Use Siri To Create Interactive Reminders With Contact Call Option

Did you know that you can configure alerts to remind you that a call towards one of your contacts is due? That’s not too impressive isn’t it? But what if I raise the stakes and add that the alert is interactive and you can immediately dial the call from the iPhone’s lock screen? That’s a nice shortcut isn’t it! For this trick to work, you have to use Siri to set up the reminder. It seems that for whatever reason the notifications don’t provide the interactive Call option if you schedule them manually from the iOS Reminders app.

I even tried to set up such a reminder from the paired Apple Watch. It works, the alert is configured and the notification lands in, on both wearable and iPhone, but the interactive Call option is replaced with the Mark as Completed button. So, the only way to save a reminder that will prompt your iPhone’s lock screen with an interactive Call button, is with the help of the iOS virtual assistant, used on the iPhone.

How To Configure Reminders Via Siri
Step 1: Press & hold your smartphone’s home button until Siri wakes up!
Step 2: Command anything similar to: “Remind me to call [contact name] at [time]!”
Step 3: Confirm your reminder by tapping the corresponding button or speaking out “Yes.”, when Siri asks you about it.
Fact: Using phrases which contain the words remind, reminder, remember or notify will let your virtual assistant know that you wish to create a new reminder about a certain task or action!

How The Interactive Call Notification Looks Like
Whenever the time comes and your iPhone is locked, the reminder alert notifies you with the help of a vibration and an audio sound. If you wake your iOS device you’ll see the title of the notification. You now have two options:
A. Slide Right – Your asked to unlock your smartphone. After that the Reminder app opens up and you see the reminder along with further details.
B. Slide Left – Unveil three interactive options of this notification: Dismiss (“x”), Snooze or Call. If you tap the third button a call towards the specific contact is automatically dialed!

Fact: The rapid Call button is also not available if you’re browsing your iPhone when the alert hits. The device has to be locked, else a pop-up notification window with the reminder, shows up. You can either Close it or tap Options for an advanced menu. Here you can choose to View, Snooze, Mark as Completed or Close the task.

Apple Watch Reminder Notification and Options
As mentioned above, if a Watch OS device is paired and connected the reminder lands on your wrist. It’s also available on the iPhone’s lock screen, if you want to switch to your smartphone.
On the wrist gadget you have the following options Snooze, Completed and Dismiss. The Call shortcut isn’t available.
Setting up a reminder on Apple Watch can only be done via Siri. However, we’ve tested this option too and it won’t generate an interactive notification, with a Call option neither on Watch, nor on iPhone.