work, click Pin window on top in the right-edge column. The window then stays above your other apps. More on that in how to keep a window on top on Mac.

What it can't do:

• No alerts or notifications for due dates.
• Dates only, with no times.
• No repeating tasks.
• No drag to reorder.
• No sync and no iPhone app. Lists are stored locally on your computer.

If you need a reminder at a specific time, put that task in Reminders.

As of November 2026, the direct download from gubb.net is a $59 one-time lifetime license. You can download the 7-day free trial without an account.

Priorities and subtasks in each app

The three apps differ most on priorities and subtasks.

Reminders

• Priorities: hover over a reminder, click the Info button, and set Priority to None, Low, Medium or High. You can also flag a reminder to add it to the Flagged list.
• Subtasks: drag one reminder onto another, or select it and press ⌘] (Command-Right Bracket) to indent it under the reminder above. Subtasks are full reminders with their own dates and alerts.

Notes

• Priorities: none. A common workaround is to keep the most important items at the top, or to split the note under headings like "Today" and "Later".
• Subtasks: you can indent a checklist item with Format > Indentation > Increase so it sits under another. This only changes the layout. The nested item has no count and no date.

Gubb (gubb@todo block)

• Priorities: in the task form, Priority offers None, Low, Medium, High and Urgent. Each one shows as a colored flag on the task.
• Subtasks: click Add subtasks on a task row. A window titled "Subtasks for: <task>" opens. Add each subtask in the Add a new subtask... field, then click Close. The task row then shows progress, such as "1/3".
• Notes on a task: click Toggle details on a task to see its notes and the date it was created.

Compare the three methods

Which to use

• Pick Reminders if you need an alert when something is due, want the list on your iPhone, or need repeating tasks. It's free, and for most people it does the job.
• Pick Notes if the checklist is part of a bigger note, such as meeting action items, a packing list or a shared grocery list, and nothing needs an alert.
• Pick Gubb if you already keep a scratchpad open while you work and want today's tasks, with priorities and subtasks, in that same window. It also runs on Windows, but lists don't sync between computers. If you'd rather see tasks as columns, type gubb@board on its own line to make a Kanban board instead (see personal Kanban board apps for Mac).

To compare dedicated task managers such as Things 3 and Todoist, see our roundup of the best to-do list apps for Mac. For a ready-made structure you can type into any of these apps, start from the daily to-do list template.

If it doesn't work

Reminders alerts don't appear. Open System Settings, click Notifications, find Reminders in the list, and make sure notifications are allowed. If you need an alert at an exact moment, give the reminder a time as well as a date.

Your Reminders list isn't on your iPhone. Open System Settings, click your name at the top of the sidebar, then click iCloud. Find Reminders in the list of apps using iCloud and make sure it's turned on. Your iPhone must be signed in to the same Apple Account.

The checklist option in Notes is dimmed. The note is probably stored in an email account, such as a Gmail account added to Notes, and those notes can't hold checklists. Create the note in your iCloud folder instead.

gubb@todo didn't turn into a to-do list, or the list behaves oddly. The trigger must be alone on its line. If it sits inside other text, the note can open in an older to-do view where ticking and deleting don't work. Start a new note with +, type gubb@todo on an empty line, and add your tasks there.

The Gubb to-do header says "Today" even though your tasks are next week. That header is the block's title, and it always reads "Today" next to the total task count. The real date grouping is in the sections below it (Tomorrow, Upcoming and so on).

You deleted a Gubb task by mistake. Delete task removes the task at once, without asking first. Re-add it with Add a task... or the + form.

FAQ

Can an Apple Notes checklist remind me about an item?
No. Notes checklists have no dates or alerts. Copy the item into Reminders, or keep the whole list there.

Do Gubb to-do lists sync to my iPhone?
No. Gubb has no sync and no iPhone app, and lists are stored in a local database on your computer. Use Reminders if you need the list on your phone.

What's the fastest way to make a checklist without leaving the keyboard?
In Notes, press ⌘N and then ⇧⌘L. In Gubb, type [ ] at the start of a line and press Space. The Gubb help center covers the to-do block in more detail.