Microsoft To Do Blog articles

Unlock new task management experiences with Microsoft Loop components in Outlook email, Teams chat.

Swapna_Ninan — Thu, 11 May 2023 05:18:40 GMT

You and your team may already be using Loop components to stay up to date and in sync on fast-moving projects. Loop components are portable pieces of content that stay in sync across all the places they are shared like Outlook and Teams.

In this blog we are excited to share the new ways of task management that help teams think, plan, and create together. Now tasks created via Loop components sync across Microsoft 365 apps like Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Planner, and Tasks app in Teams.

Task management while collaborating has never been easier.

Creating a Loop task list in Outlook email

In the ‘Insert’ tab of your new email, you will see an option ‘Loop Components’ which further has multiple options. Choose the option ‘task List’ to create a new task list in the email body. You can add new tasks to this task list, assign users to it and add the due dates corresponding to each task.

Each user with a task assigned will be automatically added to the ‘To’ list of the email as illustrated below.

You can create a task list in Teams chat too:

And assign tasks to the users.

View your tasks list in Microsoft Planner.

Many teams use Microsoft Planner, a light-weight planning application, for visual task management. That’s why tasks in Loop components are also integrated with Planner to make team task management even easier. You can click on the three-dots menu to see an option called Open in Planner. 

Manage your Tasks list in Microsoft Planner.

With Loop components integrated to task applications in Microsoft 365:

You can create task lists via Loop components in Outlook and Teams and see them as a plan in Microsoft Planner. As a user of Microsoft Planner, you will be able to edit these tasks via Planner interfaces and the Task list components always stay in sync across the different surfaces they live.  
You can amend the title of the task, due date or even change the assignees of the task via planner interfaces.

You can also leverage other capabilities like adding labels or adding notes that Microsoft Planner currently offers.
All the users who have access either to the plan or are participants of the chat will have access to the plan itself.
All users who are assigned a task will get notifications regarding assignment, as well as reminders about due date.

View your assigned tasks in Microsoft To Do

With Microsoft Loop integrated into task applications in Microsoft 365 you will also experience the goodness of task aggregation via To Do.

For the task lists created in Loop workspaces, you will also see the tasks assigned to you in the ‘Assigned to me’ list of Microsoft To do.
You can leverage the capabilities of your personal task management app to manage the Loop created tasks, like ‘Add to My Day’ or ‘add Notes’.

Pretty cool, right? We can’t wait for you to start using Loop components with Planner and To Do, move these components around different surfaces including emails, chats or even Loop app! And do let us know what you think in the comments below or connect with us on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Note: The task list sync of Loop components in Outlook email and Teams chats is available in Preview

Introducing the all-new 'My Day' view in 'Tasks by Planner and To Do' App for Microsoft Teams!

AnmolVarma — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 06:37:28 GMT

Feeling overwhelmed by tasks from multiple sources and struggling to stay organized? We have great news for you! We are thrilled to introduce the 'My Day' view in the 'Tasks by Planner and To Do' app for Microsoft Teams. This feature aims to help you effectively organize and prioritize your tasks, consolidate your task lists, and declutter your workspace.

In this blog post, we will guide you through the main features of the 'My Day' view and demonstrate how it can enhance your work process.

What is 'My Day' view?

The 'My Day' view is a new feature in the 'Tasks by Planner and To Do' app that allows you to consolidate all your tasks from various and personal lists. It provides a clear and concise overview of your daily tasks, so you can prioritize and focus on what's important.

How do I access the 'My Day' view?

Accessing the 'My Day' view is a breeze! Here's how:

Open Microsoft Teams.
Select the 'Apps' tab located in the left-hand sidebar.
Search for 'Tasks by Planner and To Do' and select the app.
Optionally, you can pin this app to the left nav bar on Teams. Right-click on the app, and pin.
In the app, you'll find the 'My Day' view in the left-hand panel.

How to add a task in My Day?

To add a task to My Day, simply right-click on the task and choose the 'Add to My Day' option. This will ensure the task is highlighted and prioritized for completion today.

Key features of 'My Day' view

Here are some of the remarkable features that the 'My Day' view offers:

1. Consolidation of tasks

'My Day' view brings together tasks from various sources such as Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Planner (tasks assigned to you in Plans), and flagged emails from Microsoft Outlook. Now, you can view all your tasks in a single, unified interface. If you’re concerned about a task today, just add it to My Day by right clicking the tasks and selecting the ‘Add to My Day’ option.

2. Task prioritization

Organize your tasks by priority and focus on what's important. The 'My Day' view allows you to sort tasks by due date, priority level, helping you stay on top of your work.

3. Task completion and progress tracking

With the 'My Day' view, you can easily mark tasks as completed and track your progress throughout the day. The completed tasks will be struck off, giving you a clear view of the remaining tasks.

In conclusion, the 'My Day' view in the 'Tasks by Planner and To Do' app for Microsoft Teams helps you stay on top of your daily tasks by reducing the clutter and removing noise so you can focus on what’s most important today! Feel free to reach out to us and share your feedback!

