When you use Google Keep as a lightweight task manager, setting reminders is an essential workflow. However, if you constantly have to manually scroll through the time-picker dial to set an alarm for exactly 8:30 AM every single day, the process becomes incredibly tedious. Fortunately, Google Keep allows you to permanently configure your default “Morning,” “Afternoon,” and “Evening” reminder times, allowing you to instantly set highly accurate alarms with a single tap.
How to Access the Reminder Settings (Mobile)
If you primarily use Google Keep on your iOS or Android smartphone, you can adjust these settings directly inside the app.
- Open the Google Keep app.
- Tap the Hamburger Menu (the three horizontal lines) in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap Settings.
- Look under the “Reminder Defaults” section. You will see three distinct categories: Morning, Afternoon, and Evening.
By default, Morning is usually set to 8:00 AM, Afternoon to 1:00 PM, and Evening to 6:00 PM. Simply tap on any of these categories to bring up the time-picker dial and change it to fit your personal schedule (e.g., changing Morning to exactly 6:45 AM before you leave for work).
How to Access the Reminder Settings (Desktop Web)
If you prefer to manage your schedule on a full computer screen, the settings will instantly sync across your entire Google account.
- Navigate to keep.google.com in your web browser.
- Click the Settings (Gear) icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- A pop-up window will appear. On the right side of this window, you will see the Reminder Defaults column.
- Click the specific time drop-down next to Morning, Afternoon, or Evening, and select your preferred hour and minute.
- Click the Save button at the bottom of the window.
Using Your Custom Presets
Once you have configured these default times, setting alarms becomes frictionless. Create a new note, click the Bell Icon (Remind Me), and select “Later today.” Google Keep will bypass the manual time-picker entirely and instantly offer you three clickable buttons: “Morning (6:45 AM)”, “Afternoon (1:00 PM)”, and “Evening (6:00 PM)”, allowing you to arm an accurate notification in a fraction of a second.