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These 4 Free Smartphone Apps Are All I Need To Stay Organized
Megan Ellis / Android Authority
I've been described as organized, but the reality is that I feel like I'm wading through chaos on a daily basis. Between deadlines, errands, and the executive dysfunction that comes with ADHD, I need to lean on technology to help me manage my daily tasks.
You would think that this means I'm a power user of a large productivity suite or rely on an arsenal of the best productivity apps. But the truth is I'm often overwhelmed by just how many features some of these apps have, as well as the involved setup they require. That's why when it comes to staying organized, I manage to get by with these four free apps thanks to their simplicity and ease of use.
Do you rely on smartphone apps to keep up with your daily tasks?307 votes
Only one or two apps.
50%
I have multiple apps to keep track of everything.
24%
I use a powerful all-in-one app with advanced features.
8%
No, I get by fine without needing any apps.
18%
1. Google Keep
Megan Ellis / Android Authority
When it comes to making simple notes that I can keep track of across devices, Google Keep is my go-to. I don't have the mental bandwidth to navigate through multiple menus and buried settings, so an app that essentially provides digital sticky notes is the perfect solution for me.
I need a place where I can jot down short notes, separate from my Google Docs folder, with perks like cloud syncing. It's this simplicity that makes Google Keep work. I use it to write down article ideas and create outlines for topics regarding work. When it comes to my personal life, I use the app to keep track of shopping lists and what to pack for overnight trips.
I don't have the mental bandwidth to navigate through multiple menus and buried settings, so simple digital sticky notes are perfect for me.
The simple sticky note interface makes it easy to pin the most important notes, letting me color-code the notes that I want to easily spot. These notes do build up over time, but the search function makes it easy enough to find something specific.
2. TickTick
Megan Ellis / Android Authority
TickTick is a free task manager app that has some incredibly useful features. I have an account so that I can sync tasks between the mobile and web apps, but you can actually use TickTick without an account.
What makes this app stand out for me, especially as a Google Tasks alternative, is the ability to snooze reminders to specific times so that they repeat later. You can keep snoozing them until you finally deal with a task. If you don't check off an overdue item, the app will remind you of the task and provide an overview of everything that's overdue.
I've tried multiple to-do apps over the years and only TickTick has managed to keep me on top of my habit of procrastinating constantly.
I've used it as a habit tracker app by setting tasks to repeat daily, as well as for general to-do items that I struggle to remember. For example, I set it to remind me about sending specific emails or completing an errand.
I've tried multiple to-do apps over the years and only TickTick has managed to keep me on top of my habit of procrastinating constantly. When I've tried apps like Google Tasks, my constant snoozing results in the task disappearing and falling to the wayside. But TickTick keeps a great record of overdue tasks. If you use an app like Notion to manage your life, you can import and integrate it into TickTick.
I can't overstate how useful I've found TickTick — for me, it's the best task manager out there.
3. Google Calendar
Megan Ellis / Android Authority
Most smartphone operating systems come with their own calendar app, but I use Google Calendar because it isn't reliant on a specific OEM. This is important because I often switch between Android devices from various brands.
I mostly use Google Calendar for keeping track of events, meetings, and deadlines. The integration with my Gmail account is particularly useful for meetings, with the app including great features like automatically converting the time zone. I've also set the app to remind me about the event 30 minutes before it takes place, giving me ample notice if I manage to get distracted.
The Gmail integration is also useful when it comes to keeping track of flights, as Google Calendar can automatically add emails with flight details to your upcoming events. Since most of my meetings are held on Google Meet, I can use the link provided in Calendar to access it easily.
The integration with my Gmail account is particularly useful for meetings
Adding the Google Calendar widget to the home screen of my device has also greatly improved my ability to keep track of everything, as I get an overview of the entire month on a screen that I look at regularly. This way, nothing catches me off guard.
Once again, the simplicity is what makes this app so appealing to me. I've tried Google Calendar alternatives, as well as some platform-specific calendars. But at the end of the day, Google Calendar manages to meet all my needs.
4. Asana
Megan Ellis / Android Authority
Asana is a project management app that helps keep me organized by keeping track of work assignments. I'd argue that the average person wouldn't need it, but if you're a freelancer or have a lot of tasks to track on a daily basis, then Asana is a great fit.
