How to Use Location-Based Reminders in Google Keep

The Limitations of Time-Based Reminders

Most task management applications rely exclusively on time-based reminders. You set an alert to remind you to “Buy milk at 5:30 PM.” However, if you leave work late and don’t drive past the grocery store until 6:15 PM, the reminder triggered when you were still sitting at your desk, making it entirely useless.

Google Keep, Google’s lightweight note-taking app, solves this problem by offering Location-Based Reminders. Instead of alerting you at a specific time, Google Keep uses your smartphone’s GPS to trigger a notification the exact moment you arrive at a specific physical location.

How to Set a Location Reminder (Mobile App)

Because location reminders rely on GPS, they are primarily designed to be used with the Google Keep app on iOS or Android.

1. Open the Google Keep app on your smartphone.
2. Tap the + icon in the bottom right corner to create a new note (or tap on an existing note, like your grocery list).
3. At the top right of the screen, tap the Bell icon (Reminders).
4. Instead of choosing “Time,” tap on the Place tab.
5. Tap Choose a place.
6. A search bar will appear. You can type in the name of a specific business (e.g., “Target on Main Street”) or type in a physical street address. Google Maps integration will provide a drop-down list of accurate results.
7. Select the correct location and tap Save.

Granting Location Permissions

For this feature to work, Google Keep must be allowed to read your phone’s GPS data even when the app is closed. If you have strict privacy settings enabled, the reminder will never fire.

• On iPhone: Go to Settings > Keep > Location. Change the setting from “While Using the App” to “Always”.
• On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > Keep Notes > Permissions > Location. Select “Allow all the time”.

How to Set a Location Reminder (Desktop Web App)

While the notification will ultimately ping your phone, you can actually set up location-based reminders while typing on your computer.

1. Open your web browser and navigate to keep.google.com.
2. Create a new note or click on an existing one.
3. At the bottom left of the note card, click the Bell icon (Remind me).
4. In the drop-down menu, click Pick place.
5. Type the address or business name into the search bar, select the correct Google Maps result, and click Save.

As long as your smartphone is logged into the same Google account as your desktop browser, the phone will receive the coordinates and wait for you to arrive at that location.

Best Practices for Location Reminders

Location reminders are incredibly powerful, but they require a slight shift in how you organize your tasks.

• Contextual Task Batching: Instead of creating a note for “Hardware store,” create a note titled “Home Depot.” Every time you realize you need screws, paint, or a new drill bit throughout the week, add it to that specific note. Set the location reminder to the Home Depot near your house. The next time you happen to drive into that parking lot—whether it’s Tuesday afternoon or Sunday morning—your phone will buzz, presenting you with the complete, batched list of everything you need.
• Work/Home Boundaries: Use location reminders to enforce work-life balance. If you think of a brilliant idea for a project on a Sunday, put it in a note and set a location reminder for your office building. The thought is safely captured, but it won’t interrupt you until you physically walk through the doors of your office on Monday morning.