To turn an email into a task you can find and act on later, select the message in Mail and use its Share menu to send it to Reminders, when that option is available. Add a clear next action and due date, then use the reminder’s link or Mail icon to return to the original message. If you only need Mail to bring the email back to your attention, use Remind Me instead; it resurfaces the message but does not create a separate to-do.

Choose between a Reminders task and Mail’s Remind Me

Use Reminders when the follow-up is an action you intend to track, such as “Send revised estimate to Lee.” A reminder can have its own title, notes, and date, and—when created from a supported app—can include a link back to the source item. Apple documents that this Share-to-Reminders flow works only in apps whose Share menu includes Reminders; availability can also depend on using updated iCloud reminders. Apple’s guide to adding a reminder from another app

Use Mail’s Remind Me when the email itself is what you need to revisit, and you do not need a distinct task in Reminders. In Mail, select the message, swipe right with two fingers on a trackpad or Magic Mouse and click Remind Me, or Control-click the message and choose the option. Choose one of the offered times or Remind Me Later for a custom date and time. Mail sends a notification, moves the message to the top of the inbox at the chosen time, and lists it in the Remind Me mailbox. Apple’s guide to Mail reminders

Create a Reminders task from the message

  1. In Mail, select the email you need to act on. Look for the Share button in the message controls, or Control-click the message and check Share. If Reminders appears, choose it. Apple says Reminders adds an app icon or link to help you return to the source item; the precise appearance can vary. If Reminders is missing from the Share menu, this route is unavailable for that message in your current setup.

  2. Review the proposed reminder before adding it. Give it an action-oriented title that describes what you will do, rather than copying only the email’s subject. For example, change “Updated proposal” to “Review proposal and reply to Maya.” This is an editorial suggestion: a verb-led title makes the next step explicit, while the linked email provides context.

  3. Add a due date and, if useful, a time. Open the reminder’s details to edit its title, notes, date, and other fields. If the message contains a deadline, use that date; otherwise choose a realistic time to revisit it or leave the reminder undated. Apple notes that a reminder with a date but no time is an all-day reminder. Apple’s guide to adding and changing reminders

  4. Click Add, then check the item in Reminders. When it is time to work, open the reminder’s Mail icon or link to return to the message, if one is present. Read the email before replying or completing the task so you act on the right details and any newer conversation context.

If Share to Reminders is unavailable

Create the task directly in Reminders: choose the appropriate list, click Add, and enter the action as the title. Add a date or notes in the details. If you can copy a usable web address for the message in your particular mail setup, Reminders has a URL field; however, Apple’s documentation does not promise that every Mail message exposes a copyable URL. Do not assume a manually typed or copied link will reopen the exact message. Keep the sender, subject, and any key reference in the reminder notes so you can locate it with Mail search.

You can also flag the email in Mail as a lightweight marker. Flagged messages appear in the Flagged mailbox, but a flag is not a scheduled task and does not give you a Reminders due date. Apple’s guide to revisiting email in Mail

A simple rule for reliable follow-up

Capture one next action per reminder, preserve the original message connection when macOS offers it, and choose a date only when it helps determine when to act. Use Remind Me for a timed return to an email; use Reminders when you want a separate task you can review and complete. That distinction keeps the action visible without treating an inbox flag or resurfaced message as a full task.

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