How to Fix iPhone Reminders Not Working: The Complete Troubleshooting Guide

Jason

By Jason

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iPhone reminders not working

The Reminders app is one of the most useful default apps on the iPhone. It helps you stay organized and remember important tasks, events, and deadlines. But what if those reminders suddenly stop working?

It can be incredibly frustrating when your iPhone reminders are not showing up or functioning as expected. Whether you use reminders for work meetings, taking medication, or picking up the kids, having this tool fail can negatively impact your day.

Fortunately, there are several ways to troubleshoot and fix non-working reminders on your iPhone. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through all the steps you need to get your Reminders app back on track.

Why Your iPhone Reminders May Stop Working

Before jumping into the solutions, let’s first understand what causes the Reminders app to malfunction in the first place. Here are some common reasons:

  • Outdated iOS: An outdated operating system can trigger bugs and glitches in the Reminders app.
  • Insufficient storage space: If your iPhone storage is full, Reminders may struggle to sync properly.
  • Syncing issues: Poor internet connection can disrupt syncing between devices causing reminders to disappear.
  • Disabled notifications: If you have turned off Reminders notifications, you won’t receive any alerts.
  • Software bugs: Corrupted software and conflicts with other apps can affect Reminders.
  • Server problems: Apple server issues can also prevent Reminders from working temporarily.

Now let’s explore step-by-step troubleshooting tips to get your Reminders functioning again on iPhone.

Clear iPhone Storage Space

One of the most common reasons the Reminders app misbehaves is insufficient storage space on your iPhone. The app needs room to sync properly across devices.

To check your storage space:

  • Open the Settings app
  • Tap General > iPhone Storage
  • Review the breakdown of used and available space

If you’re running low, try the following to free up storage:

  • Offload unused apps: Tap Offload App for apps you don’t use. This removes the app but retains its data.
  • Delete media: Photos, videos, and music take up space fast. Delete items you no longer need.
  • Manage iCloud storage: Optimize your iCloud storage by turning off backups and syncs for select data.
  • Enable iCloud Photos: This stores your photos and videos in iCloud rather than your iPhone storage.

After clearing space, check if your reminders start working properly.

Update to the Latest iOS Version

Outdated software can be responsible for various iPhone issues, including Reminders failures.

Apple is constantly fine-tuning the iOS and eliminating bugs that impact system apps. Updating to the latest version can resolve problems with Reminders.

Here’s how you can update iOS:

  • Go to Settings > General > Software Update
  • If an update is available, tap Download and Install
  • Enter your passcode when prompted
  • Tap Agree to the Terms and Conditions
  • Tap Install to confirm

The update will now install automatically. Your iPhone will restart once the process completes. Then, open Reminders to see if the issue is fixed.

Reboot Your iPhone

Before tackling complex solutions, try the simple fix of rebooting your iPhone:

  • Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button until the power off slider appears
  • Drag the slider to power off your iPhone
  • After 30 seconds, press and hold the Side button again to turn your iPhone back on

Rebooting clears out minor software glitches that can disrupt proper functioning of the Reminders app.

Toggle Reminders Sync in iCloud

The Reminders app uses iCloud to sync across your devices. Sometimes turning syncing off and back on can resolve any conflicts.

Turn off Reminder from iCloud

To toggle Reminders in iCloud:

  • Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud
  • Tap the switch next to Reminders to turn it off
  • Wait 30 seconds and turn Reminders back on
  • Tap Merge when prompted to sync your existing reminders

Allow some time for changes to take effect after re-enabling. This refresh often fixes reminders not working on iPhone.

Remove Reminders from Notification Center Widget

Another quick fix is to remove the Reminders widget from your Today View:

Remove Reminders from Widgets
  • Swipe right from the first Home Screen to open Today View
  • Scroll down and tap Edit at the bottom
  • Find the Reminders widget and tap the minus icon
  • Tap Remove to confirm

This forces the Reminders widget to refresh. Reboot your iPhone once it’s removed.

Reset Network Settings

If you believe syncing problems are preventing your reminders from working, resetting the network settings may help:

  • Open Settings > General > Reset
  • Tap Reset Network Settings
  • Enter your passcode when prompted
  • Tap Reset Network Settings again to confirm

Your Wi-Fi networks and other connections will reset, so you’ll need to rejoin your Wi-Fi.

Check Notification Settings

The Reminders app relies heavily on notifications to alert you. If those alerts are turned off, your reminders won’t be visible or audible.

Verify your notification settings:

  • Open Settings > Notifications
  • Scroll down and tap Reminders
  • Ensure Allow Notifications is enabled
  • Check that alerts are turned on for Lock ScreenNotification Center, and Banners
  • Under Sounds, pick a sound for Alert Tone

Customizing these options ensures your reminders alerts are active.

Delete and Reinstall the App

If you’ve tried everything, deleting and reinstalling the Reminders app may do the trick:

  • Touch and hold the Reminders icon until it starts jiggling
  • Tap the minus icon to delete the app
  • Open the App Store and search for Reminders
  • Tap Get to reinstall Reminders
  • Try using the app again once installed

This provides a clean slate for the Reminders app, often resolving persistent issues.