Unlock new experiences with Microsoft Loop app and tasks in Microsoft Planner and To Do

Swapna_Ninan — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:33:46 GMT

Hello, you may have already heard the big news that the Microsoft Loop app is available for public preview. Loop is a transformative co-creation experience that brings together teams, content, and tasks.

In this blog we are thrilled to share with you a little more about how Microsoft Loop helps teams stay in sync and on track with your tasks. You will see the Loop tasks synced across Microsoft 365 apps like Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Planner, and the Tasks app in Teams.

Task management while collaborating has never been easier!

Add Task Lists in Loop App

A Loop workspace is a shared place where you can bring together what you need for your project, including tasks. On a Loop page you can type “/” to insert a task list and add more tasks by selecting Add a task. Each task can be assigned to a user by just mentioning/selecting the user’s name. You can turn your task list into a Loop component so you can share it across Microsoft 365 using chat in Teams, Outlook, or even in apps like Whiteboard and Word on the web. As tasks are added or completed, the updates stay in sync across all the places the task list was shared, no matter where the edits are being completed.

View the Task Lists in Microsoft Planner

Many teams use Microsoft Planner, a light-weight planning application, for visual task management. That’s why tasks in Loop are integrated with Planner to make team task management even easier. You can click on the six-dots menu to see an option called Open in Planner.

Manage your Tasks list in Microsoft Planner.

With Microsoft Loop integrated to task applications in Microsoft 365

You can create Task lists in Loop application workspaces and see them as a plan in Microsoft Planner. As a user of Microsoft Planner, you will be able to edit these tasks via Planner interfaces and get these changes synced back to the Loop page.

You can amend the title of the task, due date, or even change the assignees of the task via Planner interfaces.
You can also leverage other capabilities like adding labels or adding notes that Microsoft Planner currently offers.
You can create multiple Tasks lists in Loop workspaces and all of that will be integrated into Planner plans.
All the users who have access either to the plan or to the Loop page will have editing rights to the plan itself.
All users who are assigned a task will get notifications regarding assignment, as well as reminders about due date.

View your assigned tasks in Microsoft To Do

With Microsoft Loop integrated into task applications in Microsoft 365, you will also experience the goodness of task aggregation via To Do.

For the Task lists created in Loop workspaces, you will also see the tasks assigned to you in the Assigned to me list of Microsoft To Do.
You can leverage the capabilities of your personal task management app to manage the Loop created tasks, like add to My Day or add Notes.
You can easily navigate back to the context (from which the task got created) by clicking on the Contextual Linked Entity on the To Do interface.

Note: If you don’t find the tasks created in Loop in other Microsoft 365 apps, you will need to work with your tenant admin to switch on the Task sync experience.

Pretty cool, right? We can’t wait for you to start using Loop with Planner and To Do! Do let us know what you think in the comments below or connect with us on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Microsoft To Do now supports auto population of tasks due today in the My Day list!

AnmolVarma — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 08:13:18 GMT

We are excited to announce that Microsoft To Do now supports auto population of tasks due today in the My Day list!

With this new feature, your tasks will automatically appear in My Day on their due dates. This will help you stay on top of your priorities and stay organized throughout the day. This is in addition to the existing capability in which you can add tasks manually in My Day.

To access this new feature, simply open your Microsoft To Do app and click on the My Day list.

You will see a list of all of your tasks due today, including any tasks that were previously added to your lists and are due today.

We have started the rollout of this feature to 5% of our audience and will continue to roll it out to all users in the coming weeks.

We are confident that this new feature will help users stay organized and on top of their tasks, and we can't wait for all of our users to try it out. Keep an eye out for the rollout, and let us know what you think of this functionality in the comments below!

Announcing: To Do is now rolling out to Outlook for Windows

avijityadav — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:19:14 GMT

We’re excited to announce that To Do is rolling out to Outlook for Windows for the Current Channel users (starting with Current Channel version 2207). With this release, you can use the To Do app right from Outlook for Windows to plan your work and commitments effectively and stay focused on the tasks at hand.

View your flagged emails from Outlook in To Do

With this integration, you can also view all your emails flagged in Outlook in the Flagged email list of the To Do app. In the task details, you can view a snippet of the email or directly open the email in Outlook to get the complete context.

If you don’t find Flagged email list in To Do, you can go to To Do Settings > Connected Apps > Turn on Flagged email toggle.

View assigned tasks in a single place

Want to manage tasks that have been assigned to you in Planner? With To Do in Outlook, you can find all the assigned tasks from Planner as well as shared lists, right in the Assigned to me list.

Plan your day with My Day

Wondering how to effectively plan and get through all your priority tasks with focus without getting distracted by the long list of work? My Day list in To Do gives you the canvas to plan your day and stay focused on what matters most. You can add any tasks to My Day to prioritize them for the day. Boost your daily productivity by reviewing all your tasks and adding those you want to take action on in your My Day list!

How can I get the To Do app in Outlook?

Users with an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription and user license for the Microsoft To Do app will be able to quickly access To Do alongside the main Outlook functions such as email and calendar which are now displayed vertically to the left of the folder pane. You can check what subscriptions you are licensed for in your account information. Log in to www.office.com, click on your profile picture in the top-right corner, click View account, and select Subscriptions.

