5 Ways To Manage Your To-Do List With Android Apps

One of the most satisfying feelings is reflecting on how much you got done, especially after a tiring day. Whether you have tons of reading to catch up on for a course you're taking this semester or have multiple meetings to attend in a single day, taking the time out to plan your day by creating a to-do list can make a significant difference. Not only does a to-do list help give you an overview of everything you need to get done, but the feeling of checking off a task from your list that you've been ignoring for weeks is incredible.

Although all Android devices ship with a preinstalled Notes app that you can use to create a to-do list, it may not have all the features you need to plan your day efficiently. Fortunately, if this is the case, there are tons of dedicated apps available on the Google Play Store that are created for the sole purpose of helping you plan out your day. All the apps we've included below are rated highly in the Google Play Store, and we're reviewing them based on our experience after testing them out personally.

With over 10 million downloads and a 4.5-star rating on the Google Play Store, Google Tasks is probably the only app you need to bring your life back on track. Especially if you're already deep into the Google workspace using applications like Google Calendar, Google Docs, Drive, Gmail, and more, a to-do list automatically syncs with its associated platforms is ideal.

On top of that, if you have an existing Google account, you don't even need to try setting up a new account to use the app. All you need to do is install the app from the Play Store, and you'll be signed into your Google account as soon as you launch the app. To organize your life, give the app permission to send notifications. You'll then be redirected to the app's homepage, where you can add new tasks and view your existing ones.

With a clutter-free and easy-to-use interface, the app is straightforward to navigate and has all the features you need to plan your day. To add a new task, simply tap the plus (+) icon and fill out the details relevant to your task, including the date and time for the task, the task's name, whether it's a recurring task, and any additional details. Once your task has been created, you'll also see it in your Google Calendar and the side panel of Gmail.

If you have a lot to manage but your life is separated into two or more parts like university, work, and your personal life, Google Tasks lets you organize your tasks in separate lists. Although the app could do with a few more advanced planning features, it's great for people looking for a simple way to get their lives together.

Developed by Pocket Brilliance Limited, Tasks is another great app you can use to effortlessly maintain your to-do list, even when overfilled with tasks you have yet to accomplish. Out of all the apps we've mentioned, the app has the highest rating in the Google Play Store with 4.8 stars.

Now, let's face it — is there anyone who genuinely likes ads interrupting their viewing experience? Although there are ways to stop annoying pop-up ads on your Android phone, we have better news for you. While the Tasks app has a premium version that allows you to share lists with others, use the Task's web app, automatic cloud backup, manual cloud backup, and device-to-device sync, you don't need to pay a premium price to remove pesky ads. Fortunately, Tasks is an ad-free task management app.

Have you ever been lying in bed, already drifting off to sleep, when suddenly you remember something important you need to do the next day? You debate whether to get up and add it to your to-do list app, but laziness kicks in, so you decide to trust your memory instead. Yet, unsurprisingly, you end up forgetting about it altogether. To help avoid such situations from occurring, you can add a widget to your Android device's Home Screen that allows you to add a new task to your list without opening the app. 

You can also prioritize tasks by dragging and dropping them according to importance. To ensure you don't forget important tasks, you can also use the app's reminder feature. All in all, if you're looking for a task management app that has no ads and is easy to navigate, you may want to consider downloading Tasks.

Similar to how Google Tasks is ideal for people who are deep into Google Workspace, Microsoft To Do is among the greatest apps you could use to manage your day-to-day tasks if you use Microsoft apps like Teams and Word at work or school. Unlike the other apps we've mentioned in our list, this app is available in over fifty languages, and you do not need to subscribe to the app's premium version to explore more features. Microsoft To-Do has been downloaded by over 10 million people worldwide and has an impressive rating of 4.7 stars. 

Upon launching Microsoft To Do, you will be greeted with the My Day page. Simply tap the Add a Task button and enter all the tasks you need to accomplish. You can pick a due date of Today, Tomorrow, or Next Week or set a custom date. If you have a few tasks that you need to repeat every once in a while, Microsoft To Do also allows you to create recurring tasks to ensure you don't forget about them. Another feature that Microsoft To Do offers that we love is Suggestions. Once you start using the app to manage your to-do lists regularly, the Suggestions tool will display tasks that you created in the past. In case you'd like to repeat a task from the Suggestions tool, you can add it to your current to-do list with a single tap.

If you've ever looked for to-do list apps before, it's impossible not to have heard of Todist. Developed by Doist Inc., the app has been downloaded by over ten million people worldwide, and the developers claim that it's trusted by more than 42 million people. With numerous planning features like filters and labels, recurring tasks, reminders, and more, you can manage your daily tasks with ease using Todist. When you launch the app, you can log in with your Google, Apple, Facebook, or email account. You'll initially be asked whether you plan to use your app for Personal, Work, or Education-related tasks. 

You can then create a username and upload a profile picture. By granting Todosit permission to send you notifications, not only will you receive reminders about your tasks but also a morning and evening overview. To add a new task, all you need to do is tap the red plus (+) button, enter the name of your task, add details, and add a due date. To allow for more efficient planning and to ensure you're able to give the most time and energy to the tasks that matter, Todist lets you prioritize your tasks into four different categories –- Priority 1, Priority 2, Priority 3, and Priority 4. Your tasks will then be sorted according to priority, with the first task on the list being the most urgent.

The app also automatically syncs across your smartwatch, phone, and desktop. While Todoist is among the best planning apps, the only drawback is that you can't set reminders for your tasks without upgrading to the app's premium version. At the time of writing, the app's Pro version costs $4 per month and includes task reminders, an AI assistant, a calendar layout, and more.

If you choose not to use Google Tasks due to the lack of advanced features yet prefer to view the tasks you need to do in a calendar view, you should give TickTick a shot. With a 4.6-star rating on the Google Play Store, the app is loved by many worldwide. While all the apps mentioned above allow you to create a to-do list with checkboxes, TickTick helps you fulfill tasks on your exhaustive list by taking it a step further and has a built-in Pomodoro timer. 

With the Pomodoro technique, you essentially need to have a 25-minute focus session, then a five-minute break. You need to repeat this for four cycles, and then you can then have a longer break. This focusing technique is loved by students and professionals worldwide and makes it easy for you to complete the tasks you need to accomplish. All the tasks you add to the app synch across TickTick's website, the Android and iOS app, the PC, and the Wear OS Watch. The app also has a habit tracker that will help push you further to achieve your goals. So, if you're someone who likes to plan months ahead and struggle with committing to building long-term habits, it's worth exploring the app and the multiple features it has.