Sometimes we drown in a glass of water wanting to do simple tasks with complex applications. Managing calendars or to-do lists on a Mac is something really simple that can be powered by external programs, but they are not necessary if we take into account the native applications that already come standard on the system. We tell you how you can make the most of these macOS options.
Synchronization with iPhone and more: main advantage
Using applications that come standard on the Mac can be the best resource for the lazy, but also for the smart ones. Not only are you saving time and even money that third-party applications cost, but you can also find yourself with a very important advantage of the so-called “Apple ecosystem”. We refer to the fact that your events, calendars and tasks can be synchronized with other devices thanks to iCloud.
If you are logged into the Mac with the same Apple ID that you have in the iPhone and / or iPad, you will notice that on these other devices all the modifications you make in the native macOS apps will also be added. In fact it also works in reverse. All this is managed thanks to iCloud, being able to enter System Preferences> Apple ID and going to the iCloud tab to activate the synchronization of each service.
Even on Windows computers or Android devices you can find this synchronization. In the case of the first, you will have to download the iCloud application, which does not work as optimally as on Apple computers, but it gets you out of trouble. Also in the Microsoft system you can access calendars, reminders and others with the iCloud website. This method of accessing from a web browser is the one that will be used on Android.
Event management with macOS Calendar
If you open the calendar application, you will firstly find an interface that you can change to your liking in weeks, months, and you can even add Google calendars or other services by clicking on “Calendars” in the upper left. You can scroll through the calendar with the mouse, the keyboard arrows or the navigation tabs on the upper right.
Add events
The way to add an event is tremendously simple, having a quick way to do it with the + icon. However, for better management of these, follow these steps:
- Place the cursor on the day you want to add an event.
- Right click and choose ” New event “. You will now have the following options to complete it:
- Calendar used (color tab on the right side).
- Name of the event.
- Location.
- Date and time, being able to choose the whole day, a specific time, if the event is repeated with certain frequency, the time it will take for the hypothetical trip and the configuration of the warning.
- Add guests.
- Add additional notes.
- Press the ‘enter’ key or click anywhere on the screen outside of this box.
Modify, copy, send or delete events
In the same way that adding events, modifying or deleting them completely is easy, it’s just as easy. Suppose you made a mistake by adding a quote or that it has changed day; you just have to double click on this event and you can access to change its settings.
If you wanted to copy the configuration of this event for another day, you could do it by right-clicking with the mouse or trackpad and hitting “copy” or “cut”. Then place you on the corresponding day to paste it in the same way. Also with the secondary click you will get access to the “Send event by mail” option. If you want to delete the event, again right-click and press the “Delete” option. It should be noted that by selecting several events you will be able to access the procedures to copy or delete all the events at once, without having to go one by one. You can even delete or duplicate full month events.
In any case, remember that you can have visibility of your events just by opening the application or from the iPhone and iPad with the corresponding widgets dedicated to this application.
Add tasks on Mac with Reminders
Another complementary and tremendously useful application is Reminders. This is another of the compendium of native apps that sync via iCloud with other devices. In this case we could differentiate it from calendar events for being simpler and with a more defined utility: that of warning you of something in particular on a timely basis or periodically. From doctor appointments, to reminders to call a friend or buy a certain product at the supermarket.
The Reminders application underwent a redesign in macOS Catalina according to what was seen in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13. It allows you to organize by different lists: periodic, punctual, urgent and lists created by the user, being able to also delete the predefined ones. How each person uses these lists is ultimately indifferent to the management of reminders.
To add a reminder, just press the ‘ + ‘ icon in the upper right, then the ‘i’ that appears in the list of reminders. Once here you can configure the following data:
- Reminder title.
- Check it (flag icon in the upper right).
- Add additional notes.
- Select day and time of the reminder.
- Select reminder location (if you want to jump when you are in a specific place instead of on a date).
- Select “When sending a message to someone” (if you want to jump when you are writing a text message to a contact instead of on a date or place).
- Choose repetition (none, every day, every week, every month, every year or custom frequency).
- Add URL.
- Add image.
The moment you add a reminder, you can see it in the corresponding drawers. In “Today” those that you have scheduled for the day will appear, in “Scheduled” all those that have a certain planned date will appear, in “All” they will all appear (worth the redundancy) and in “Marked” those that you added for this purpose. They will also appear in the respective lists that you have added.
The way to modify these reminders is simple, clicking on the ‘i’ to access the configuration again. Then you can mark it as completed, postpone it until tomorrow, delete it, copy or cut it by secondary clicking. For the matter of marking it as finished, it can be done quickly by clicking on the round icon that appears to the left of them.