How-to

How to Use Apple Reminders Templates for Recurring Projects

By Vyshakh Nair, Founder, Ultra Reminders · Updated May 6, 2026 · 7 min read
Part of the master guide: The Definitive Guide to Apple Reminders in 2026

Apple Reminders templates save any list as a reusable project blueprint with subtasks, tags, and notes preserved so you can stamp it out for every recurring project. Ultra Reminders adds parameterised templates (insert today's date, insert client name, insert episode number) on top of the native blueprint feature, which is the piece Apple still hasn't shipped.

I built my first template the night before a 7am flight to Bangalore in October 2024. I'd packed wrong twice that month. Sat down at 11pm, dragged every packing item into a list called "International Trip Packing", saved it as a template. Eighteen months later I've stamped it out for 9 trips. Saved me roughly four hours of overthinking. Two missed pairs of socks. Worth it.

Templates are the highest-ROI feature in Reminders that nobody uses.

What you'll achieve

By the end of this guide you'll have at least one working template you can stamp out in 5 seconds, plus a mental model for which projects are template-worthy. You'll know what survives the templating (structure, subtasks, tags, notes) and what doesn't (dates, alarms, locations), and you'll have a Shortcuts-based workaround for the date problem.

What you'll need

  • macOS 14 or later, or iOS 17 or later (templates landed in iOS 17)
  • An iCloud account signed into Reminders
  • One existing list you've used at least twice and want to stamp out again
  • Optional: Shortcuts app for date-stamping templates programmatically
  • Optional: Ultra Reminders if you want parameterised templates with variables

Step 1: Pick a project that's actually recurring

Not every list deserves a template. The bar is "I will run this exact shape 4+ times a year." Below that, just duplicate the last one and edit. Above it, build the template once and stamp.

Templating candidates that work in real life:

  • Trip packing (international vs domestic vs camping)
  • Client onboarding checklist
  • Podcast episode pipeline
  • Monthly close (finance, freelancer)
  • Weekly review (yours)
  • Product launch (the small ones, not the once-a-year flagship)
  • Sprint planning checklist
  • Newsletter publishing pipeline
  • Quarterly board prep

Templates that are wasted effort:

  • "Big launch I'll do once next year" (just build the list)
  • "Things I'll do this week" (this is a list, not a template)
  • "All possible tasks for any client" (too generic, nothing will fit)

"I had 23 templates by the end of year one. I used three of them. The rest I forgot existed. Now I keep four templates total, all of them battle-tested."

  • paraphrased from r/macapps, January 2026

Step 2: Build the source list properly

Open Reminders. Create a new list. Name it descriptively, including the word "Template" so future-you doesn't accidentally use it as a live list. Example: "Template: International Trip Packing".

Add every item you'd realistically do. Use sections to group (Documents, Clothes, Toiletries, Tech, Last 24 hours). Add subtasks for items that need breakdowns (Tech > Charger, Adapter, Backup phone). Add tags that should propagate (#travel, #15min). Add notes to items that need context ("3 pin UK adapter, not 2 pin").

Resist the urge to add dates. Dates do not survive the templating. We'll handle dates in Step 5.

What survives the save:

  • Item titles
  • Section structure
  • Subtask structure (single level)
  • Tags
  • Priority
  • Flags
  • Notes

What does not:

  • Dates
  • Alarms
  • Location triggers
  • URL attachments (sometimes)
  • Image attachments

Step 3: Save as Template

On Mac: with the list selected, go to File menu, then "Save as Template." On iOS: open the list, tap the three-dot menu, tap "Save as Template."

Give the template a clean name. The dialog also shows your existing templates so you can confirm you're not duplicating one.

The template now lives in a system-managed library, not in your sidebar. To use it, create a new list and choose "From Template" instead of starting blank.

Step 4: Stamp out a new list from the template

When you need a fresh instance, create a new list from template.

On Mac: File menu, New List, choose your template from the list. On iOS: Tap "Add List", scroll to "Templates" section, pick your template.

Name the new list with a date or identifier so you can find it later. Example: "Trip Packing: Bangalore May 2026" or "Episode 47 Workflow." Future-you will thank present-you for not naming three lists "Trip Packing."

The new list is a fully independent copy. Editing it doesn't change the template. Editing the template doesn't change existing copies. This is good (no surprise edits) and bad (template improvements don't propagate to old lists).

Step 5: Add dates with a Shortcut (the workaround)

This is the missing piece. Apple's templates do not save dates, which means every time you stamp one out, you have to add dates by hand. The workaround is a Shortcut that takes the new list and applies a date pattern to specific items.

