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How to use the Apple Reminders CLI agent skill (apple-reminders)

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The apple-reminders skill lets an AI agent work with your Apple Reminders app on a Mac by running the remindctl command-line tool. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for things in plain language, and what to watch for. By the end you will be able to add, view, complete and delete reminders from a chat with the agent.

Apple Reminders CLIspinabot/brigade · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Install remindctl. Run brew install steipete/tap/remindctl in a terminal on your Mac.
  2. 2Install the skill. Unzip the downloaded skill into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills in the Claude apps.
  3. 3Grant Reminders permission. Allow the terminal app access to Reminders when macOS prompts you, or run remindctl authorize.
  4. 4Check status. Run remindctl status to confirm the tool can reach your reminders.
  5. 5Ask in plain language. Tell the agent what you want, such as adding a to-do with a due date or showing this week's reminders.
  6. 6Answer the clarifying question. If you say remind me without saying which kind of reminder, choose Apple Reminders or a Brigade alert when asked.

What an agent skill is and what this one does

An agent skill is a folder that contains a SKILL.md file. The file tells an AI agent when to use a capability and which commands to run. This skill is named apple-reminders and is designed for macOS only.

Once installed, the agent can manage your Apple Reminders by running remindctl. It can list today's, tomorrow's or this week's reminders, add a to-do with a due date, mark items complete, and create or delete reminder lists. Items sync to your iPhone or iPad through Apple Reminders.

  • View reminders: today, tomorrow, this week, overdue, all, or a specific date
  • Add reminders with a title, list and due date
  • Complete or delete reminders by ID
  • List, show, create and delete reminder lists
  • Output as JSON, plain TSV or counts only

Install the remindctl tool and the skill

The skill needs the remindctl command-line tool. The skill's install metadata points to Homebrew, using the formula steipete/tap/remindctl. From a terminal on your Mac, run the install command shown below.

Then install the skill itself. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for your user account, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder if you want it only for that project. Alternatively, in the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, and upload the skill under Skills.

brew install steipete/tap/remindctl

Grant Reminders permission and check status

remindctl needs permission to read and change your reminders. macOS asks for this when you first use the tool. Grant Reminders permission to the terminal app you are running the agent in. If you miss the prompt, you can request access directly.

To confirm the setup, check the status. If access is not yet granted, request it.

  • Grant Reminders permission when macOS prompts you
  • The skill is limited to macOS (darwin); it will not run on other systems
remindctl status remindctl authorize

Ask for reminders in natural language

You do not need to remember command syntax. Say what you want, and mention 'reminder' or 'Reminders app' so the agent picks this skill. The skill is meant for personal to-dos with due dates that should appear on your iPhone or iPad.

If you say 'remind me' without saying which kind of reminder you want, the agent is instructed to ask whether you mean an Apple Reminder or a Brigade alert. Answer that question and it will use the right tool.

  • Add a to-do with a due date: 'Add a reminder to buy milk tomorrow'
  • Show my reminders: 'What's on my reminders this week?'
  • Mark items done: 'Complete reminders 1 2 and 3'
  • Create a list: 'Create a Projects reminder list'
  • Delete an item: 'Delete reminder 4A83'

Commands the skill uses

These are the commands the agent runs. You can also run them yourself in a terminal to test the tool.

Dates for --due and the date filters accept today, tomorrow, yesterday, YYYY-MM-DD, YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm, and ISO 8601 such as 2026-01-04T12:34:56Z.

  • Date formats: today, tomorrow, yesterday, YYYY-MM-DD, YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm, ISO 8601
  • Output options: --json for scripting, --plain for TSV, --quiet for counts only
remindctl today remindctl week remindctl add --title "Call mom" --list Personal --due tomorrow remindctl add --title "Meeting prep" --due "2026-02-15 09:00" remindctl complete 1 2 3 remindctl delete 4A83 --force remindctl today --json

Know what the skill does not cover

The skill is for to-dos, not everything that has a time attached. Calendar events and appointments belong in Apple Calendar. Project or work task tracking is routed to other tools such as Notion, GitHub Issues or a task queue. Timed alerts that the agent itself should send are handled by its cron tool with a system event, not by this skill.

Because the skill runs scripts, review what the agent plans to run if you are unsure. The skill's metadata lists that it runs scripts and does not use the network.

  • Calendar events or appointments: use Apple Calendar
  • The agent's own timed alerts: use its cron tool
  • Work or project tasks: use Notion, GitHub Issues or a task queue

What people use it for

  • Adding a dated to-do like buying milk tomorrow and having it appear on your iPhone
  • Reviewing today's, overdue or this week's reminders at the start of a work session
  • Creating a Projects or Personal list and filing new reminders into it
  • Completing several reminders by ID after finishing a batch of errands
  • Exporting reminder data as JSON with --json to feed a script

Frequently asked questions

Is the apple-reminders skill free?

The skill is published under the MIT licence on the spinabot/brigade repository. The source does not list any price, so check the repository for licence terms before you use or redistribute it.

What do I need to use the apple-reminders skill?

You need a Mac, since the skill is limited to macOS (darwin), the remindctl command-line tool, and Reminders permission granted to your terminal. The skill's install metadata points to Homebrew with steipete/tap/remindctl.

Does it work on Windows or Linux?

No. The skill is limited to macOS (darwin) and depends on Apple's Reminders app, so it is not meant for non-Mac systems.

Will my reminders sync to my iPhone?

Yes, the skill is designed for reminders that appear in your iPhone or iPad Reminders app. Those items live in Apple Reminders, which handles the sync.

Should I use this for calendar appointments?

No. The skill says calendar events and appointments should go to Apple Calendar instead. Use this skill for to-dos and reminders.

How do I fix it if the agent cannot see my reminders?

Run remindctl status to check the state, then remindctl authorize to request access. Make sure the terminal app has Reminders permission in macOS settings.

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Our verdict

This skill suits Mac users who keep personal to-dos in Apple Reminders and want to manage them by chat, or developers who want to script reminder data with JSON or plain output. It is not the right choice for calendar events, the agent's own timed alerts, project task tracking, or any system other than macOS.

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