Microsoft To Do: Tips for the Free Task App
Microsoft To Do is a free, built-in task manager that syncs across your phone, PC, and browser. Learn tips to organize tasks, set reminders, and share lists.
5 min read · 5 steps · Checked April 2026
Step 1. Open Microsoft To Do on your Windows PC or phone
On a Windows 11 computer, click the Start menu and search for "Microsoft To Do." If it is not installed, go to the Microsoft Store and download it for free. On iPhone or Android, search "Microsoft To Do" in your app store and install it. Sign in with your Microsoft account — the same one you use for Outlook, OneDrive, or Xbox. If you do not have one, create it for free at outlook.com.
Quick Tip
Quick Tip: You can also use To Do in any browser at todo.microsoft.com without installing anything.
Step 2. Create your first list and add tasks
Click or tap "New list" in the left sidebar. Give it a name — "Grocery List," "Errands," or "Doctor Follow-Ups." Inside the list, click or tap "Add a task" and type what you need to do. Press Enter to save it and add the next task. Each task appears as a line with a circle to tap when completed.
Step 3. Use My Day to plan your focus for today
Tap "My Day" at the top of the sidebar. This view starts empty each morning. Tap the "+" button to add tasks from your lists to today's focus — or tap the suggestion bulb icon to see tasks that To Do recommends based on due dates. Keeping My Day to five or fewer tasks helps you stay focused and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Quick Tip
Quick Tip: Start each morning by spending two to three minutes setting up My Day. This small habit can make the rest of your day feel much more organized.
Step 4. Share a list with a family member
Open the list you want to share and click the person icon with a "+" at the top right (on a computer) or tap the three dots for list options (on a phone). Choose "Share list" and enter the email address of the person you want to share with. They will receive an invitation, and once they accept, they will see the same list on their device. Any changes either person makes — adding or completing tasks — will update for both.
Warning
The person you share a list with must also have a Microsoft account. If they do not have one, they will need to create a free account before they can access the shared list.
Step 5. Set reminders and recurring tasks
Click on any task to open its details. Tap "Remind me" to set a specific date and time for a notification. Tap "Repeat" to make the task recur — daily, on weekdays, weekly, or on a custom schedule. Recurring tasks are useful for things like weekly medication refill checks, monthly bill payments, or quarterly doctor follow-ups.
Quick Tip
Quick Tip: For grocery shopping, star the tasks you always need to restock. Starred items appear in the "Important" view, making it easy to build a quick weekly grocery list from your staples.
Microsoft To Do is a free task manager made by Microsoft. It comes pre-installed on Windows 11 computers and is also available as a free app on iPhone, Android, and Mac. If you already have a Microsoft account — the kind you use for Outlook email or OneDrive — you already have access to To Do and your tasks will sync automatically across all your devices.
The app is designed around simplicity. Tasks live in lists. Each task can have a note, a due date, a reminder, steps (sub-tasks), and a repeat schedule. You can mark any task important with a star, and all starred tasks show up together in a special "Important" view.
One of the most useful features in Microsoft To Do is called "My Day." This is a daily clean slate — each morning, you start with an empty My Day view and choose which tasks to focus on today. Microsoft can also suggest tasks based on due dates. When the day ends, My Day resets. This prevents the overwhelming feeling of an ever-growing master list by helping you focus on just a few things at a time.
Another standout feature is shared lists. You can create a shopping list, grocery list, or household task list and share it with a family member or roommate. When one person checks something off, it disappears for everyone. This makes it a practical tool for coordinating errands or chores without needing to send messages back and forth.
Microsoft To Do also connects with Outlook and Microsoft 365. If you use Outlook for email, tasks you flag in Outlook automatically appear in To Do. This makes it an especially powerful combination for anyone managing a busy inbox.
The app is free, has no ads, and requires only a Microsoft account — which is also free to create.
Official sources
- Microsoft Support — support.microsoft.com
- Windows Help — support.microsoft.com
- Microsoft 365 Help — support.microsoft.com
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