Skip to main content

    Set Up Free Medication Reminders on iPhone

    iPhone's Health app has a free Medications feature that reminds you to take pills, tracks your history, and warns about interactions.

    3 min read · 6 steps · Checked May 2026

    1. Step 1. Open the Health app and find Medications

      On any iPhone, the Health app is pre-installed (white icon with a red heart). Open it. Tap "Browse" at the bottom. Scroll down and tap "Medications." Tap "Add Medication."

    2. Step 2. Enter each medication

      Type the medication name (the iPhone offers a list as you type). Pick the form (tablet, capsule, liquid, inhaler), strength (like 10 mg), and the dosage you take (one pill, two pills). Set the schedule — daily at 8 AM, twice a day, or "as needed." You can add a photo of what the pill looks like.

      Quick Tip

      Quick Tip: Add medications one at a time. Even over-the-counter ones like aspirin or vitamin D are worth adding — the Health app warns of interactions across the whole list.

    3. Step 3. Turn on reminders

      After adding a medication, tap "Add Reminders" to schedule notifications. The iPhone reminds you at each dose time. You can mark the reminder as "Taken" to log it, or "Skip" if you missed a dose. Either way, the Health app records what happened.

    4. Step 4. Check for interactions

      After adding two or more medications, tap "Interactions" in the Medications screen. The iPhone shows any known interactions or warnings. This is a starting point — always discuss interactions with your doctor or pharmacist — but it can highlight issues to ask about.

    5. Step 5. Share your medication list with family or doctor

      In HealthSharing, you can share medication info with a family member who also has an iPhone. They see your list, your schedule, and whether you have been taking your medications on time. For doctors, tap a medication, then "Share Medication" to email or print a summary.

    6. Step 6. For older iPhones: use the Reminders app instead

      If your iPhone is too old for the Medications feature, the built-in Reminders app works as an alternative. Open Reminders, tap +, type "Take morning pills" or any medication name, tap the (i) icon, and set a daily repeating time. The reminder appears on your lock screen at that time every day. Less rich than the Health app, but free and reliable.

    iPhone's Health app includes a free Medications feature that reminds you when to take each pill, lets you log doses you have taken, tracks your history over time, and warns you about possible interactions between medications. It is private — Apple does not see your data — and works without a subscription or extra app.

    You enter each medication once (name, dosage, schedule, and what it looks like). The iPhone sends a notification at each dose time. You tap to confirm you took it. The Health app then saves the history, which you can show your doctor at your next appointment.

    The Medications feature works on iPhone running iOS 17 or later. Older iPhones can use the Reminders app for a simpler version.

    (Sources: Apple Support — Medications in Health, support.apple.com/HT213355; FDA Drug Information, fda.gov/drugs)

    Official sources

    Still stuck?

    A real person can walk you through it over the phone.

    Get help from a person

    Related guides