Microsoft To Do now supports natural language for creating tasks on Windows

Microsoft To Do Windows 10
Microsoft To Do Windows 10 (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft To Do now allows you to create reminders and tasks using natural language.
  • When creating an item, you can use words such as "tomorrow," "daily," and "noon" and the app will automatically add those details to your entry.
  • You can choose to turn off smart date and time recognition on a case-by-case basis.

Natural language supports adding a due date, creating a reminder, and setting a task to recur on a regular basis. Microsoft shares some examples of how to use the new functionality in a Tech Community post.

In some cases, a word may have two meanings, which could lead Microsoft To Do to create a reminder when you don't want it to. The app supports turning off smart date and time recognition on a case-by-case basis. For example, you may type a reminder that says "buy food for April" referring to a dog named April rather than the month.

If you press the backspace key on a highlighted word, you can have Microsoft To Do unrecognize that word.

At the moment, natural language support only works in the Windows version of Microsoft To Do. The feature is also restricted to those who have their language set to English (EN-).

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.