What happens when a reminder is due?

When a reminder is due, a number appears inside the floating icon, a card rises above the icon with two buttons for that moment, and the computer shows a notification with the task’s name and its time. The number counts the reminders you have not answered, and each answer takes one off.

#The number on the icon

The number sits inside the circle. It reads 1 to 9, then 9+. Hover the icon, away from the buttons, and its label says something like “3 reminders waiting”. The same number shows beside Tasks in the sidebar.

A card that closes by itself has not answered anything, so the number keeps the reminder until you press Done, Later or another answer. While a full-screen app is in front, the icon draws no number and the card waits.

#The card at each moment

The two buttons depend on what the reminder is for.

• Before a task starts, the card says how long is left, for example “In 15 minutes”, with the time block under it. Its buttons are Start now and Later. Start now sets the task to In progress.
• At the start, the card says “Starting now”. Its buttons are Start and Done.
• When a time block ends, the card says “Time is up” and asks “Finished?”. Its buttons are Done and Still going. Still going adds 15 minutes to the block and asks again when they are up.
• At a deadline, the card names it, for example “Deadline 5:00 PM”. Its buttons are Done and Later.

A task that is already In progress has no Start button, so it gets Done and Later. Reminders that come within ten minutes of each other share one card, headed “2 reminders” for two, with an Open Tasks button. While a card is waiting for an answer, a new reminder within ten minutes joins the number without a second card.

The small arrow at the right of the card is named More choices. It opens Change the start, Change the end or length, Remove the reminder and Open the task, and at the end of a time block it also holds Stop for now, which closes the card and leaves the task open. Just a reminder cards have no arrow.

#Later

Later offers In 10 minutes, In 1 hour, This evening, Tomorrow morning and Pick a time. This evening appears only while 6:00 PM is at least 30 minutes away. Tomorrow morning is 9:00 AM. Pick a time opens the task in Tasks.

#Undo, and how long the card stays

Later, Start now and Done each leave one line on the card, such as “Reminder moved to tomorrow, 9:00 AM.”, “Started.” or “Done.”, with an Undo for about six seconds. Done on a repeating task moves it to its next round, and that Done has no Undo on the card.

The card stays about eight seconds, and the check-in at the end of a time block about fifteen. Both wait while the pointer is on the card or one of its menus is open. Then the card leaves, and the number still counts what you did not answer.

#Answer it later from the Tasks page

In the List view, a section called Waiting for you lists every reminder you have not answered, with Done, Later and Not now on each. Not now answers the reminder and leaves that task alone for 7 days. Just a reminder has Done and Later only. Answering here takes the number down the same way.

#When reminders arrive

• Reminders arrive while Dictate Safe is running. Closing its window leaves it running with the floating icon, and quitting it ends reminders until you open it again. Switch on Launch at login in Settings → General and it starts whenever you sign in. The first time you save a timed reminder, the Tasks page offers the same with a button that says Yes, open at sign in.
• A reminder that came due while the app was closed goes off when it opens. One that is more than two hours late shows only in the number and in Waiting for you, with no card and no notification.
• A card waits while you are dictating, for two seconds after, and while a full-screen app is in front. A card that cannot appear within five minutes is dropped, and its reminder stays in the number.
• The Quiet hours setting in Settings → Assistant and tasks holds reminders until the hours end.