Updates and More

You can access extras related to this ebook on the web (use the link in Ebook Extras, near the end; it’s available only to purchasers). On the ebook’s Take Control Extras page, you can:

• Download any available new version of the ebook for free, or buy any subsequent edition at a discount.

• Download various formats, including PDF, EPUB, and Mobipocket. (Learn about reading on mobile devices on our Device Advice page.)

• Read the ebook’s blog. You may find new tips or information, as well as a link to an author interview.

If you bought this ebook from the Take Control website, it has been added to your account, where you can download it in other formats and access any future updates. However, if you bought this ebook elsewhere, you can add it to your account manually; see Ebook Extras.

Activating Siri

Quite often, Siri is the fastest way to work with Apple’s Calendar and Reminders apps. You’ll see tips about when to use Siri and what to say throughout this book. Here’s a quick look at how to get Siri working:

• Mac: Click the Siri icon in the menu bar or Dock. Or, press and hold ⌘-Space. (Careful here: if you hold ⌘ and then tap the Space key, you’ll activate Spotlight instead.) (If ⌘-Space doesn’t work, go to System Preference > Siri and check on the keyboard shortcut.)

  You hear a chime and the Siri window appears in the upper-right corner of your screen. When Siri is listening, a line pulses at the bottom of this window—if you don’t see this line, click the Siri icon at the bottom of the window. Speak your command.

  If that doesn’t work, make sure Siri is enabled by going to Apple  > System Preferences > Siri and selecting the Enable Ask Siri checkbox. Siri requires an internet connection and is available in macOS 10.12 Sierra and later.

• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch: On an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, press and hold the Home button or Side button to activate Siri manually. If voice activation has been turned on (go to Settings > Siri & Search and set the “Listen for ‘Hey Siri’” slider to On) just say “Hey Siri” before your request.

• Apple Watch: Press and hold the Digital Crown, or raise your wrist and say “Hey Siri.”

• HomePod: Press the top of the HomePod until you see the swirling, multicolor lights and make your request or say “Hey Siri” followed by your command. To use Calendar and Reminders on the HomePod, you must first turn on Personal Requests. See Set Up Personal Requests on a HomePod.

What’s New in Version 2.1

Version 2.1 of Take Control of Calendar and Reminders is updated for macOS Catalina, iOS 13, iPadOS 13, and watchOS 6. Revisions include:

• Catalina reorganized most iCloud features into a section of the new Apple ID preference pane, which changes how you connect Calendar to iCloud. For updated instructions, see Connect Calendar to iCloud.

• The new Reminders app requires you to upgrade your iCloud reminders before accessing its new tools, which involves some tradeoffs. See Avoid Heartache When Upgrading Your Reminders.

• The new Reminders app adds significant features to iCloud reminders, including tools that let you Group Related Reminder Lists, Customize Your Lists’ Look, Flag a Reminder, Nest Reminders, Get a Reminder When Messaging, Add a URL, Add Images, and use new edit buttons to quickly Set a Time and Date and Pick a Location.

• The new Reminders app includes four built-in Smart Lists (see What Are Smart Lists?) that round up reminders with similar characteristics, regardless of which list they’re in. Smart List take up space in Reminders sidebar, however, which means there’s no longer an option to see a mini calendar there.

• As of iOS 13.2, Siri no longer makes call reminders you can tap to start a call. Hopefully this feature will be added back in an update. You can still make a quick call reminder when you decline a call on your Mac or iPhone. See Remind Yourself to Make a Call.

• The new Reminders app no longer lets you see locally stored reminders lists and iCloud reminders lists at the same time. See How can I get an On My Mac option?

• Family Sharing no longer generates a shared Family Reminders list. If you already have one, it’s converted to a standard shared list that can include people who aren’t in your family group and be deleted.

• Catalina reorganized all iCloud Family Sharing features into a new System Preferences pane. Find your way around with the updated chapter, Use iCloud Family Sharing.

• As of Catalina and iOS 13, you can no longer restore iCloud reminders from an iCloud backup. See What if I accidentally delete my calendars?

What Was New in the Second Edition

The second edition of Take Control of Calendar and Reminders is updated for macOS Mojave as well as the latest version of iOS and watchOS available in May 2019. Along with hundreds of small changes in the book, larger revisions include:

• A workaround that lets you See Calendar Events in a List on your Mac.

• Details about how to Print Your Calendar (to paper or PDF), which is especially useful if you want to hang up a hard copy of the month’s calendar for the family, email a list of events to colleagues, or print blank calendars.

• More Siri tips. I include a video that demonstrates using Siri with Reminders and walk you through what to do When the Wrong Device Answers “Hey Siri”.

• A tip about typing reminders on your Mac using natural language. See Set a Time and Date.

• A section on how to Sort Reminders, which is especially handy if you categorize your reminders by priority. (See Make a Reminder High Priority.)

• A tip showing you how to create a location-based reminder that alerts you to do something when you get in or out of your Bluetooth- or CarPlay-enabled car. See Your Car Is a Location, Too!

• A discussion of how to Tap into Siri Shortcuts that includes a list of pre-made Calendar and Reminders shortcuts you can use to automate common tasks.

• How to add Calendar and Reminders complications to an Apple Watch face using the Watch app on your iPhone. (See Check on Your Apple Watch.)

• Tips throughout showing how to use Apple’s smart speaker, the HomePod, with Calendar and Reminders. See, in particular, Set Up Personal Requests on a HomePod and Check on the HomePod.

• More iOS tips, including a substantially updated section about using Notifications on Your iPhone and iPad.