Availability

The To Do app is available to Microsoft 365 Current Channel users running the following versions of Outlook for Windows:

Current Channel Version 2201 (Build 14827.20000) or later: Available by turning on the Coming Soon toggle.
Current Channel Version 2207 (Build 15427.20000) or later: Available by default. (Feature rollout is still in progress. Some users may still need to turn on the Coming Soon toggle until the feature has fully rolled out).

To Do also comes with the dark mode for a comfortable viewing experience. You can enable it by setting Outlook theme to Black.

We can’t wait for you to start using To Do in Outlook! Tell us what you think here or over on Twitter or Facebook.

New personalization options on Microsoft To Do for Android

ayeshni_dasgupta — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 09:46:11 GMT

When you move into your new house, you often make it yours. Whether it’s through the addition of indoor plants, sheer curtains, or an abstract painting that makes sense only to you – there is self-identification and creative expression in this endeavour.

We strive to bring this feeling to you through 3 new features on To Do on Android. There is a part of you in every choice you make, and these features will allow you to customize To Do to truly make it yours.

Widget customizations

The To Do widget on your home screen is all about utility and style, all while keeping your tasks top of mind. The settings option on your widget has new customization options that enable you to set the transparency of your widget while also deciding on the font size for your tasks. Other options include showing task details (such due dates, reminders, recurrence, etc) and showing completed tasks. These options let you optimize for minimalism, or detail, or a unique combination of both.

Figure 1: Widget enhancements on Android

Rich text for notes

Now, add context to your notes through text formatting options. Tap on a task to open its detailed view (figure 2) and then tap on the notes section to automatically open a new screen (figure 3). Here, you can add your text and use the formatting bar at the bottom to make choices about:

Heading, subheading, body
Bold, italics, underline
Bulleted/ numbered list
Links

3. Auto-suggestions for lists

Do you wish you had a grocery list that could write itself? Then worry no more because intelligent suggestions are here on To Do Android. For grocery lists, our algorithm will make intelligent suggestions based on the historical items you have added to the list. Simply tap on the suggestion to create a task from the suggestion – let us help you reduce the effort involved!

Point to note: This feature is present on all lists, but it is turned On by default for grocery lists and turned Off by default for other lists. The setting can be accessed through the list settings option, ie, the three-dot menu on the top right of the list screen.

Figure 4: Auto-suggestions for grocery list

Bonus: Special Marvel theme

If you’re a Marvel fan (honestly, even if you’re not), we have some awesome news for you. In addition to the usual colour and photo themes, there’s a special limited edition She Hulk theme that you can find on To Do – on Android and across other endpoints such as iOS and Windows as well. Tap on the list suggestions or three dots menu and from here, tap on Change Theme and then select Photo. The first photo in this list should change your theme to the She Hulk theme.

Figure 5: Marvel theme

We really hope you enjoy using these features and we hope to bring you many more!

We’d love to hear your feedback. Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us with your thoughts on todofeedback@microsoft.com and we will get back to you. For feature suggestions, please tell us what you would like to see at Microsoft To Do · Community.

Smart due date and reminder recognition in Microsoft To Do

Ayan_Chakraborty — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 11:26:27 GMT

Adding due dates and reminders is the best way to keep track of your tasks and complete them on time. We have just released smart due date and reminder recognition in To Do for Windows. This is the fastest way for you to add due dates, reminders, and repeat information to your tasks by typing in all the details in the task title using natural language. We will automatically recognize and highlight the relevant information and add it to your task.

Try the feature now: Download the To Do Windows application or update it to version 2.66 or above.

How it works

Click on + Add a task in any of your To Do lists.

Add a due date

While typing details for a task, type the due date using natural language. For example, type in “tomorrow”, “Apr 27”, and “Friday,” and To Do will automatically recognize the due date and add it when you save your task.

Add a reminder

While typing task details, type the reminder date and time using natural language. For example, type in “tomorrow 5pm”, “Apr 27 10am”, “Friday noon”, and To Do will automatically recognize the reminder and add it when you save the task.

Add repeat information

While typing task details, type the repeat information using natural language. For example, type in “daily”, “every Monday”, “daily 5pm” and To Do will automatically recognize the repeat information and add it when you save the task.

We understand that sometimes the date or time can be part of the actual task title and not meant to be a due date or reminder. For example, in “buy food for April”, “April” is a pet’s name but To Do will highlight and set it as due date.

Don’t worry! You can turn off the smart date and time recognition on a case-by-case basis by pressing backspace on the highlighted word from your keyboard. We will unrecognize it and the word will become part of your task title. You can also delete or modify the due date, reminder, and repeat information anytime using the buttons in the task input bar.

Note: This feature is currently available on To Do Windows app for English (EN-) languages only. We also have smart due date, reminder suggestions in To Do iOS app. We are working on extending support to more of our apps and languages.

For more details on how to use this feature or turn it off check our Support article.

We can’t wait to hear what you think of this new feature – let us know in the comments below or on Twitter, you can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Add tasks to your To Do list right in the SwiftKey keyboard

JustinIftime — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 14:19:16 GMT

Whether it’s work or personal life, we constantly need to remember to do the things we promised.

