How to Host Your Own Apple Reminders on Mac and IOS

If you want to take control of your Apple Reminders and host them on your own server, you can do so by using Nextcloud, a popular open-source cloud platform. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up your own Apple Reminders service on your Mac and iOS devices.

Prerequisites

Before you get started, make sure you have the following:

• A Mac running macOS.
• An iOS device (iPhone or iPad).
• Nextcloud installed and set up on your server. You can install Nextcloud on a compatible web server or use a Nextcloud hosting service.

Step 1: Install Nextcloud

If you haven’t already, install Nextcloud on your server by following the official installation instructions on the Nextcloud website. This typically involves setting up a web server (e.g., Apache or Nginx), a database (e.g., MySQL or SQLite), and PHP on your server.

Step 2: Enable the Task App on Nextcloud

Once Nextcloud is installed and configured, you’ll need to enable the Task app within Nextcloud. This will allow you to manage tasks and reminders.

1. Log in to your Nextcloud instance using a web browser.
2. Click on the “Apps” menu on the upper-right corner of the screen.
3. Search for the “Tasks” app and click “Enable.”

Step 3: Enable the Calendar App on Nextcloud

To synchronize reminders with your Apple devices, you’ll also need to enable the Calendar app in Nextcloud.

1. From the same “Apps” menu in Nextcloud, search for the “Calendar” app and click “Enable.”

Step 4: Set Up WebDAV

WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is a protocol that allows you to access and edit files on a web server. We will use WebDAV to sync your Nextcloud tasks and reminders with your Mac and iOS devices.

1. In your Nextcloud instance, go to the “Calendar” app.
2. In the navigation panel on the left, you should see a list of calendars. Click the three dots (⋮) next to your desired calendar and select “Settings.”
3. In the “Calendar Settings” page, look for the “WebDAV” link. Copy the WebDAV URL to your clipboard.

Step 5: Set Up on Mac

Now, let’s configure your Mac to sync with your Nextcloud calendar and tasks.

1. Open the “Calendar” app on your Mac.
2. Click “Calendar” in the menu bar and select “Accounts…”
3. Click the “+” button to add a new account.
4. Choose “Other CalDAV Account” and click “Continue.”
5. Enter your Nextcloud username and password, and paste the WebDAV URL you copied earlier in the “Server Address” field.
6. Click “Create.”

Your Nextcloud calendar and tasks should now be available in the Calendar app on your Mac.

Step 6: Set Up on iOS

Finally, let’s configure your iOS device to sync with your Nextcloud calendar and tasks.

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iOS device.
2. Scroll down and select “Calendar.”
3. Under “Accounts,” tap “Add Account.”
4. Choose “Other” at the bottom.
5. Select “Add CalDAV Account.”
6. Fill in your Nextcloud username, password, and the WebDAV URL you copied earlier.
7. Tap “Next.”

Your Nextcloud calendar and tasks should now be accessible through the default Calendar app on your iOS device.

That’s it! You’ve successfully set up your own Apple Reminders service hosted on Nextcloud and synchronized it with your Mac and iOS devices. You can now create, edit, and manage your reminders securely on your own server.