Windows has no app called "Reminders", which is why so many people search for how to set one. The tools are there, they are just spread across the Clock app, Microsoft To Do and Outlook. Setting a reminder takes seconds. The hard part is seeing it, because Windows quietly silences notifications while you present, share your screen or work in a full-screen app. Here is how to set each kind, and how to make sure the important ones reach you.
The short version: use Microsoft To Do for to-dos, Outlook for meetings, the Clock app for alarms that must keep ringing, check your Do Not Disturb rules, and use a phone call reminder for the meetings you cannot afford to miss.
1. Set a Reminder in Microsoft To Do
Best for to-dos with a deadline: pay the invoice, renew the licence, call the client back. To Do comes with Windows 11 and is a free download on Windows 10.
Open Microsoft To Do (press the Windows key and type "To Do") and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Type the task in Add a task and press Enter. Be specific: "Send Aisha the signed quote" beats "quote".
Click the task, choose Remind me and pick Later today, Tomorrow or Pick a date & time. A due date on its own does not alert you; the reminder time does.
Optional: click Repeat for weekly or monthly tasks.
Tip: install Microsoft To Do on your phone with the same account and every reminder you set on the PC also alerts on your phone. That alone catches most reminders you would otherwise miss while away from your desk.
2. Add Reminders to Meetings in Outlook
Meetings belong in your calendar, because they have a start time and usually a Teams or Zoom link. On Windows 11 the built-in Calendar app has been replaced by the new Outlook, so this is where your events live.
Per event: open the event, find the Reminder drop-down and pick a time, such as 15 minutes before. Save the event.
For every event (new Outlook): go to Settings > Calendar > Events and invitations and set the Default reminder.
For every event (classic Outlook): go to File > Options > Calendar and tick Default reminders. Reminders in classic Outlook only pop up while Outlook is open, so leave it running.
Using Google Calendar on Windows? Its reminders arrive through your browser, so they only appear if the browser is allowed to send notifications and is running. See our Google Calendar and Outlook troubleshooting guides if alerts are not coming through.
3. Use the Clock App When It Has to Keep Ringing
To Do and Outlook play one short sound. The Clock app keeps ringing until you dismiss it. Open Clock, click Alarm, then Add an alarm (the + button), set the time, give it a name such as "Leave for school pickup", choose repeat days and save. Two catches: alarms usually only ring while the PC is awake, and an alarm is not tied to your calendar, so when a meeting moves the alarm does not.
4. What About Cortana and Copilot?
Cortana, which used to take spoken reminders on Windows, has been retired. Copilot can help you write a task list, but it does not alert you by itself: the reminder still has to be saved in To Do or Outlook. For voice reminders, your phone is the better tool (see iPhone or Android).
Which Windows Reminder Should You Use?
| Best for | Keeps alerting? | Follows calendar changes? | Works away from the PC? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft To Do | To-dos, errands, repeats | One notification | No | Yes, with the phone app |
| Outlook reminder | Meetings and appointments | Pop-up until dismissed | Yes | Yes, with Outlook mobile |
| Clock alarm | Fixed times | Yes | No | No |
| Remindavo call | Meetings you cannot miss | Yes, rings like a call | Yes | Yes, rings your phone |
Why Windows Reminders Still Get Missed
- Do Not Disturb turned itself on. In Settings > System > Notifications > Turn on do not disturb automatically, Windows 11 can switch on Do Not Disturb when you duplicate your display, play a game or use an app in full-screen mode. That covers presenting in Teams or PowerPoint, exactly when the next meeting is about to start. Untick the ones you do not want, or add Outlook and To Do under Set priority notifications.
- A Focus session is running. Starting Focus in the Clock app also turns on Do Not Disturb until the timer ends.
- Banners are off for the app. In Settings > System > Notifications, click Outlook, To Do or your browser and make sure Show notification banners is on. Otherwise alerts go silently to the notification centre.
- The app is not allowed to run in the background, or it is closed. Classic Outlook and browser-based calendars cannot alert you if they are not running.
- The PC is asleep or the lid is closed. No screen, no notification. Your phone has to pick it up instead.
Get a Phone Call Instead of a Notification
For the meetings that matter, a ringing phone works where a notification in the corner of your screen does not, and it works whether your PC is asleep, presenting or in a bag. Remindavo connects to Outlook or Google Calendar and rings your phone before each event, with a voice that reads the event name, for example "Quarterly review with Marco in 10 minutes". Live in Teams all day? See phone call reminders for Microsoft Teams meetings.
Sign in at web.remindavo.com from your PC with Microsoft, Google or Apple.
Connect your calendar. Every timed event gets a reminder automatically, including ones you add or move later.
Verify your phone number and choose how early you want the call. Add the iPhone or Android app for instant alerts too.
The free plan includes 5 real reminder calls or 14 days, whichever comes first, with no credit card. App alerts stay free after that, and Premium is $10 a month for unlimited calls. On a Mac as well? Read how to set a reminder on Mac.