Switching apps in the middle of a chat to add a task might prevent you from keeping track of everything you need to do. To take away the effort of capturing each task, we integrated To Do in SwiftKey for Android. There are three ways for you to add tasks to your lists in To Do.

A permanent button in the toolbar to open the To Do widget. You can use this at any time to add a task to your favorite To Do list. Simply tap it, add a title for your task, and save it. Additionally, you can choose a different To Do list or add a reminder.

A prompt to add a task to your To Do list when you copy something to your clipboard. No more need to paste it into the To Do app.

A new machine learning feature that automatically detects when you intend to do something. It then prompts you to add that task to your To Do list. Tap it once and you open the To Do widget right in the keyboard.

You can manage all of these tasks in the To Do app.

We can’t wait to hear what you think about this new feature - let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Calm the chaos with Microsoft To Do & Viva Briefing email

ayeshni_dasgupta — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 03:41:23 GMT

Here are two facts. The average professional receives 121 emails per day, according to a study by Campaign Monitor. In an experiment, Russian scientist Zeigarnik established that waiters remember unfinished table orders perfectly compared to finished orders. How are these facts related, you ask? Fair question.

A universal truth of our lives today is that we are constantly bombarded with information. The Zeigarnik effect says that this information (till it’s actioned upon) tunnels into our brain, and instead of focussing on how best to complete our tasks, we focus on how many tasks and what tasks we have to complete. And so there you are, attending an important strategic meeting, cooking a meal with a partner, playing with your dog – but your restless mind is thinking about the 120+ emails in your inbox, your unfinished tasks from yesterday, all the colleagues you must follow up with, bills for claiming reimbursements... And it goes on.

There’s a very elegant solution to this predicament; start your morning with planning and task management. Put it all down, prioritize it, and then do it, so your mind can be freed to focus on the important stuff. Let To Do and Viva Briefing email take care of Zeigarnik for you.

Own your time with Commitments & Follow-Ups

Microsoft To Do’s integration with Viva Briefing email will ensure you stay on top of your tasks through personalized, relevant, and actionable insights, presented to you at the beginning of your workday. If you are an M365 enterprise user and Viva Briefing email is enabled for your organisation*, then focus on the Commitments & Follow-Up section to capture and manage all your tasks in a single place. It is divided into two parts:

Due tasks from To Do

Due tasks for the day from To Do are shown in the “From your task list” section. On clicking Remind me, a reminder for the task is set for the next day in the Briefing email. On clicking Done, the task is marked as complete in To Do.

Due tasks from To Do

Intelligent suggestions for potential tasks from emails

If you’ve missed something in your 120 emails, then don’t worry. Based on commitments, requests or follow-ups in your email messages, task suggestions are shown in the “From your messages” section. On clicking Remind me, the task is added to To Do and a reminder for the task is set for the next day in the briefing email.

Potential task suggestions from email messages & editing in To Do

If you want even more control over the reminders for each task, there is an option to customize your reminders through the options in the dropdown. If you want to explore and manage these tasks, to make the best of your day, then the tasks can be further managed in To Do through the “Edit Task In To Do” option.

To Do’s vision is simple – be where you are and be the single pane of glass for all your tasks, no matter where they originate from. Through our integration with Viva Briefing email, we are moving one step closer to this vision.

It’s your day, and it’s about time you took control of it, rather than the other way around.

How to try this feature

* The Viva Briefing email is sent to Microsoft 365 Enterprise users with Exchange Online mailboxes, if the email is currently enabled for your organization. It has been locales and will soon be available in other regions as well. Contact your admin to enable the Briefing email for you.

We’d love to hear your feedback. Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Shared tasks from Microsoft Teams for personal use are now in To Do

Akshay_Kumar — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 22:17:54 GMT

In today's digital world tasks are coming our way from many sources. And with that rapid integration with technology, we worry about missing any tasks that are important to us. Microsoft To Do is committed to providing a complete task management solution that keeps people at the center. We want to offer you a single pane of glass for all your tasks by aggregating all tasks that you care for.

To fulfil our promise, we are now integrated with Microsoft Teams for your personal life. Yes, Microsoft Teams isn’t just for work anymore. Now you can connect with your family and friends outside of the office and make calls, chat, plan, and organize things in one place.

Teams for personal use allows users to create group chats and once in a group chat, you can create a shared to-do list and assign tasks to others in the group. Users can create and assign tasks from Teams web, Desktop, and Mobile applications.

Another endpoint to track tasks from? Well, To Do is here to help you!

With this integration, all the tasks assigned to a user in Teams for personal use will now be visible to them under their 'Assigned to me’ list in To Do. And with this, everything that you are supposed to do from your Teams' shared lists is now aggregated in one place. No more fear of missing out!

The Richness of To Do

Once in To Do, you can apply some of the rich features of To Do on these tasks. You can mark them important, add sub-steps, add due dates, add to My Day while planning, or add notes to keep track of any information related to the task. To provide the users with more context, the task details in To Do specify the Teams shared list name as well.

Is that all?

