How to Use Location-Based Reminders on the iPhone

The Reminders app is useful for keeping track of the many things we need to do. It also provides the ability to set location-based reminders that will remind us to do something when we arrive or leave a specific location.

As an example, let’s say you are sitting at home one evening and remember it’s your turn to bring donuts to work in the morning. Using the Reminders app, you can set a reminder to get donuts when you leave home. As you leave your house the next morning, your iPhone will remind you to get donuts.

Setting a Location-Based Reminder

To set a location-based reminder, open the Reminders app and tap the plus sign in the top right corner of the screen. Enter a title for the reminder and press Done in the top right corner of the screen.

Tap the reminder to open the Details screen and move the slider for “Remind Me At a Location” to the ON position. The address for your current location will automatically appear below the slider. To set a different location, tap the address and choose one from the list or enter an address into the field provided. By tapping the address field, you can either type an address into the field or select the blue button with a plus sign at the right of the field to select an address from your Contacts.

Select either “When I Leave” or “When I Arrive”, depending on how you want to be notified.

You also have an option to include a note in the reminder. For our example, let’s say we need to buy three dozen donuts. Tap on the “Show More” button and select “Notes” to enter the text “Buy 3 dozen”.

When finished, tap Done in the top right corner to return to the main page. The setup for this reminder is now complete. You will see the “Get Donuts” reminder in the list with the “Buy 3 dozen” note.

The next time you leave your house, the iPhone will provide an alert reminding you to get donuts.

Add Locations to Your Contacts

To make the process easier, add frequently used locations, such as stores or businesses, to your Contacts. Make sure to add your home and work addresses to your own contact information. This will allow you to refer to these locations as simply “home”, “work”, or by the business name.

Use Siri to Set a Reminder

To use Siri to automatically setup location-based reminders, you need to have the address locations already entered into your Contacts. Then, simply push and hold the Home button on the iPhone to activate Siri. Tell Siri “Remind me to get donuts when I leave home”. Siri will create the reminder using the address in your Contacts.

Location-based reminders can use some additional battery power since location services needs to monitor your position. If battery drain is an issue, use time-based reminders when you can.

Time-Based Reminders

A time-based reminder is setup similar to a location-based reminder. The main difference is to select “Remind Me On a Day” instead of “Remind Me At a Location” when creating the reminder. You can then select date and time options for the reminder.