The Google Tasks guide—everything you need to build a ...

There's one more way to sort tasks: Lists. When you first open Google Tasks, it will start a new My Tasks list and put all of your older tasks ... ProductHowitworksFeaturesCustomerstoriesSecurityExplorePopularwaystouseZapierAppsthatworkwithZapierExploreZapierbyjobroleResourcesBlogReadtheZapierblogfortipsonproductivity,automation,andgrowingyourbusinessExpertsHireaZapierExperttohelpyouimproveprocessesandautomateworkflows.HelpCenterGethelpwithZapierfromourtutorials,FAQs,andtroubleshootingarticles.CommunityAskquestions,shareyourknowledge,andgetinspiredbyotherZapierusers.ZapierUniversityVideocoursesdesignedtohelpyoubecomeabetterZapieruser.WebinarsLearnaboutautomationanytime,anywherewithouron-demandwebinarlibrary.Teams&CompaniesPricingSearchapps…LoginSignupLoadingHomeProductivityApptipsApptips5minreadTheGoogleTasksguide—everythingyouneedtobuildaproductive,simpleto-dolistworkflowByMatthewGuay·November17,2020It'sthesimplestto-dolistapp,hiddenbehindabuttoninGmailandGoogleCalendar.Andyet,GoogleTasksisoneofthemostpopularto-doliststhanksinparttothatsimplicity.Youdon'talwaysneedafullprojectmanagementsystemtokeeptrackofyourwork.Sometimes,simplerisbetter.PowerupyourGoogleappswithautomationLearnhowImagineapaperto-dolistwithachecklistofthingsyouneedtodo.Perhapsyou'dindentsometasksthatarepartofalargertask;maybeyou'dscribbleaquicknoteunderataskwithmoredetails,orwriteaduedatebesidecriticaltasks.Digitizethatsimpleto-dolistandyou'vegotGoogleTasks.Itprobablyhelps,ofcourse,thatGoogleTasksisbuiltintoGmailandGoogleCalendar—evenifit'salittlehidden.Here'showtofindGoogleTasks—andhowtogetthemostoutofit.WhereisGoogleTasks?GoogleTasksisbuiltintoGmail,andthat'sprobablytheeasiestplacetogetstartedusingit.JustclicktheTasksiconintherightsidebar.  ThereAfterabriefanimation,you'llgetanewGoogleTasksaccount.You'llalsofindTasksintheGoogleCalendarsidebar.Or,ifyou'reonthego,GoogleTasksisonmobile,withfull-featurediOSandAndroidapps.Honestly,themobileversionisasimpleoptionformobile,evenifyoudon'tuseGmail.AddtaskstoGoogleTasksOpenGoogleTasksintheGmailsidebar,clickAddatasktowardthetop,andtypeinyourtask.Pressyourenterkeytosavethetaskandyoucaninstantlytypeinanothertask.Needtoeditatask?Clickonittoselectoredittextrightinthelist.OryoucanaddmoredetailstotasksfromtheirEditview.PressShift+Enterwhensavingatasktoseeitseditview—orclickthepencilbuttonbesidethetask.There,youcanaddadescription,duedate,orsubtasks.Youcanalsomoveittoadifferentlist—moreonthatlater.Youwon'tbeabletoaddtonsofdetails,granted,butit'senoughfeaturesformostpeople.AddGmailemailstoyourto-dolistAsidefromitssimplicity,GoogleTasks'bestfeatureisitsdeepintegrationwithGmail.Yourinboxisn'tthebestto-dolist—soGoogleTasksgivesyousomewheretolistthoseimportantmessagesthatneedareplyoractiononyourpart.DraganemailfromanywhereinGmailtotheGoogleTaskssidebartoinstantlyturnitintoatask.It'llkeeptheemail'ssubjectasthetaskname,withalinktotheemailunderneath.YoucanthenarchiveormovethemessageandstillopeniteasilyfromtheGoogleTaskslink.OrganizeGoogleTaskswithlistsanddrag-and-dropMuchlikeapaperto-dolist,themostdirectwaytouseGoogleTasksistojotdownbasicthingsyouneedtodoandcheckthemoffasthey'recompleted.Butifyou'dratherplan,rearrangingyourtasksintotheorderyoushouldcompletethem,youcandothattoo.Justclickonataskanddragittotheorderyouwant.Moveataskwithsubtasks?Justdragtomovethewholesettogether.Or,ifyoudecideasubtaskshouldbeitsowntask,dragitout,andit'llturnintoastandalonetask.Keyboardshortcutsworkheretoo:Selectatask,thenpressalt+↑or↓tomovethetaskaround.Needtoseeupcomingtasksfirst?Clickthethree-dotmenuandselectSortbyDatetogroupyourtasksbytheirduedate,withthetasksduesoonestatthetop.OpenthemenuagainandselectMyOrdertogetthetasksbackintheorderyoudragged-and-droppedthem.There'sonemorewaytosorttasks:Lists.WhenyoufirstopenGoogleTasks,itwillstartanewMyTaskslistandputallofyouroldertasksinalistwithyourname.ClicktheMyTasks(orotherlistname)buttonatthetopofGoogleTaskstoselectthelistyouwantoraddanother.Tomovetaskstoadifferentlist,opentheireditviewandselectthelistyouwant.ManageGoogleTaskswithkeyboardshortcutsIt'sfuntodragemailsovertoGoogleTasksandmoveyoursubtasksaround,butthefastestwaytomanageGoogleTasksiswithyourkeyboard.Here'salistofthemostusefulshortcutsforreference—oryoucanfindthemanytimeinGoogleTasksbypressingCtrl+/onWindowsorCommand+/onMac:OpenGoogleTasks:g+kSwitchbetweenGoogleTasksandGmail:Ctrl+Alt+,onWindowsorCMD+Alt+,onMacAddGmailemailconversationtoGoogleTasks:Shift+tAddnewtask:enterCompletetask:spaceMovetaskupordown:alt+↑oralt+↓Indentorun-indenttask:Ctrl+[orCtrl+]onWindowsorCommand+[onMacExitdetailsmode:EscUseGoogleTasksappstomanagetasksonthegoYourphonemightbethehandiestplacetokeepato-dolist,sinceyouprobablyalwayshaveitonyou.GoogleTasks'mobileappsareperfectforthat.InstallGoogleTasksonyouriOSorAndroiddevice,andifyou'vealreadysignedintoanyotherGoogleappswithyourGoogleaccount,GoogleTaskswillpullinyourto-dolistsautomatically.ItworksmuchthesameasinGmail.TaptheAddanewtaskbuttontotypeinatask,thentapthetasktoaddaduedate,description,orsubtasks.Thentap-and-dragtaskstoarrangethemasyou'dlike.Themenuinthelower-leftcorneroftheappletsyouswitchbetweentasklistsoraddnewones.And,bestofall,itletsyouswitchbetweenGoogleaccounts.IfyouhaveaGoogleWorkplace(formerlyGSuite)accountforworkalongwithapersonalGmailaccount,tapyouravatarintheGoogleTasksapptoswitchbetweenyourworkandpersonalto-dolists.Aswithmostothermobileto-dolistapps,GoogleTaskscannotifyyouwhentasksaredue.You'llneverforgetyourimportanttasksevenifyoudon'topenGmail.AutomateGoogleTasksGoogleTasksisasimpleto-dolist—butwithlists,subtasks,andmobilenotifications,ithasthebasicsyouneedtostayproductiveandkeeptrackofthemostimportantthingsyouneedtodo.AndwithZapier,youcandoevenmorewithGoogleTasks.Zapier'sGoogleTasksintegrationscanaddnewtasksandupdateexistingonesautomatically—orcreatenewlistsandfillthemwithtasksasaneasywaytostartprojects.Or,ZapiercanwatchyourGoogleTaskslistsforneworcompletedtasksandstartworkflowsaroundyourtasks.ExploresomeofthemostpopularGoogleTasksintegrations.Inthemeantime,herearesomeideastohelpyougetstarted.MovetasksbetweenappsCreateTrellocardsfromnewGoogleTaskstasksCreateTrellocardsfromnewGoogleTaskstasksTryitGoogleTasks,TrelloGoogleTasks+TrelloAddnewGoogleTaskstoTodoistastasksAddnewGoogleTaskstoTodoistastasksTryitGoogleTasks,TodoistGoogleTasks+TodoistSavenewTodoistincompletetasksasnewGoogleTasksSavenewTodoistincompletetasksasnewGoogleTasksTryitGoogleTasks,TodoistGoogleTasks+TodoistCreatetasksfromotherappsAddEvernoteReminderstoGoogleTasksasNewTasksAddEvernoteReminderstoGoogleTasksasNewTasksTryitEvernote,GoogleTasksEvernote+GoogleTasksCreateGoogleTasksfromnewGoogleSheetsrowsCreateGoogleTasksfromnewGoogleSheetsrowsTryitGoogleSheets,GoogleTasksGoogleSheets+GoogleTasksCreatetasksinGoogleTasksfromnewGoogleCalendareventsCreatetasksinGoogleTasksfromnewGoogleCalendareventsTryitGoogleCalendar,GoogleTasksGoogleCalendar+GoogleTasksAddGoogleTasksfromnewnotesinsectionsonOneNoteAddGoogleTasksfromnewnotesinsectionsonOneNoteTryitFormatterbyZapier,GoogleTasks,OneNoteFormatterbyZapier+GoogleTasks+OneNoteAutomateyouremailtasksCreateGoogleTasksfromnewGmailCreateGoogleTasksfromnewGmailTryitGmail,GoogleTasksGmail+GoogleTasksCreatenewGoogleTasksfromemailsCreatenewGoogleTasksfromemailsTryitEmailbyZapier,GoogleTasksEmailbyZapier+GoogleTasksCreateGoogleTasksforGmailemailsthatmatchsearchesCreateGoogleTasksforGmailemailsthatmatchsearchesTryitGmail,GoogleTasksGmail+GoogleTasksSimplifyyourto-doswithGoogleTasksSometimesasimplertooliswhatittakestokeepyouproductive.Ifyouwantedasimpler,back-to-basicsto-dolistapporwishyoucouldgetyourtasksoutofyourinboxandintosomethingmoremanageable,GoogleTasksisabettertoolthanevertohandleit.Andwithabitoflistorganizationandautomation,youcanturnitintothetoolthattrackseverythingyouneedtodo.SeehowGoogleTasksstacksuptootherappsinourroundupofthebestto-dolistapps.GetproductivitytipsdeliveredstraighttoyourinboxSubscribeWe’llemailyou1-3timesperweek—andnevershareyourinformation.MatthewGuayMatthewGuayisaneditorandwriterinBangkok.Whenhe'snotwriting,he'slikelyreadinganewbookorexploringrandomstreetsinanewcity.FollowMatthewat@maguay.tagsGoogleTaskmanagement&to-dolistsProjectmanagementPersonalproductivitymentionedappsGoogleTasksRelatedarticlesApptipsPollvs.survey:What'sthedifference?Pollvs.survey:What'sthedifference?ApptipsUsethisNotionnote-takingtemplatetobalanceorganizationandfreedomUsethisNotionnote-takingtemplateto...ApptipsHowtofixcommonerrorsinExcelHowtofixcommonerrorsinExcelApptipsHowtosendnewslettersinGmailwithcustomizedlayoutsandmulti-sendmodeHowtosendnewslettersinGmailwith...Improveyourproductivityautomatically.UseZapiertogetyourappsworkingtogether.SignupSeehowZapierworks