Not really! Teams for personal use allows users to capture tasks from their messages in mobile devices. With a long press on the message, you can invoke the message extension menu and from there you can convert your message into a task and add it to either your personal To Do lists or shared lists. Isn't it amazing?

With this feature you can capture and track tasks in your personal lists, or capture and assign them to either yourself or others in shared lists. And just like we mentioned above, anything assigned to you will again be present in the ’Assigned to me’ list in To Do. To link the assigned tasks back to the chat context, users can click on the deep link provided in the task details in To Do and jump to the message from where the task was created in Teams conversation.

If you’re new to Teams, you can download the Teams app to get started today. And To Do, you can download it here.

We can’t wait to hear how To Do is making task management easy for you - let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook.
You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Stay organized in Outlook Web with a side-by-side view of your emails, calendar, and tasks

SheetalSethi — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 10:19:55 GMT

Does most of your day revolve around emails, calendar, and tasks that need your attention? Well, that’s true for most of us as well. Read on if you are looking for ways to help you efficiently organize your work.

Introducing My Day side-pane in Outlook Web

Context switching comes with a loss of efficiency. Every time you move between your emails, calendar, and tasks, you lose productive time returning back to where you were. In order to help you be more productive and save your time, we’re bringing you a side-by-side view of your mail, calendar, and tasks in Outlook Web as you navigate through your work.

Drag and drop your emails to My Day side-pane to create a task

Do most of your tasks come from emails? We’ve made it even easier to keep track. Simply drag and drop these emails to the My Day side-pane and add them as tasks in To Do or as events on your Calendar. Now you can create tasks from your emails without having to switch between multiple tabs and apps. Tasks created this way will include a link to the relevant emails which can then be found in the task details.

Tasks created from dragged and dropped emails will be added to the default Tasks list in To Do. To add tasks to another list, select a list from the drop-down options in the To Do tab of the side-pane before dragging and dropping the email.

Drag and drop tasks to block time on your calendar

Time blocking is an effective way to get things done. With the introduction of the My Day side-pane, you now have an easy and intuitive way to block time for tasks on your calendar. Open calendar in Outlook Web, click on the My Day icon from the top header, click on To Do tab in the My Day side-pane, and simply drag and drop a task from there onto your calendar.

Select text in an email to create a task and edit it in the side-pane

Our customers also told us that dragging an entire email to create a task may not always serve their purpose, especially when the subject of the email doesn’t convey the actual task.

So we created a feature that allows you to create a task from selected text in emails. Simply select a part of the email that you want to add as a task, click on the To Do icon that will appear on top of the selected text and, voilà, a task gets created in To Do. The My Day side-pane will also open up to allow you to edit or add notes to the newly created task.

Other features of My Day side-pane

Other features available in the side-pane include the capability to:

Add and view tasks that are due today from the Calendar tab of the side-pane.
Right click any task in the side-pane to take additional actions such as adding a due date or a reminder to the task.
Open the full To Do app experience on the web.

You can access the same My Day side-pane from office.com as well!

Try the feature now!

Head over to outlook.office.com and select My Day from the header. We hope this is a feature you find useful in managing your day-to-day work.

We’d love to hear your feedback. Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Six tips to get the most out of Microsoft To Do in iOS

ashok_obhan — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 10:23:14 GMT

When you’re juggling work and personal tasks, having clearly defined to-do lists can help reduce stress and improve productivity. Microsoft To Do helps you manage your tasks so you can get more time for yourself. It seamlessly syncs your tasks across devices, so you always have access to them, whether you use To Do on Android, iPhone, Mac, Windows, or the web.

In the third installment of our six tips series, we’ll show you some nifty ways to make the most out of To Do on your iOS device. (Check out our other six tips articles for Windows and Android.)

1. Use Siri to add tasks and open lists in To Do

Want a super-fast way to add a task or open a list in To Do? We’ve got you covered. Here’s how to add “Open list” or “Add task” as shortcuts in Siri:

Adding a task with Siri

Head to your To Do settings and tap on Siri Shortcuts, then tap on the plus icon + next to Add Task.
Pick the phrase you want to use with Siri. For example, if you want a shortcut to add something to your grocery list, you can change the When I say phrase to “Add groceries”.
Under Do, select Add task and pick the name of the list you want to add tasks to.
If you want new tasks to be marked as important, come with reminders, or be added to My Day, tap on Show More and configure it the way you want. Once you’re done, select Back > Add to Siri.

Opening a list with Siri

Head to your To Do settings and tap on Siri Shortcuts, then tap on the plus button next to Open List.
Pick the phrase you want as your shortcut, like “Open grocery list”.
Under Do, select Add task, then select List and pick your grocery list.
Select Back to go to the Add to Siri page, then select Add to Siri.

2. Create shortcuts to your lists on your device’s home screen

In To Do for iOS, you can create shortcuts to your lists on your home screen. (Note: you’ll need to install the Siri Shortcuts app to be able to do this.)

Here’s how to add shortcuts to your lists:

Create a Siri shortcut to open a list.
Open the Shortcuts app and open the created shortcut.
Tap the three dots to see more options. Tap on the option to add the shortcut to your home screen.
Check that the shortcut shows up on your home screen.

