How to Use Google Tasks in Gmail and Google Calendar

Google Tasks is a free online service that manages to-do lists and is accessed through your Google account. While not as advanced as a dedicated to-do list, it keeps track of tasks and subtasks, making it enough to cover most needs.

What Is Google Tasks?

Google Tasks is a place where you can make lists of items or tasks you need to do and cross them out when you complete them. You can create multiple lists, so there can be one for the grocery store, another for the hardware store, and a list of tasks that need doing before you start a remodeling project.

Google Tasks works alongside Google Calendar, so tasks you create for the remodeling project, for example, can have due dates.

Why Would You Want Google Tasks?

Managing paper notes is a tried and true to-do method, but a magnetic grocery list stuck to the refrigerator isn't efficient and sticky notes can litter a desk. Google Tasks is an all-in-one list maker and task organizer, and if you use Google products like Gmail or Google Calendar, you have access to it.

Google is known for making solid no-thrills products that are simplified and easy to use, which describes Google Tasks perfectly. It may not compete with apps such as Todoist in terms of features, but it's perfect if you want something to keep track of shopping lists or track items on your to-do list. And, it's free.

The best part is that your task lists exist in the cloud and are stored on Google computers and not yours. Access your grocery list or tasks from your desktop PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and it's the same list. You can create the grocery list on your computer at home and view it on your smartphone while you're in the store.

How to Open Google Tasks in Gmail

The easiest way to access Google Tasks is through the Gmail website. It allows you to use Google Tasks alongside your email and makes it easy to take to-do items emailed to you and move them to Google Tasks.

1. Open a web browser, go to https://mail.google.com, and sign in to your Gmail account if prompted.

2. On the right-side panel, select Tasks (the blue circular icon with a white diagonal dash).

3. In the expanded panel, select Add a Task to create a new task. To edit task details, add subtasks, or assign a date to a task, hover over the task and select Edit (the pencil icon).

How to Access Google Tasks in Google Calendar

You can also check the status of your tasks and add new ones while viewing your calendar. By default, Google Calendar shows reminders rather than tasks, but it's easy to switch views.

1. Go to Google Calendar at https://calendar.google.com and sign in to your Google account if needed.

2. To view tasks in Google Calendar, turn on Tasks view. In the left panel, select My Calendars and choose Tasks. If a date is assigned to a task, it appears on the calendar as a green label.

3. To add and remove tasks, go to the left panel and select Tasks.

How to Access Google Tasks on Your Smartphone

If you have an Android device or an iPhone, you can use the Google Tasks app on your smartphone.

• If you have an iPhone, download Google Tasks on the App Store.
• If you have an Android smartphone such as a Samsung Galaxy, Motorola Moto, or Google Pixel, download Google Tasks from the Google Play store.
• To access Google Tasks on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device in a web browser, go to https://mail.google.com/tasks/canvas. It's a great way to get quick access to Tasks on a smartphone or tablet, but it's not as full-featured as the app.