Build the Shortcut once:

  1. Open Shortcuts on Mac or iOS
  2. New Shortcut, name it "Apply Trip Dates"
  3. Action: Find Reminders where List Name is [your trip list]
  4. Action: Repeat with each Reminder
  5. Inside repeat: If Reminder Title contains "Pack" then Set Due Date to "1 day before trip date"
  6. Add similar conditional date rules per item type

The shortcut is brittle but it works. You run it once after stamping out a new instance from the template, you get most dates filled in. You hand-fix the rest.

For a deeper Shortcuts walkthrough: How to Use Shortcuts to Automate Apple Reminders.

Step 6: Build the four templates that actually earn their keep

Most power users converge on similar templates. Steal these.

The Trip Packing Template. Sections: Documents, Clothes, Toiletries, Tech, First 24 hours, Last 24 hours. Subtasks under each parent item. Tag everything #travel. Stamp out per trip. Save 30 minutes of "did I pack..." panic.

The Client Onboarding Template. Sections: Day 1, Week 1, Week 2-4. Items like "Send welcome email", "Schedule kickoff", "Share access to shared drive", "Set up weekly check-in." Subtasks for credentials. Stamp out per new client.

The Weekly Review Template. A list with these items: Inbox to zero, Smart list audit, Calendar review, Flag pass, Project status, Waiting list chase, Next week priorities. Stamp out every Friday.

The Monthly Close Template. Sections: Bookkeeping, Invoicing, Bills, Reporting, Personal finance. Items per section. Stamp out on the 1st of every month.

For more recipes: How to Set Up Smart Lists in Apple Reminders and 15 Smart List Recipes for Apple Reminders cover the smart-list view layer that pairs with templates.

"The trip packing template plus a Shortcut that adds dates based on departure has saved me from showing up to the airport without a passport at least twice. Not exaggerating."

  • paraphrased from a Mac Power Users forum, March 2026

Common pitfalls

  • Templating things you'll do once. A massive launch you'll run in October. You won't run it again. Don't template it. Just build the list.
  • Forgetting templates exist. Apple buries the template library. Pin a note to your dashboard or your morning brief that lists your templates so you don't recreate from scratch.
  • Over-engineering the template. First version should be 80% right. Stamp it out twice, refine. Don't try to make it perfect on day one.
  • Date-stamped names that lie. Naming the template "Trip 2025" then using it in 2026 means everything reads stale. Keep template names date-free.
  • Templating with dates expected to survive. They don't. Apple Reminders strips them on save. If your project absolutely requires dates, you need either Shortcuts or Ultra Reminders for parameterised dates.

Verification

You'll know the template is working when:

  1. You can stamp out a new instance in under 10 seconds
  2. The structure (sections, subtasks, tags) appears intact
  3. You can immediately add dates (manually or via Shortcut) without re-typing items
  4. The original template is unchanged after editing the new list
  5. Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac all see the new list within seconds via iCloud sync

If the new list is missing subtasks: open the template on a Mac (Mac shows subtasks more reliably than iOS) and re-save. iOS occasionally drops subtask-of-subtask structure on save.

If templates aren't appearing in the New List dialog: make sure you're on iOS 17+ or macOS 14+. Templates landed in those versions and are not backported.

How Ultra Reminders extends templates

The native template system is good but static. Ultra Reminders adds variables: {{date}}, {{client}}, {{episode_number}}. Stamp out a "Podcast Episode" template, get prompted for the episode number, the title, and the guest name, and every item with a variable gets filled in. The template title becomes "Episode 47: Maya on freelancer pricing" instead of "Untitled."

Ultra Reminders also propagates date offsets. You set the trip date once, and every item with a "T-N days" rule gets the right date. No Shortcut required. The math runs at stamp time.

For more on the role-specific application: How to Create Subtasks and Sublists in Apple Reminders covers the structure these templates depend on.

FAQ

Q: Where are my templates stored?

A: Apple Reminders templates are stored in your iCloud account, not on a specific device. They sync across all devices signed into the same Apple ID. They're not visible in the Reminders sidebar; you access them through the New List dialog or the File menu's New from Template option.

Q: Can I share a template with someone else?

A: As of May 2026, no native sharing. You can share a list (which is a stamped-out instance) but the template itself is account-bound. Workaround: stamp it out, share the resulting list, and tell the recipient to save that list as their own template.

Q: Will my template update if I edit the original?

A: The template you saved updates if you re-save the source list. Existing stamped-out instances do NOT update; they're independent copies from the moment of stamping. If you improve a template, the improvements only apply to future instances.

Q: How many templates can I have?

A: Apple has not published a limit. Reports of users with 50+ templates suggest there's no practical ceiling. The real ceiling is your memory of which template is which, which is why the "fewer than five templates" rule wins.

Q: Can templates include location-based reminders?

A: No. Locations are a property of an instance, not a template. Same with dates, alarms, and time zones. The template carries structure, content, and metadata; runtime properties get added per instance.

Ultra Reminders solves rebuilding the same project list every single week. Free 14-day trial at ultrareminders.com.