In To Do for iOS, you can create shortcuts. Or, if you’re using iOS 14, you can add a shortcut with the Shortcuts widget.

3. Glance at your tasks from the iOS 14 widgets

If you’re using iOS 14, you can check out a To Do list from your home screen with the new Microsoft To Do widgets. To set this up:

Long press on any empty space on your home screen, then tap the plus icon [] to open the widgets menu.
Search for To Do or scroll down to find Microsoft To Do, then add the widget of your choice.

Learn more about To Do iOS 14 widgets.

4. Quickly add task details

You don’t need to fiddle around with due dates and reminder times when creating a task. When typing a task’s title, include when it’s due or when you want to be reminded in that title and Microsoft To Do will create a task with that due date or reminder time.

5. View your Microsoft To Do lists in Apple’s Reminders app
Microsoft To Do is integrated with Apple’s Reminders app so you can view your To Do lists in Reminders if you use iOS 12 or later. Here’s how to link your Microsoft To Do account with Apple’s Reminders app:

Open your device’s settings and select Reminders > Add Account.
Add the email address associated with your Microsoft To Do account. When you open Apple’s Reminders app, you should be able to see your Microsoft To Do lists.

Note: currently shared lists and smart lists like My Day, Planned, Assigned to you, Important, and Flagged email won’t show up in Apple’s Reminders app.

6. Swipe actions

You can take a number of actions on a task just by swiping left or right. By swiping, you can:

Delete a task. Tap on the task, swipe from right to left, tap the trash can icon, and confirm that you want to delete the task.
Add a task to My Day. Tap on the task, swipe from left to right, and select the sun icon . Once a task is added to My Day, you can swipe from left to right again to remove it.
Move a task from one list to another. Tap on the task, swipe from left to right, and select the icon that looks like a list with an arrow. Tap it and pick the list you want to move your task to.

We hope these tips help you out! We’d love to hear your feedback. Let us know in the comments below or connect with us on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Introducing list sharing from personal accounts to work accounts in Microsoft To Do

terrylarsen — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 09:04:34 GMT

Microsoft To Do gives you a personal and intuitive way to stay organized and make the most of every day. Today, most of our tasks involve collaboration with multiple people – something that list sharing can make easier. Whether you want to share a list of work items with your colleagues or a grocery list with a loved one, To Do makes it easy to collaborate and get things done together.

List sharing in To Do was originally restricted to sharing between personal accounts and sharing between work (or school) accounts within the same organization. However, many of you wanted to be able to share between personal and work accounts.

We listened to your feedback and are pleased to announce that you can now share lists from personal accounts to work accounts in Microsoft To Do.

To Do supports list sharing for the following scenarios:

Sharing between personal Microsoft accounts.
Sharing between accounts within the same place of work or education.
Sharing between personal accounts and work accounts. Work accounts can join lists owned by personal accounts provided enterprise admins have enabled this feature for their respective organizations. However, personal accounts cannot join lists owned by work accounts.

Whether it’s a grocery list that your spouse wants to share from a personal account with your work account or a work-related list that an external vendor team can share from their personal accounts with your work account, collaborating on To Do has never been easier.

Want to know more? You can read up on list sharing here.

We can’t wait to hear what you think about this new feature - let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Microsoft To Do iOS 14 widgets are now available

ashok_obhan — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 08:21:16 GMT

With the launch of iOS 14, you can now add widgets to your home screen. We’re excited to announce that To Do widgets for iOS 14 are now available! We’ve added three new types of widgets for you – read on to learn more.

Your Tasks Widget

The Your Tasks widget helps you select and view tasks from a list of your choice. The widget is available in two sizes: the medium widget shows a list of your tasks, while the large widget shows a list of your tasks along with due dates and other details. By default, the Your Tasks widget shows the Tasks list. To change the list it displays, long press on the widget and select Edit Widget, then select your list of choice.

Your Task widget

My Day Widget

In the My Day widget, you can view the first task on your My Day list. Want to see the rest of your list? Tap anywhere on the widget to open the My Day list in To Do.

My Day widget

Add Task Widget

The Add Task widget allows you to quickly add a task to a list of your choice without having to open the To Do app. To add a task, tap anywhere on the widget. To pick which list your task is added to, long press on the widget and select Edit Widget.

Add Task widget

How to get started with To Do’s widgets:

Long press on any empty space on your home screen to enter the home screen edit mode, then tap the plus icon to open the widgets menu.
Search for To Do or scroll down to find Microsoft To Do, then add the widget of your choice. (You can also add multiple widgets!)

You can also create a widget stack with To Do and Outlook widgets to access your tasks and calendar all in one, or create stacks with multiple To Do widgets to keep track of all your tasks in one view.

We’d love to hear your feedback on the new widgets. What’s your favorite widget? Let us know in the comments below or connect with us on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Focus on what matters with AI in To Do

Shashank Gandhi — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:07:04 GMT

Does it feel challenging to stay on top of important tasks? Is planning your day overwhelming? If so, read on to find how Microsoft To Do can help you focus on your urgent and important tasks.

Plan your day better with intelligent task suggestions.

