Apple continues to develop the Reminders app with the iOS 26.4 update, finally adding the element that the “Urgent” feature has been missing since its launch: a dedicated smart list that collects all important tasks in one place.
Apple had introduced the “Urgent Reminders” feature in the iOS 26.2 update, and it was widely received by users. The idea is simply that any task that has a due date can be marked with an “urgent” option.
When this option is activated, the iPhone triggers an alert in the form of an alarm once the specified time arrives, with two clear options: either snooze for 9 minutes or stop the alarm.
This mechanism addresses a common problem where a reminder may come up while the user is busy, making it more likely that they will forget the task later. But with snooze and live activity, it’s easy to keep a task in check until it’s done, and a powerful alert ensures you don’t miss important things.
Although the feature was well thought out when it was launched, the iOS 26.4 update adds the most prominent improvement: an independent smart menu called “Urgent” that appears at the top of the screen. This list automatically collects all tasks marked as urgent, regardless of other lists in them.
This development is especially important for users who rely heavily on the Reminders app, as it puts all the highest priority tasks in one clear space.
When the “Today” list gets crowded, you can easily move to the “Urgent” list to focus only on tasks with strict deadlines, which helps to manage time more efficiently and clearly prioritize.
