- [ ] renew the car insurance 📅 2026-11-02
A Microsoft To Do alternative that keeps your tasks in files you own
Microsoft To Do is Microsoft's own to-do app, and it asks you to sign in with a Microsoft account. TaskForge asks for nothing. Your lists are markdown files in a folder you choose, and the apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android read and write those files directly.
- No Microsoft account, no TaskForge account
- Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android
- Lists are .md files you can open anywhere
Where your tasks live
Microsoft says To Do stores every task on its Exchange Online services, which is why your lists show up in Outlook as well. A personal Microsoft account is enough. A work or school account also needs a Microsoft 365 plan that includes To Do and an Exchange Online mailbox.
TaskForge stores a task as one line of text in a markdown file, like the line at the top of this page. A list is a file, Groceries.md or Home.md, in a folder on your own device. Tick a task in the app and the brackets in the file get an x. Open the same files in Notepad, VS Code or Obsidian and the list is right there.
Nothing is held on a TaskForge server, because there isn't one. If you ever stop using the app, the files stay where they are and still make sense.
Microsoft To Do and TaskForge, side by side
Microsoft To Do facts come from Microsoft's own support pages (support.microsoft.com/todo), checked in October 2026. Microsoft changes its apps, so check there before you decide on a detail.
| Topic | Microsoft To Do | TaskForge |
|---|---|---|
| Account | A Microsoft account. Personal accounts are free; work or school accounts need a Microsoft 365 plan that includes To Do. | None. There is no account to create, on any platform. |
| Where tasks are stored | On Microsoft's Exchange Online services, under your account. | In .md files in a folder you pick, on your own devices. |
| Price | Free with a personal Microsoft account. | Free to download. Premium is a subscription or a one-time purchase; store builds offer a free trial where the store has one. |
| Apps | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and a web app. | Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. No web app. |
| Sync | Built in, through your Microsoft account. | Whatever moves the folder: iCloud Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Syncthing, Obsidian Sync and the like. |
| Reminders | Included. | Premium, like every notification in the app. |
| Shared lists | Share a list by invitation link and assign its tasks to members. | None. No accounts means no shared lists or assignees. |
| Outlook and Planner | Tasks appear in Outlook too, flagged email can become tasks, and Planner tasks assigned to you show up in To Do. | No Outlook or Planner connection. |
| Opening tasks elsewhere | In To Do and Outlook. | In any text editor, or in Obsidian, where the Tasks plugin reads the same lines. |
Your To Do habits, in TaskForge
Most of what you do in To Do has a direct equivalent. The difference is that each one ends up as text in a file you can read.
- A list
- A markdown file, or a heading inside one. The built-in spaces such as Today and Upcoming gather tasks from every file at once.
- My Day
- The built-in Today space is the closest match. Every space runs on a filter, so what it shows is up to you; editing spaces is Premium.
- Starring a task as important
- A priority. ⏫ on the line means high, and there are six levels in all.
- Steps
- Subtasks: checkbox lines indented under the task.
- Repeat
- A repeat rule such as 🔁 every week. Recurring tasks are free.
- Due date and Remind me
- 📅 sets the due date, free. A reminder at a set time or before the due date needs Premium.
- Tags on a task
- #tags written on the task line, where search and filters can find them.
- A note on a task
- Turn on task files and each task becomes its own .md note, fields at the top and your notes in the body.
One extra: the built-in Kanban space, free, sorts tasks into columns by status, and dragging a card to another column changes the task's status in the file. Building your own boards is Premium.
Moving your lists over
There is no importer from Microsoft To Do. Most lists are short enough to retype, and quick add reads dates as you type: "renew the car insurance tomorrow #car" gets a due date and a tag. Or paste your tasks into a .md file as - [ ] lines and TaskForge picks them up.
Where it runs
- Windows: a signed installer from this site, Windows 10 version 1809 or later, x64 and ARM64. It can sit in the system tray, and its keyboard shortcuts are yours to change. No widgets, and the calendar shows tasks but not calendar events yet.
- Mac: from the Mac App Store or as a direct download, macOS 13 or later, with a task list in the menu bar.
- iPhone and iPad: from the App Store, iOS 15.6 or later. Widgets need iOS 17.
- Android: from Google Play, Android 11 or later. The Premium task widget lets you tick a task off from the home screen.
TaskForge has no sync server. A tool you already use moves the folder between devices: iCloud Drive needs no setup on Apple devices, and OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, Syncthing and Obsidian Sync work too. Use one service per folder, because two services fighting over the same files can corrupt them. The apps work offline, since the files are on the device.
When Microsoft To Do fits better
To Do is a good app, and for some people it is the better one. These are the cases.
You want everything free
To Do is free with a personal Microsoft account, reminders included. TaskForge is free for reading and editing tasks, but reminders, task widgets and your own spaces need Premium.
Your work runs on Outlook and Planner
Flagged email turning into tasks, and Planner assignments landing in one list, are things TaskForge does not do at all. If your day starts in Outlook, To Do sits closer to it.
You share lists
A shared shopping list with your partner, or tasks assigned to a colleague, is what To Do's shared lists are for. TaskForge has no accounts, so it has no assignees either.
You need a browser version
To Do runs in a web browser on any computer. TaskForge needs its app installed, and there is no Linux build.
Questions about switching from Microsoft To Do
Is there a free alternative to Microsoft To Do?
TaskForge is free to download, and the free version covers reading and editing tasks, recurring tasks, quick add, the built-in spaces including a Kanban board, and the calendar view. Reminders, the task and calendar widgets, and your own spaces are Premium, sold as a subscription or a one-time purchase. If you need reminders without paying, To Do with a personal Microsoft account is free.
Do I need a Microsoft account to use TaskForge?
No. TaskForge has no sign-in at all, for Microsoft or anyone else. Your tasks sit in a folder; if you want them on several devices, a sync service moves that folder. OneDrive is one option if you already use it.
Can I import my Microsoft To Do lists?
Not automatically; there is no To Do importer. Retype the tasks with quick add, which understands words like tomorrow, or paste them into a markdown file as - [ ] lines. TaskForge reads any .md file in the folder.
Is TaskForge a Microsoft To Do alternative for Mac and Android?
Yes. The Mac app comes from the Mac App Store or as a direct download for macOS 13 or later and keeps a task list in the menu bar. The Android app comes from Google Play for Android 11 or later and has home-screen widgets; with Premium, the task widget lets you tick a task off without opening the app.
Does TaskForge work with Outlook?
No. It does not read flagged email or Planner tasks. On iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android its calendar shows events from the calendars on the device next to your tasks, and viewing them is free. On Windows the calendar shows tasks only for now.
Can I share a list with someone?
Not the way To Do does it. There are no accounts or assignees. Two people can sync the same folder, but nothing stops them editing the same line at the same moment, so it suits a household list better than a team.
Does it work offline?
Yes. The files are on your device, so adding, editing and ticking tasks need no connection. Your sync service catches up when you are back online.
Try it on the PC you already have
Free to download for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android. Open a folder you already have, or start fresh with a few sample tasks.