A well-formed daily plan can do wonders to boost your productivity and help you end each day on a high note. The My Day list in To Do gives you a blank slate to plan your day. We’re committed to making your daily planning experience better and have introduced intelligent task suggestions in My Day on To Do’s web application so you can focus on tasks that matter to you. We use AI to identify tasks that seem important, suggesting them based on keywords. These suggestions also include tasks that have deadlines and tasks you starred .

Try the feature now!

Head to To Do web application and select the My Day list. We’ve added a new section, Tasks that seem important, in the suggestions pane . It can help you identify tasks to add to your My Day list so you can focus on getting things done. If a suggestion isn’t relevant to you, just select more options > This isn't relevant to me.

We’ll show up to seven tasks we identify as most relevant to you in this section. It’ll update as you add new tasks or edit existing ones. Your urgent tasks, like ones due today or tomorrow or the ones that are overdue, will show up here. All other tasks with due dates will continue to show up in the Later and Earlier sections of the suggestions pane.

The feature is currently available on the To Do web application and only for To Do in English.

Note: Tasks assigned to you in Microsoft Planner show up in To Do’s Assigned to you list, but these tasks currently aren’t suggested in the Tasks that seem important section.

We hope that AI-powered task suggestions help you stay focused on your key tasks. We’d love to hear your feedback. Let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Six tips to make the most of Microsoft To Do on your Android device

Shilpa_Rana — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 10:08:10 GMT

With a diminishing boundary between work and life, it becomes more important to keep a track of things to do! Microsoft To Do helps you in managing all your work and personal tasks in one place, while ensuring proper syncing across all devices in an intelligent way.

As a part of our "six tips on To Do" series, in this article, we will focus on the exclusive To Do features available on Android. For six tips on To Do Windows click here.
Happy reading!

1. Reminders to plan your day

Forgot to set up My Day this morning? On Android, you can set a daily reminder to keep on top of your tasks. Find it in your settings!

2. Drag and drop between apps on Android

Quickly add a note or step in Android by dragging and dropping between any app and To Do in split screen view.

3. Home screen shortcut

Have a list you like to look at frequently? Add a shortcut to your home screen on Android to access it quickly.

4. To Do widget on Android

To Do widget is available on Android! By using the To Do widget on your Android device you can quickly add and complete tasks without opening the app.

5. Swipe it!

Another quick action for you: just swipe left on any task to delete it, or swipe right to move it or add it to My Day.

6. Quick add:

Exclusively available for Android To Do users, this persistent notification in your Android notifications area helps you add a task in To Do with just one tap. You can enable it from the notification setting area.

We hope that you enjoyed this article! let us know your feedback in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Remember it all with Microsoft To Do and Samsung Reminder

avijityadav — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 11:16:56 GMT

We have a super exciting announcement to make. You can now sync your reminders on Samsung Reminder app with To Do. It’s a great way to access your phone reminders created from Bixby, calls, notes, messages, etc. on PC and browser apps of To Do, Outlook and Teams.

3 ways to get the best out of it

Now, more than ever, it's important to connect. Create a reminder from a call and it will be available with all your tasks in To Do. Even better, you can click on 'Open in Dialer' to start your call right from your laptop with Your Phone app.
Use Bixby to quickly capture a reminder on the go. Just say “Bixby, remind me to pay bills this evening” and the captured reminder would sync and be available on your PC and web.
Create a reminder from Samsung Messages, Samsung Notes, or Samsung browser, then manage them in the To Do app on your PC.

How to start syncing?

To start syncing your To Do lists and tasks with Samsung Reminder, connect it to Microsoft To Do:

Open the Samsung Reminder app > Settings > Sync with Microsoft To Do.
Sign in with your Microsoft account.
Accept the permission request and you’re good to go!

It’s important that you set To Do as your default list so that reminders created from outside of the Reminder app e.g. from Bixby, calls, etc., are synced with To Do. To do that, open your Samsung Reminder app settings > Save Reminders from other apps to > Microsoft To Do.

Note: Samsung Reminder sync with Microsoft To Do is available for all Galaxy Models with Android 10 or higher.

For more information, visit the support page for the integration.

We can’t wait to hear what you think of this integration - let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.

Using Microsoft To Do on Android Work Profile

Shilpa_Rana — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 14:41:59 GMT

As Android Device Admin is getting deprecated by Q4 2020, organizations are shifting towards Android Enterprise. With this, the buzz around Android Work Profile (AWP) is increasing.
We have created this article to cover FAQs about managing To Do app on AWP. Happy reading!

What is Android Work Profile?
Android Work Profile (AWP) is the Android Enterprise feature that keeps your phone’s personal information private and separate from work while offering secure access to your work resources—all on one device. With Google’s movement from legacy Device Admin deployment to Android Enterprise, admins will have restricted access to user's devices.

How can I get AWP for my Android device?

If your organization supports Android Work Profile, they’ll have instructions on how to get it for your device. Learn more about AWP

How to get Microsoft To Do on AWP?

If Microsoft To Do is made available on AWP by your organization, you can download it from the AWP managed Play Store and sign in with your work account. Once you do, you'll be able to switch between your personal and work accounts by tapping your avatar and selecting which version of To Do you'd like to view. If To Do is not available on your AWP, please contact your IT admin for more details.

