Skip to main content

Apple Reminders

Apple Reminders via remindctl: add, list, complete.

Skill metadata​

SourceBundled (installed by default)
Pathskills/apple/apple-reminders
Version1.0.0
AuthorHermes Agent
LicenseMIT
Platformsmacos
TagsReminders, tasks, todo, macOS, Apple

Reference: full SKILL.md​

info

The following is the complete skill definition that Hermes loads when this skill is triggered. This is what the agent sees as instructions when the skill is active.

Apple Reminders

Use remindctl to manage Apple Reminders directly from the terminal. Tasks sync across all Apple devices via iCloud.

Prerequisites​

  • macOS with Reminders.app
  • Install: brew install steipete/tap/remindctl
  • Grant Reminders permission when prompted
  • Check: remindctl status / Request: remindctl authorize

When to Use​

  • User mentions "reminder" or "Reminders app"
  • Creating personal to-dos with due dates that sync to iOS
  • Managing Apple Reminders lists
  • User wants tasks to appear on their iPhone/iPad

When NOT to Use​

  • Scheduling agent alerts → use the cronjob tool instead
  • Calendar events → use Apple Calendar or Google Calendar
  • Project task management → use GitHub Issues, Notion, etc.
  • If user says "remind me" but means an agent alert → clarify first

Quick Reference​

View Reminders​

remindctl                    # Today's reminders
remindctl today              # Today
remindctl tomorrow           # Tomorrow
remindctl week               # This week
remindctl overdue            # Past due
remindctl all                # Everything
remindctl 2026-01-04         # Specific date

Manage Lists​

remindctl list               # List all lists
remindctl list Work          # Show specific list
remindctl list Projects --create    # Create list
remindctl list Work --delete        # Delete list

Create Reminders​

remindctl add "Buy milk"
remindctl add --title "Call mom" --list Personal --due tomorrow
remindctl add --title "Meeting prep" --due "2026-02-15 09:00"

Due Time vs Alarm / Early Nudge​

--due and --alarm are different fields:

  • --due sets the reminder's due date/time.
  • --alarm sets the EventKit alarm/notification trigger. Timed due reminders may default to an alarm at the due time, but pass --alarm explicitly when the user asks for an earlier nudge.

For a reminder due at 2:00 PM with a notification 30 minutes earlier:

remindctl add --title "Hairdresser" --due "2026-05-15 14:00" --alarm "2026-05-15 13:30"

To edit an existing reminder:

remindctl edit 87354 --due "2026-05-15 14:00" --alarm "2026-05-15 13:30"

The Reminders UI may show or group the item by the alarm time because that is when the notification fires. Verify with JSON instead of assuming the due time moved:

remindctl today --json

Expected shape:

  • dueDate: actual due time
  • alarmDate: notification / early nudge time

Apple's public EKReminder docs list only reminder-specific properties. Alarm support comes from inherited EKCalendarItem behavior exposed by remindctl's --alarm flag.

Complete / Delete​

remindctl complete 1 2 3          # Complete by ID
remindctl delete 4A83 --force     # Delete by ID

Output Formats​

remindctl today --json       # JSON for scripting
remindctl today --plain      # TSV format
remindctl today --quiet      # Counts only

Date Formats​

Accepted by --due and date filters:

  • today, tomorrow, yesterday
  • YYYY-MM-DD
  • YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm
  • ISO 8601 (2026-01-04T12:34:56Z)

Rules​

  1. When user says "remind me", clarify: Apple Reminders (syncs to phone) vs agent cronjob alert
  2. Always confirm reminder content and due date before creating
  3. Use --json for programmatic parsing