Grocery shopping isn’t anyone’s favorite activity — and while using a list can make it a bit more manageable, constantly pulling out your iPhone to check items off can be inconvenient. However, creating an iOS grocery list in the Reminders app and syncing it with your Apple Watch can streamline the process significantly.
While walking through a local grocery store, I found myself pulling out my iPhone, launching Fantastical 2 and systematically checking things off as normal. I then remembered that my Apple Watch also had Fantastical 2 built right in, so I figured I would give that a go this time.
After a little experimenting, I figured out the perfect way to interact with checklists in Fantastical 2 on my Apple Watch.
Change these settings on your Apple Watch
When set up correctly, Fantastical 2 and Apple Watch work great together for grocery lists (or lists of any kind, really). You may need to tweak a few settings on your Apple Watch first, though.
- Launch the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Tap on General.
- Tap on Activate on Wrist Raise.
- Turn On the option for Wrist Raise if it isn’t already.
- Scroll down and set the Resume To option to Last Used App.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor
Changing these settings allows you to simply launch your list in Fantastical 2. Once you’ve done that, every time you raise your wrist, you’re taken directly back to that list. That means you can continue scrolling through your list and checking things off. There’s no need to launch the app again, tap the screen, or fiddle with anything else.
I found this method has allowed me to leave my iPhone in my pocket the entire time I’m shopping. It also allows me to get to my list more quickly and avoid collisions with other shoppers who are also buried in shopping lists on their phones.
Give it a try and let me know in the comments how it works for you!
- Fantastical 2 – $4.99 – Download
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2 responses to “How to make grocery lists with Fantastical 2 and Apple Watch”
I’ve had very uneven performance from Fantastical 2 on my Apple Watch. Sometimes it works fine, other times it gets frozen 3 or 4 days ago and won’t even allow me to scroll down to reach the Reminders. When showing a list like a shopping list, sometimes ibetween wrist raises it reverts back to my main reminders list (instead of the shopping list it was showing moments ago) or even the calendar view. Sometimes Fantastical 2 just doesn’t respond at all letting me wander around the grocery store staring at a blank screen with “Fantastical” at its top.
The app would indeed be fantastic if it worked consistently. It’s still probably the best way to access appointments and reminders together on the Watch, but it sure leaves a lot to be desired.
I use wunderlist – does exactly this and I find it completely reliable – I’ve been using it for wrist based shopping lists for almost the entire time the watch has been available!!