Indent Reminders subtasks and control their visibility
Command-] indents a reminder and Command-[ outdents it. Command-E shows all subtasks; Shift-Command-E hides them.
Reminders · Reviewed 2026-11-05 · Review method
Platform, keyboard and verification notes
- Scope
- Reminders · macOS app; Apple Mac documentation source checks on 4 November 2026 and editorial review on 5 November 2026. No running-app compatibility test is claimed.
- Keyboard and customization
- English-language Apple documentation. Modifier and punctuation keys may differ on other keyboard layouts.. Documented defaults, not a reading of your current menu. Check the app menu and custom App Shortcuts if a binding differs; focus and selected content can change its effect.
- Review basis
- Documentation reviewed 2026-11-05 by Codex — primary-documentation and editorial review; no hands-on runtime test. These bindings were not tested in a running app for this guide.
Keyboard shortcuts for this task
| Action | Keys | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Indent reminder | Command-] | Changes the selected reminder’s nesting level; inspect the parent relationship. Source ↗ |
| Outdent reminder | Command-[ | Brings a nested reminder back toward the main list level. Source ↗ |
| Show all subtasks | Command-E | Reveals nested work for review without changing the hierarchy. Source ↗ |
| Hide all subtasks | Shift-Command-E | Collapses the visible subtask detail; hidden work is not automatically completed. Source ↗ |
Write the parent as an outcome and the children as actions
For an outcome such as Prepare workshop, subtasks might include Check projector and Print handouts. Select a reminder before indenting it and inspect which parent it now belongs to. A hierarchy is only useful when the parent-child relationship makes sense. Do not nest unrelated work merely to make a long list look shorter.
Separate hierarchy from its current display
Indenting changes the reminder’s structure, while showing or hiding subtasks changes what you see. A collapsed parent can conceal unfinished child actions from a quick scan. Expand the hierarchy during review before deciding that the project is ready to complete. If an action appears at the wrong level, use outdent rather than adding decorative spaces to its title.
Practice with a three-line project
Create a parent reminder and two harmless action reminders beneath it. Indent the actions, inspect their relationship, then hide and show subtasks. Outdent one action and confirm that it returns to the main list level. Keep the practice items until you understand both operations. This makes it easier to distinguish a misplaced reminder from one that is simply inside a collapsed project.
Sources and corrections
- Keyboard shortcuts in Reminders on Mac — Apple Support — checked 2026-11-04
Found a mismatch? Email pashaseenainc@gmail.com with your app version, macOS version, keyboard layout and the command. Please leave personal document names out.
Keep going
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