Migration
Move from Apple Reminders to Done Bear
Apple Reminders has no bulk export command on current macOS. Get an .ics file out of an older Mac or a Shortcut, then bring it into Done Bear.
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The short answer
Done Bear imports Apple Reminders from an .ics file, one list at a time. Notes, subtasks, repeating rules and attachment links come across, and the preview shows every record before anything is written. Current versions of Reminders have no bulk export command, so the file comes from an older Mac or a Shortcut.
Key takeaways
- Done Bear accepts an Apple Reminders .ics file, one list per upload.
- Current versions of Apple Reminders have no bulk export command.
- File then Export works only on macOS Mojave or earlier.
- Attachment links are kept in the notes; the files stay in Reminders.
- An import reads your file and never signs in to iCloud.
What to export from Apple Reminders
Done Bear accepts one thing from Apple Reminders: Exported .ics list. These are the steps the import wizard itself shows, so the file you produce is the file it accepts.
- 1.Use an existing .ics export, or select a list in Reminders on macOS Mojave or earlier.
- 2.On that older Mac, choose File → Export… and save the .ics file.
- 3.Upload one .ics file at a time and check the preview before importing.
The long version: how to export Apple Reminders
What comes across and what does not
Done Bear imports the fields below from Apple Reminders. The second list is what stays behind, so you can decide what to save by hand before you delete anything.
Comes across
- Attachments
- Completed tasks
- Tags and labels
- Projects and lists
- Repeating tasks
- Sub-tasks
Stays behind
- Areas and folders (become teams)
- Apple's File → Export command is available only on macOS Mojave or earlier. Current Reminders versions have no bulk export command.
- For a CSV or JSON file created with Shortcuts, go back and choose the matching file format instead.
- Attachment links are kept in the notes, but the files stay in Reminders.
Running the import
The import wizard lives in Settings, Integrations & Import, Import from another app. Choose Apple Reminders, upload your file, and Done Bear previews every record it found. Nothing is written until you confirm.
Re-running it and undoing it
Re-importing the same file is safe. Done Bear recognises the tasks it already brought across from that export and adds only what is new. The completion screen offers an undo, which removes what the import created and keeps anything you have edited since.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export Apple Reminders on the current macOS?
No. Apple documents File then Export for macOS Mojave or earlier, and current versions of Reminders ship no bulk export command. On a newer Mac, iPhone or iPad, run a Shortcut that writes a file, or copy a list into a document you can save.
What file does Done Bear accept from Apple Reminders?
An .ics file, one list at a time. Done Bear reads the calendar format Reminders writes, including notes, subtasks, repeating rules and attachment links. Upload one file, check the preview, then import. A Shortcut that writes CSV or JSON works too; choose that file format in the wizard instead.
Do Reminders attachments come across?
The links, not the files. Reminders keeps attachments in its own store, so Done Bear records the link in the task notes and leaves the file where it is. Save anything you still need out of Reminders by hand before you delete a list.
Does importing change anything in Apple Reminders?
No. Done Bear reads the file you give it and never signs in to iCloud, so Reminders is untouched by an import. Keep both running for a week, then delete the old lists once you trust what arrived.
Where this information comes from
- Done Bear, Importing from another app (Done Bear previews every record from an import file before anything is written, and undo keeps rows you have edited since)
- Done Bear, How to export Apple Reminders (Apple documents File then Export for macOS Mojave or earlier, and current versions have no bulk export command)
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