Reset All Settings

For stubborn reminder problems, resetting all your iPhone settings could help:

Erase Contents and Settings on iPhoe
  • Go to Settings > General > Reset
  • Tap Reset All Settings
  • Enter your passcode
  • Tap Reset All Settings again

This will reset your device preferences without erasing data. Sign back into Wi-Fi and customize settings afterward.

Restore iPhone Using iTunes or Finder

Finally, you can restore your iPhone to factory settings as a last resort.

Make sure you have an iPhone backup before restoring!

Restore iPhone to fix iPhone reminders not working

To restore:

  • Connect your iPhone to a computer using a USB cable
  • Open iTunes on a Windows PC or Finder on a Mac
  • On iTunes, click your iPhone icon, then Summary > Restore iPhone
  • On Finder, click your iPhone, then General > Restore
  • Follow prompts to restore from a backup
  • Set up your iPhone as new after restoring

Though tedious, wiping your device often resolves even the most stubborn issues.

Make Use of the Tenorshare ReiBoot

Various issues related to iPhone can be solved by Tenorshare ReiBoot, such as

Additionally, you can repair any problem in your iOS devices and that too without any loss of information through Standard Repair.

Fix iPhone reminders not working Using ReiBoot - Standard Repair

If the iPhone-related issues are very serious, then such issues can be resolved by reinstalling and completely wiping the device. If your Smartphone is stuck in the mode of recovery, then this is the quickest way to solve this problem.

Three Modes Are Using Which Tenorshare ReiBoot Can Be Done.

  • Standard Repair is used for solving problems, which does not lead to any loss of information on your device.
  • By using the Deep Repair of system recovery, you can unlock an iPhone and sort out other problems which cannot get sorted by using the standard Repair of recovery.
  • Additionally, Exit Recovery Mode can take out the devices stuck in recovery mode with a single click.

Key Takeaways: Fixing Non-Working iPhone Reminders

To recap, here are some key tips to remember when troubleshooting reminders failures on your iPhone:

  • Check your storage space and delete unnecessary files
  • Make sure you’re running the latest iOS version
  • Try rebooting your iPhone to clear out minor glitches
  • Toggle Reminders off and on in iCloud settings
  • Remove the Reminders widget from Notification Center
  • Verify notifications are enabled for Reminders
  • Reset network settings if syncing is the problem
  • Delete and reinstall the Reminders app for a fresh start
  • Reset all settings or restore iPhone completely if needed

Following this comprehensive guide will help you isolate and resolve any issues with reminders not working properly on your iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions about Non-Working iPhone Reminders

Here are answers to some common questions about getting reminders functioning again on your iPhone:

Q: Why did my reminders suddenly disappear on my iPhone?

A: Reminders disappearing is usually caused by an iCloud syncing failure, software bug, or storage space issue. Try toggling Reminders sync, updating iOS, freeing up space, and resetting the app/device to recover disappeared reminders.

Q: How do I get back lost reminders on my iPhone?

A: If you have an iCloud or iTunes backup from before the reminders disappeared, you can restore from this backup to retrieve lost reminders. Otherwise, they may be lost for good unfortunately.

Q: Why do my reminders not go off on my iPhone anymore?

A: Double check that notifications and alerts are enabled for the Reminders app in your Settings. Also make sure Reminders is turned on in iCloud sync settings.

Q: How can I tell if my iPhone reminders are not syncing properly?

A: If you add or edit reminders on one device but don’t see the changes reflected on your other devices, that indicates a syncing problem. Try the troubleshooting tips to refresh Reminders sync.

Q: Why does my iPhone say there are no reminders when I have some set?

A: This usually means a software bug or crashing issue. Hard reset your device, reinstall the app, and check iCloud settings. Restore iPhone if needed.

Q: I deleted a reminder by accident. Can I get it back on my iPhone?

A: Unfortunately, there is no simple way to recover a deleted reminder on iPhone. You would need a backup from before you deleted it to restore that reminder.

Q: How do I stop a recurring reminder on my iPhone from popping up every day?

A: Open that reminder, tap the repeat icon (a clockwise arrow), and change the repeat frequency to “Does Not Repeat” to stop a daily recurring reminder.

Q: Why do my location reminders not work properly on my iPhone?

A: Ensure Location Services is enabled for Reminders in Settings. Also check that Location Access is set to Always Allow when using location-based reminders.

Q: What should I do if force quitting and restarting the app doesn’t fix it?

A: If basic troubleshooting doesn’t work, try advanced steps like resetting network settings, erasing the app, factory resetting your device or wiping it completely using iTunes restore.

By the way, don’t get frustrated when your iPhone compass is not working, as in this article, there are surefire solutions you can try if your iPhone compass is broken.

Conclusion

Having your iPhone reminders suddenly stop functioning can negatively impact your productivity and organization. With this detailed guide, you now have a full toolkit to troubleshoot and fix non-working reminders on your iPhone or iPad.

The key is to identify the specific cause, whether it’s outdated software, notifications issues, crashing problems or sync failures. Follow the step-by-step solutions to get your Reminders back on track.

Consider setting reminders in multiple apps like Any.do or Todoist as a backup option. And be sure to keep regular iCloud backups of your device.

We hope these tips get your Reminders working smoothly again on your iPhone or iPad. Let us know if the solutions were helpful or if you have any other problems with non-working reminders!

Jason
Jason

Skilled software testing specialist with expertise in comparisons and research, passionate about blogging, reviews, and creating video tutorials.

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