Notifications and Alarms
Add alerts to tasks to receive a reminder at a fixed time or relative to a task date. 2Do supports more than one alert on a task, repeated reminders with Nag me, and Snooze and Done actions in Android notifications. Task alerts are a Pro feature, also available during the full-featured trial.
Adding an Alarm
- Open a task and tap the alert button in the task editor toolbar.
- Tap Create a new alert.
- Use Presets or Custom to choose its time.
- Turn Play Sound on for an audible alert, or off for a notification without an alert sound.
- Save the alert. If you are creating a task, save the task too.
Presets offers On Time, or 5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes; 1, 2, 6, or 12 hours; or 1 or 2 days before the task's due time. For a task with only a start date, the start date and time are used instead.
Under Custom, turn Relative to Due Date on to choose a number of days before or after the due date and a clock time. Turn it off to choose a fixed date and time.
Relative alerts follow the due date when one is set, otherwise the start date. If the task has neither, saving a relative alert gives it a due date. Checklist subtasks use fixed-date alerts rather than relative alerts. For dates and checklist behavior, see Dates and Durations and Projects and Checklists.
Relative and Fixed Alerts
A relative alert follows the task's due date, or its start date when there is no due date. Moving that date moves the alert. For example, an alert at 9:00 AM one day before the due date stays one day before when you reschedule it.
A fixed alert fires at the date and time you chose, independently of the task's due date. A task can have both kinds.
Nag Me
Open Settings > Notifications > More..., then tap the interval under Nag me. Choose Never, Every 5 Minutes, Every 15 Minutes, Every 30 Minutes, Every Hour, or Every Day.
2Do repeats an alert up to five times at that interval. Viewing the alert, snoozing it, or completing the task stops that series of reminders.
Nag me is a setting for this device. It does not sync. Choose it separately on each device where you want repeated reminders.
Automatic Alerts for Due Dates and Due Times
Open Settings > Notifications > More... and find Auto-Reminders For:
- Open Due Time, turn on Automatic Alerts, then choose At due time or an earlier interval.
- Open Due Date, turn on Automatic Alerts, then choose On due date or an earlier interval.
The due-time setting takes priority when the task has a due time and automatic due-time alerts are on. A due-date alert uses midnight at the start of the due day as its reference, so an alert before the due date can occur on the previous day.
These settings add reminders when you give tasks their dates. Check the task's alert panel when you need a different reminder.
Notification Permissions
On Android 13 or later, allow 2Do to send notifications when Android asks. If alerts are missing, open Android Settings > Apps > 2Do > Notifications and allow notifications. Also check the task-alert notification channels there; Android can silence a channel even when notifications for the app are enabled.
Exact-alarm access and notification permission are separate. Granting one does not grant the other.
Exact Alerts
- Open Settings > Notifications > More... in 2Do.
- Turn on Exact alerts.
- If Android asks, allow exact-alarm access.
- Check Exact alarm access on the same screen. On Android 12 or later, tapping it opens the system access screen, and its checkmark reflects the system setting.
With Exact alerts on and Android access granted, 2Do uses exact scheduling. Android can show an alarm-clock indicator in the status bar. If exact access is denied, or Exact alerts is off, 2Do still schedules reminders using less exact timing; Android may delay them to save power.
Battery and Background Limits
If reminders arrive late, tap Ignore battery optimizations on the same screen and check the system setting for 2Do. On Samsung devices, the available screen may be Never sleeping apps. Other devices use their own battery and background settings.
Allow the background activity needed for your reminders and sync, then reopen 2Do. Battery saver, sleeping-app lists, and Android's background limits can affect when the app is allowed to work. The exact controls vary by device.
For location reminders, also follow the location-permission steps in Nearby and Locations.
Notification Settings
The main Settings screen has Sticky alert and Alert sound under Notifications. Tap More... for the full set of options.
- Sticky alert keeps tasks from Today in the notification area. Hide from lockscreen hides that ongoing notification from the lock screen and removes its status icon.
- Alert sound chooses the default sound. Vibrate, LED Light, and Override Do Not Disturb depend on device support and Android's notification settings.
- App Badge chooses what supported launchers count. Turn Sticky alert on to use it. A launcher may show a dot rather than the requested number.
- List Counters controls counts beside list names in 2Do. These are separate from the launcher badge.
- Snooze Alerts sets the delay used when you snooze a notification: 5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes; 1, 2, 6, or 12 hours; or 1 day.
Choosing a Badge Count
The badge choices include Today, Due Today Only, and Today + Overdue:
| Choice | What it counts |
|---|---|
| Today | Eligible Today tasks that are not overdue. Start dates, durations, and Today inclusion settings can bring tasks into this count. |
| Due Today Only | Unfinished tasks due today, including those whose due time has passed. |
| Today + Overdue | Eligible Today tasks and overdue tasks, with each task counted once. |
If Due time can overdue is on in Advanced settings, an unfinished timed task can leave the Today badge when its due time passes. Choose Due Today Only to count tasks throughout their due day, or Today + Overdue to keep overdue tasks counted too.
Other badge choices count all tasks and subtasks, overdue tasks, high-priority tasks, starred tasks, or a chosen date range. Device settings and launcher support affect how the badge is displayed.
Snooze and Done from a Notification
Expand a task notification if Android hides its action buttons:
- Done marks the task complete.
- Snooze delays the reminder by your selected snooze interval.
- Tapping the notification opens the task in 2Do.
Use Settings > Password protect lists > Widgets & Notifications to control whether protected task content can appear in notifications. See Password Protection.