How does AWP affect Microsoft To Do?

Your apps and data will be separated into personal and work profiles, which you can switch between with just a tap. On some devices, your personal and work profiles will be shown together, but your work apps will have a briefcase icon in the bottom-right corner.

Since the work profile keeps your personal and work information separately, you'll no longer see a blended view of work and personal To Do notifications in your notification panel.

Will there be any functional changes in To Do app on AWP?

There won’t be any change in To Do functionalities.

Can I use To Do beta program in AWP?

Yes, users can join the beta program available on To Do Play Store page.

Will To Do provide multi-account support on AWP?

Users on the personal profile can log into the To Do app only via personal Microsoft accounts. On AWP, users can log into To Do app using both personal as well as work/school accounts.

Will AWP support the To Do widget?

Yes, the widget will be available for both personal and work profiles and will have multi-account support.

What will be the impact on To Do shared list and reminder notifications in AWP?

On the personal profile, users will not see a change in reminders and shared list notifications. On AWP, reminders and shared list notifications will appear with a briefcase icon.

Contact us for more details:

Email To Do Support at todohelp@microsoft.com

Get started with Microsoft To Do

Find us on Facebook

Task management with Microsoft To Do

ashok_obhan — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:54:47 GMT

In today’s digital world, managing work and personal tasks can be overwhelming. Microsoft To Do is a task management app that helps you stay organized, be productive, and get more time for yourself. With Microsoft To Do, you can easily create to-do lists, set reminders, and collaborate with friends and colleagues. Microsoft To Do is integrated with Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Planner, and Microsoft Teams. Microsoft To Do is available on Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, and web, so you always have access to your tasks.

Let’s see how To Do can help you stay on top of your tasks.

Meet Microsoft To Do

Learn more about how to get started with Microsoft To Do.

Manage tasks with Microsoft To Do in Outlook

Microsoft To Do integrates seamlessly with Outlook. You can create tasks by dragging and dropping emails to the My Day pane, or highlight a section of an email to create a task out of it. When you flag an email in Outlook, we create a task for you in To Do so you can find all your pending work in one place.

Focus on what matters with My Day

Do you feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks on your plate? With My Day, you get a blank canvas every day. Create a short list so you can focus on a few key things. Learn how to make the most of your day with My Day.

How to make time for yourself with Microsoft To Do

Microsoft To Do helps you collect what you need so you can focus on what matters. From planning your day to starting a big project, you can make more time for yourself with Microsoft To Do.

Get things done with Microsoft To Do

Microsoft To Do helps you stay organized and get things done. You can create lists and reminders and set due dates to stay on top of your tasks.

Get started with Microsoft To Do: https://msft.it/6000TUO8K

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MicrosoftToDo

Email us at todofeedback@microsoft.com

Six tips to make the most of Microsoft To Do on Windows

terrylarsen — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 16:32:50 GMT

Whether you use to-do lists for work, school, or personal tasks, engaging with your tasks is key to a balanced schedule. Microsoft To Do syncs your tasks across your devices, whether you use Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, or the web. To Do is also integrated with the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, including Outlook and Teams.

In the first installment of our Six Tips series, we’ll focus on Windows 10 devices.

1. Pin to taskbar

You can now pin the Microsoft To Do app to your taskbar to quickly access your favorite lists. Whether you’re adding a new task or updating an existing one, a single click is all it takes.

You can turn this option on in the Settings page of To Do, or right-click on the app when it’s open and select Pin to taskbar.

2. App badge notifications

With app badge notifications, you can get a sense of how many outstanding tasks you have without opening To Do. This visual reminder helps you keep an eye on your tasks even if you’re busy with something else. That way, you can ensure your important tasks don’t fall through the cracks.

We have two options for app badge notifications:

Due today and overdue (default): The badge notification will show a count of both your tasks that are due today and the ones that are overdue.
Added to My Day and not completed: The badge notification will show a count of all the tasks that you’ve added to My Day but haven’t completed yet.

You can turn this option on from the Settings page, where you can also pick the badge notification type that best reflects your workstyle.

3. Using Live Tiles

Keep an eye on multiple lists from the Windows Start Menu. Live Tiles give you the latest status of your favorite to-do lists. Get started with Live Tiles.

4. Assigning tasks in shared lists

When you want to delegate a task in a shared list, type @ to assign it to someone.

5. Reminders and due dates for tasks

Between multitasking and the number of things going on at any given time, it’s easy to forget the tasks you want to complete. Instead of trying to remember, you can set up reminders and due dates for your tasks in To Do.

6. Add context to your tasks

It’s sometimes hard to remember what a task is referring to. With these tips, you can quickly recall what a task is about.

Add #tags to your tasks to help categorize them.
Make a few notes in the Add note section of a task to help you or someone else recall important points.
Attach files that might be relevant to the task.

With these 6 tips we think you’ll find it easier to manage your tasks in Microsoft To Do on Windows. If you don’t use To Do yet, you can download it here. We can’t wait to hear what you think of these tips - let us know in the comments below or over on Twitter and Facebook. You can also write to us at todofeedback@microsoft.com.