How to add a reminder in Notion on Mac: three methods, step by step

Notion reminders on Mac: three methods compared

Notion gives you three ways to set a reminder, and each one fits a different kind of task. Use @remind when you are already typing notes. Use the Date property when the work lives in a database, such as a content calendar or a bug list. Use a mention when you want to hand a reminder to a teammate.

If you are unsure, start with @remind. It needs no database setup, so it is the easiest place to begin. You can add the other two methods later without changing the pages you already have.

Method 1: type @remind on a page

Open the page and click the line where the reminder should sit. Type @remind, a space, and a time. You can give a time, a date, or both. For example, @remind Wednesday at 1pm creates a reminder for that day and hour.

Notion turns the text into a blue reminder tag. The tag stays on the page where you typed it. Click the tag to open a calendar window, then edit the date and time from there.

Say you are taking notes in a page called Client call notes. You type @remind Thursday at 3pm to send the revised quote. The tag sits on the same line as the note it belongs to, so you see the task while you read the notes. If the call moves to Friday, click the tag and change the date in the calendar window.

Typing @ can open a menu you did not want. Press Esc to dismiss it, then keep typing. The same key also closes the / menu.

Method 2: add a reminder to a database row

A database is a set of pages that share properties, such as a project tracker. A reminder on a database row uses the Date property. Open the row and click its Date property. The calendar window opens.

The database needs a Date property before this works. If your database has no Date property, add one first, then return to the row. Reminders for other people cannot be created inside a database.

Suppose you track blog posts in a database, and each row has a Date-type property called Publish date. You want a heads up before a post goes live. Open the row, click Publish date, set the day, add a time, and pick a reminder timing. Notion's documented example for timing is 30 minutes before, which suits a same-day publish. For a post due next week, choose a longer lead time so you have room to finish.

Method 3: remind a teammate with a mention

A mention hands a reminder to a person. Put the mention in the same block as the reminder. Notion's example reads @Alyssa @remind next Monday 9am to review this proposal. Alyssa is the person who gets the reminder.

Say a colleague owns a proposal review. On the project page, you type that exact line in one block, so the mention and the reminder travel together. Keep the task description in the same sentence so the reminder explains itself when it arrives.

This method works on pages only. If the task lives in a database, put the mention and the reminder on a page that tracks the work. Notion's rule is that both sit in one block.

Test a mention once with a colleague before you rely on it. Ask whether the reminder shows up in their Inbox. A quick test tells you more than any help article.

What the blue and red reminder tags mean

Each reminder shows up as a tag on the page. A blue tag means the reminder is set and its date has not arrived. Notion's reminders page says the tag turns red when it changes to @Today or becomes past due.

Red does not mean something broke. It means the date has arrived or passed, so it is time to act or move the date. If you rely on a page for deadlines, scan the tag colors each morning. A red tag is the quickest way to spot work that slipped.

• Blue tag: the reminder is set and not yet due.
• Red tag: the reminder changed to @Today or is past due.
• Database rows: click the Date property to open the same calendar window.

Set the time, lead time, and timezone

Every reminder uses three settings. The date and time say when the reminder is due. The reminder timing says how early Notion warns you. The timezone and date format control how the date reads on the page.

Notion's example for timing is 30 minutes before, which works for a meeting. A deadline may need more lead time, so pick the timing that gives you room to act. A reminder that fires as you open the file is not much help.

Check the timezone before you save. If a teammate works in another city, a 9am reminder in your timezone may land at an odd hour for them. Change the timezone in the calendar window so the reminder lands at the time they expect.

Type the date and the time together when you can. A phrase like Wednesday at 1pm leaves less room for doubt about which Wednesday you meant, and it reads clearly when a colleague sees the page later.

Why a Notion reminder may not reach your Mac

Notion's help pages describe three signals. The desktop app sends a push notification. A red badge appears next to Inbox in the sidebar. Reminders also appear under the Updates filter in Inbox.

The pages disagree on one detail. The reminders page says the desktop app sends a push. The notification settings page says that while Notion is open on a device, reminder pushes and emails are not sent, and only the Inbox badge shows. Treat this as unsettled. Test it once with Notion open and once with it closed, using a reminder set a few minutes ahead.

The two pages also disagree on where Inbox sits. One places it at the top of the left sidebar. The other says top right. Look for the Inbox label and its red badge instead of a fixed spot.

The mobile app sends its push within five minutes of the reminder time, per Notion's reminders page. Notion's pages do not compare that timing with the Mac app, so test your own setup.

Allow Notion notifications in macOS

macOS decides whether Notion can show alerts at all. If that switch is off, Notion's own settings cannot fix it. Open System Settings, click Notifications in the sidebar, and scroll to Application Notifications. Click Notion, then turn on Allow notifications.

Pick a notification style you will actually notice. Apple's guide covers macOS 27. Older versions use different labels, but the path is similar, so look for Notion in the list of apps and confirm that alerts are allowed.

Keep Notion updated on your Mac

Reminders and the Updates filter depend on a current app. To update, click Notion in the menu bar, then click Check for Updates. To see when the app last updated, click ? and then More in the left sidebar.

Notion's What's New feed lists Notion 3.8, dated Oct 13, 2026, as the latest numbered release. Your build may be newer or older. Compare its date with the one you see under ? and More.

If new options do not appear after an update, press ⌘ R to refresh. Notion's install help lists this step for missing features.

The desktop beta needs version 7.39.0 or later. Its help page names the path as Settings > Preferences > Desktop beta, while the notification page says Settings > Notifications. Skip the beta unless you want features early, because a beta can change before a stable release.

Mistakes people make with reminders

• Typing @remind with no time. Notion needs a time, a date, or both.
• Adding a reminder to a database row with no Date property. Add the property first.
• Mentioning a teammate inside a database. Mentions for other people work on pages only.
• Expecting a weekly repeat. Notion says recurring reminders are not supported yet.
• Assuming it worked. Check the Inbox once after your first test.

Most missed reminders come from setup. The reminder itself is correct, but the notification is off or the lead time is too short. Check the Mac settings before you blame the feature.

Why a reminder beats a mental note

Remembering to do something later has a name. Psychologists call it prospective memory. A Washington University memory lab page says at least half of everyday forgetting comes from prospective memory failures.

That page cites a 1984 study by Crovitz and Daniel, but it is a secondhand citation. Read the figure as a guide, not a precise measure. The practical point holds either way.

A reminder moves the job out of your head and onto the page. Put it on the task itself, where you will see it while you work, not in a separate list you forget to open.

Edge cases Notion's help pages do not cover

The Notion help pages I checked do not explain how to delete a reminder. They also do not say what happens to a reminder when you move its date afterward. Test both on a scratch page before you depend on them.

Recurring reminders are not supported yet. A repeating task needs a new reminder after each one. A template can speed that up, and how to create a template in Notion on Mac explains the steps.

The browser version is another gap. Notion's help pages do not document how reminders behave in the web app, or how browser push permission works. If you use Notion in Chrome or Safari, test a reminder there too.

Next steps after your first reminder

Once reminders work, the database around them may need structure. A sorted list shows the next deadline first. How to sort a database in Notion on Mac covers multiple sorts and saving them.

You can also filter a database so only rows with upcoming dates show. How to filter a database in Notion on Mac walks through the filter steps.

If a teammate needs the page with the reminder, check sharing first. How to share a page in Notion on Mac covers permissions and links.