Apple’s built-in Reminders app on macOS is a fantastic tool for tracking daily chores and work assignments. However, its default behavior can be highly disorienting for new users: the exact second you click the small circle next to a task to mark it as complete, the reminder instantly vanishes from your screen.
macOS automatically hides completed tasks to keep your active list clean and uncluttered. While this makes sense in theory, many users prefer the psychological satisfaction of seeing a long list of crossed-out items at the end of the day. Furthermore, if you accidentally click the wrong circle, the task disappears so fast that you might forget what you just checked off, making it difficult to undo the mistake.
You can force the Reminders app to leave your completed tasks visible on the screen, neatly crossed out.
How to Keep Completed Reminders Visible
You can toggle this visibility setting directly from the macOS menu bar.
- Open the Reminders app on your Mac.
- Select one of your active lists from the left-hand sidebar (e.g., “Groceries” or “Today”).
- Move your mouse to the very top of your Mac’s screen to reveal the master menu bar.
- Click on View.
- Look about halfway down the drop-down menu for an option labeled Show Completed.
- Click on Show Completed. (If it currently says “Hide Completed,” do not click it, as you are already in the correct mode).
Immediately, every task you have ever completed in that list will reappear on your screen, grayed out with a line drawn through the text. Moving forward, whenever you check off a new chore, the circle will fill in, but the text will remain firmly in place, allowing you to bask in your daily productivity.