How to Add Tasks to Google Calendar

Stay organized and on schedule with Google Tasks

Animated illustration of a person changing the label color of Calendar items as they add tasks to Google Calendar

Lifewire / Kyle Fewel

by Marziah Karch
Excels at serious game design and develops online help systems and manuals.
Updated September 12, 2019

Google Tasks is a free online service, accessed through your Google account, that manages to-do lists, easily integrating task lists with your Google Calendar. Google Tasks is accessible from your desktop through Gmail and Google Calendar. To access Google Tasks on a mobile device, download the free Google Tasks app from Google Play (for Android) or from the App Store (for Apple devices).

Instructions in this article apply to the web, Android, and iOS versions of Google Tasks, Google Gmail, and Google Calendar. Google Tasks works in all major web browsers.

How to Add a Task from Calendar on a Computer

When working on your desktop, it's easy to access Google Tasks from Google Calendar. Create task lists and add new tasks as needed.

  1. Open Google Calendar, preferably with the Chrome browser, and log in if prompted.

  2. Open the side panel, then select the Tasks icon.

    If you don't see the Tasks icon but do see Reminders, select the menu to the right of Reminders and choose Switch to Tasks.

    Tasks button in Google Calendar on macOS version of Chrome

  3. Select Add a task.

    Add a task button in Google Calendar via macOS version of Chrome

  4. Enter a description of the task.

    Screenshot of Google Tasks adding description of tasks

Work With Your To-Do List

Managing Google Tasks is straightforward. Choose a date in the properties of the task to add the task to your Google Calendar. To reorder the tasks in the list, drag a task up or down the list. When a task is complete, put a check in the circle to the left of the task to categorize it into a Completed section.

To edit a Google Task, select Edit details (the pencil icon) to add a description, change the due date, or move the task to a different task list.

Make Multiple Task Lists

To keep track of different types of tasks, such as work tasks and home tasks, or tasks within separate projects, create multiple task lists in Google Calendar to organize them. Select the Tasks drop-down arrow, then choose Create new list. Switch between your different Google Tasks lists from this menu.

Create new list menu item in Google Tasks via Google Calendar

Move Tasks to Another List

If you change your mind about where a task belongs, move the task from one list to another. To move a task into another list, highlight the task and press Shift+Enter, or select the title of the task to open it. Select the list name, and from the drop-down menu, choose the list to which you want to move this task.

Add Google Tasks From Your Android or iOS Device

Completing tasks while on the go is critical. Google created an app for Google Tasks so the tool is accessible on iOS and Android devices. Google Tasks syncs with existing to-do lists automatically if you’re signed in to a Google account.

Adding tasks on a mobile device works similar to adding tasks through Calendar. Tap the Add a new task button to create a task. Tap the task to add subtasks or add a due date or description. Arrange the tasks by tapping and dragging.