Google Tasks now allows users to set recurring tasks directly from the app

Spotted by 9to5 Google, the Google Tasks app adds a feature that’s such a no-brainer that you’ll have to wonder why it wasn’t added sooner. Oh wait! The new feature used to be available through Google Calendar, but not through the app – that is until now. Let’s get to the details. But first, as many of you know, Google Tasks lets you create to-do lists that integrate with Gmail and Google Calendar to help you get your chores done.

You can now set tasks that run regularly using the Tasks app next to Google Calendar

You can create, manage, and view tasks on the go on any device. Tasks created from your desktop in Gmail and Google Calendar can be managed on your mobile phone or tablet. And to make it easier for you to complete a task, you can break each task down into subtasks so you can take smaller bites of the project so you can complete it faster. And as your work progresses on a task, you can edit it. Tasks can be created from an email in the Gmail app and traced back to the source gmail it came from.

You can now set tasks to run on a recurring basis right from the Google Tasks app

Putting a due date on each task can help you finish a project quickly, Google says. However, with such pressure placed on you to complete a task by the due date, you might find yourself drenched in sweat as the pressure builds. You can also organize your tasks by date and receive reminders as if you didn’t pressure yourself enough.

Currently, you can set when a recurring option ends by opening the task in Google Calendar. The three options you have are to have the task recur continuously with no end, have the recurring task end on a specific date, or end after X number of times the task has occurred. To set a recurring option in Google Calendar, open the last app and look for the yellow background that indicates a task.

From there, press the pencil icon and the words “Don’t repeat.” That will reveal a pop-up menu. Press Custom and you will be taken to the Custom Recurrence page where you can set how many times per day, week, month, or year you want this task to repeat. You can even repeat this task without a stop date, choose a specific stop date, or choose to end the task after a certain number of times it returns.

Google continues to work on an app to improve it

After choosing the settings, click Done. Yes, that may seem like a lot of work, but there’s a new shortcut that you can use right from the Google Task app. Open the app and you should see your tasks under the “My Tasks” heading. Tap the date next to the calendar icon. That brings up a little pop-up box with a calendar. At the bottom of the box is an icon of a clock and below that there is a two arrow icon next to a box that says “Repeat.”

When you tap Repeat, you’ll get a mini-custom replay page that lets you choose how often you want this task to repeat, the date and time you want the task to start, and the date and time you want it to stop. You can even add subtasks from this menu.

So there you have it. You can now set your recurring tasks from Google Calendar or directly from the Google Task app. Do it any way you want, but you may find it a bit faster to do it from within the app. And again, Google continues to work on an older app to make it a little more user-friendly and faster to edit. While the recurring options feature in the To Do app rolled out on Friday, it could take up to two weeks to see all users.