I've used it while working with multiple companies that incorporate the platform into their workflow. For the occasional deadline, I'll just use Google Calendar to set a reminder. But when I'm doing numerous tasks weekly, Asana makes managing multiple deadlines much easier.
It is a lot more complex than the other apps on the list, but I keep it simple by focusing on the tab for my tasks. It has plenty of custom fields you can add to tasks, such as due dates, completion status, and relevant links. However, the app does lock certain features behind a paid plan.
In addition to the workspaces for the companies I work with, I also created a personal workspace where I can keep track of other tasks. Since I'm using the free plan, I don't have access to the robust templates that companies use, but the available fields are more than adequate for me.
The biggest drawback to Asana is that the app can be a bit annoying when it comes to notifications, especially when both email and mobile notifications are enabled. Luckily you can manage your notification settings to prevent notification fatigue.
While I've invested in paid task-tracking apps and tried more advanced productivity apps, I've found that this small collection of free apps is all I need to stay organized. Google Keep is great for simple notes, while TickTick is a persistent task management app. It's thanks to Google Calendar that I actually remember my weekly meetings, while Asana provides oversight and tracking for my work deadlines.
Smartphone Hacks: Tips To Organize Your Apps For Maximum Productivity
Grouping apps according to their function is helpful in quickly finding what you are looking for.
Create folders for categories like communication, finance, health, and entertainment.
This way, not only will your home screen remain clutter-free but you'll also have similar apps accessible, whenever you need them.
The Nintendo Switch Smartphone App Is Getting Some Excellent New Features
Entertainment /Gaming /NintendoThe Nintendo Switch smartphone app is getting some excellent new featuresNintendo is making it easier to share images and videos from the Switch, and introducing a new way to play Zelda.
Nintendo is making it easier to share images and videos from the Switch, and introducing a new way to play Zelda.
by Charles Pulliam-Moore
Apr 2, 2025, 8:06 PM UTCLinkFacebookThreadsIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.
Nintendo
Charles Pulliam-Moore is a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.While sharing screenshots and videos from the original Nintendo Switch has always been an excessively complicated process, it's going to be much easier for the Switch 2.
During today's Direct presentation, Nintendo spent a lot of time talking about the Switch 2's new built-in GameChat functionality that will give players a way to share their screens during group video calls. But the company also announced that it's rolling out an update for the Switch family of systems' companion smartphone app.
Now simply called the "Nintendo Switch app," the application will continue to support Nintendo's old voice chat feature for specific titles like Splatoon 3 and Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the original Switch. But for Switch 2 owners, the Nintendo Switch app will serve as the easiest way for you to move screenshots and videos from the console onto your phone, computer, or internet.
To move screenshots previously, you had to pop a Switch's SD card out from behind its kickstand and slot it into another device. You could also share images and videos directly to Facebook and, until last year, X / Twitter by linking your Switch to accounts on either of those platforms. It was also possible to move media straight from your Switch to your smartphone by going into the Switch's Album section, hitting share, and then taking a picture of the QR code generated by the console. That last option was as clever as it was cumbersome, but it won't be an issue for the Switch 2.
According to Nintendo, Switch 2 users will be able to access the console's 100 most recent screenshots and videos directly from the smartphone app. Obviously, a Nintendo Account will be required to make this work, but the company noted that you will not need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to take advantage of the smartphone app's media transfer feature.
The media transfer details alone are already a significant upgrade for the application, which never felt all that well-integrated into many of Nintendo's games. But, as if to emphasize that it really does see the application as an important part of the Switch's future, Nintendo also announced the forthcoming release of Zelda Notes, a special set of features designed specifically for the Switch 2 editions of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears for the Kingdom. Located within the smartphone app, Zelda Notes is meant to serve as a useful tool to help guide you through the Zelda games with features like spoken directions to specific locations you've marked on a map. You can use Zelda Notes to hear Princess Zelda recall memories of places she's been as you guide Link to them. The application will also give players a way to share blueprints for their unique Autobuild creations.
Zelda Notes feels like a very smart way to get people excited about coming back to two older games many people have already spent quite a bit of time playing. It's kind of wild to think of Nintendo's smartphone app being one of its more promising Switch reveals, but these kinds of surprises are how you keep things interesting.
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