Feature handbook

Tasks across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch and Vision Pro

Capture tasks on iPhone or Watch, plan on iPad or Mac, and choose a useful widget without losing track of the same work.

By Mustafa Yusuf2 min read

Use the device closest to you to capture a task. Come back to the same project on a larger screen when it is time to organise the details.

Give each device a simple job

Example: one task through your day

  1. iPhone or Apple Watch: captureAdd “Send the proposal” as soon as you think of it.
  2. iPad or Mac: planOpen the same task, add the details and choose a date.
  3. The device you are using: finishComplete the task when the proposal is sent.
You can divide the work between devices without creating a second copy of the task.

Tasks is available on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro. The space and controls differ, so use the layout that is comfortable for the work in front of you.

Not seeing Date when you open the task? Fields belong to the project. Add a Date field to that project, then set the task’s date. If the task itself is missing on another device, use the sync checks below.

Put one useful list on your widget

Choose what you want to see first, then choose the widget size.

Example widget choices

  1. “What is due today?”Choose a Today filter widget.
  2. “What is next for this project?”Choose a project widget and select that project.
  3. “What meets my own rules?”Create a Smart List, then select it for the widget.
These are examples of what to show. Widget types, sizes and controls depend on the device and installed version.

Use a small widget for a quick check and a larger one when you need to read task titles. On a supported interactive widget, the task’s completion control lets you finish it without opening the app.

Follow the widget setup walkthrough to add or change a widget. For a custom set of tasks, start with the Smart Lists guide.

If another device or widget looks empty

  1. Open the project in Tasks on both devices. Check the same project, with any filters cleared.
  2. Check the account and connection. For iCloud projects, check the Apple Account and iCloud access on both devices. For a shared project, confirm that the invitation was accepted by the account you are using.
  3. Check the widget’s selected project or list. If the app shows the task but the widget does not, edit the widget’s source and allow it time to refresh.

If the task is missing from a Today view everywhere, check that it has today’s date and is still incomplete. A widget can only show tasks that match its selected view.

Explore all 15 related features

Browse the related features below for more detail.

iPhone app

Capture and manage Tasks on iPhone.

iPad app

Use Tasks with touch, keyboard, trackpad and larger layouts.

Mac app

Plan projects and boards in a desktop interface.

Apple Watch app

Capture, review and complete work from your wrist.

Apple Vision Pro app

Use Tasks on Apple Vision Pro.

Project widgets

Show tasks from a chosen project.

Smart List widgets

Show a chosen Smart List or filter.

Tag widgets

Open or review work connected to selected tags.

Interactive widgets

Complete supported tasks without first opening the app.

Home Screen widgets

Use small, medium, large and supported extra-large layouts.

Lock Screen widgets

Use circular and rectangular accessory widgets.

Watch widgets

See Tasks information in supported watchOS widget areas.

Watch capture widget

Open task creation from a watch face or widget.

Watch complications

Keep Tasks available from supported watch faces.

Cross-device CloudKit sync

Keep work in sync across signed-in Apple devices.