Ask the voice assistant
Say the task and the time in one sentence. "Hey Google, remind me to take the bins out at 7pm" or "Hey Siri, remind me to leave for the appointment at 2:30." Wait until the assistant repeats it back. If it heard the wrong day, correct it before you lock the phone.
A spoken reminder is still a notification. It shows on the lock screen at that time. It does not place a call, and it does not ring a second phone. If the assistant is off, or the microphone did not catch the sentence, nothing is saved. Open the list and check.
Set a reminder on Android
If you would rather type it, open the tasks app that came with the phone. The name varies. Some phones use a tasks list, some use the assistant's reminder list. Add the task, pick a date and a time, and save. This guide does not name a brand menu, because those screens change by model and by update.
Turn on notifications for that app if the reminder never appears. Do Not Disturb, a bedtime mode, or a spam-style filter can hide the alert even when the task is saved. A saved reminder that makes no sound is easy to miss. After you create the first one, lock the phone and confirm the alert is allowed.
Set a reminder on iPhone
Open the Reminders app, tap to add a task, and set a date and time. You can also ask Siri and then check Reminders to see that it landed in the right list. A time without a date may only show the task, not alert you.
Focus mode, the iPhone setting, can silence reminders during sleep or work hours. That is separate from the Focus plan on On Time Call. If the reminder should appear at 6am, allow Reminders in the Focus that covers those hours. The Clock app alarm is a different tool: it rings on the iPhone, and it is not a reminder list and not a phone call.
When a notification is easy to swipe away
Swiping the banner clears it. The task can still sit in the app, but the moment has passed. People do this with bins, bills, and leaving the house. If that is the pattern, a ring is a different kind of prompt. On Time Call calls the number at the time you set and plays a short message in your own voice. AI TTS from Focus and up. The call does not open a live conversation, and On Time Call does not send SMS.
Starter includes 3 free calls, one-time, with no card, on your own number. Recurring calls (daily, weekly, monthly, or chosen days) start on Focus. Calling someone else needs Support: you plus up to 4 other people, with their permission. Support also emails you if a call is not answered. Calls go to mobiles and landlines in the UK, US, and Canada.
For what the phone itself can and cannot dial at a set time, see how to schedule a phone call. A reminder asks you to notice a notification. A scheduled call rings and plays the message.
Frequently asked questions
Can I set a reminder by talking to my phone?
Yes. On an Android phone you can say Hey Google, remind me, then the task and the time. On an iPhone you can say Hey Siri, remind me, in the same way. The phone still has to hear you, and you should check that the reminder saved.
How do I set a reminder on an iPhone?
Open the Reminders app, add the task, and pick a time. Or ask Siri. The reminder is a notification on that iPhone. It does not dial a phone call by itself.
How do I set a reminder on Android?
Ask the Google assistant, or open the tasks app that came with the phone, add the task, and pick a time. Menus differ by phone, so use the app already installed rather than assuming every Android phone has the same screen.
What if I swipe the notification away?
Then the reminder is gone until you open the app again. A notification can be dismissed without the task being done. If that keeps happening, a phone call at the set time is a different cue, because you have to deal with the ring.
Can a phone call remind me instead?
Yes. On Time Call rings a phone in the UK, US, and Canada and plays a message you recorded, or an AI voice from Focus. Starter includes 3 free calls, one-time, on your own number, with no card. It does not connect you to a live conversation, and it does not send a text.
