First Impression
First thing I noticed was how clean it is. I mean, really clean. Almost too clean. The moment I opened Microsoft To Do on my OnePlus 11, I got that empty white page vibe that makes you wonder if you accidentally signed into a blank notepad. I created my first list called “Monday Mayhem” which was supposed to track my work stuff, groceries, and that dentist appointment I kept forgetting. The setup took maybe two minutes, which was nice. No endless onboarding tutorials, no asking me to connect every service I own. But here’s the thing — that simplicity quickly started feeling like a lack of depth. I remember thinking last Tuesday around 3 PM while trying to set up a recurring task for my weekly team check-in, “Is this really it?” The basic stuff works fast, but if you’re used to apps that give you power under the hood, you might feel the limits pretty quick.
What It Does Well
Let me give credit where it’s due. The Outlook integration is actually solid. I use Outlook for work emails, and having my flagged emails pop up as tasks in To Do without me doing anything was a nice surprise. It saved me maybe 30 minutes last Wednesday when I was scrambling to follow up on client requests. The shared lists feature also works better than I expected. My girlfriend and I share a “Household Stuff” list for groceries and errands, and it updates nearly instantly when she adds something on her iPhone while I’m on my Android. No drama, no “you didn’t see it yet” arguments. The “My Day” feature is clever too — it forces you to focus on just a few tasks instead of drowning in your entire backlog. I use it every morning now. And the “I’m Done” button gives this little satisfying animation. Silly, but it works. For basic task management, this app nails the core experience.
Where It Falls Short
Alright, here’s where I get real. This app has bugs that feel like they should’ve been squashed years ago. On my OnePlus 11, the app randomly crashes when I try to reorder tasks in a list by dragging them. It’s not every time, but it’s often enough that I’ve started to hate using that feature. I sent a support ticket about it on a Saturday afternoon. Got a reply on Tuesday. The reply basically said “try reinstalling the app.” Real helpful, Microsoft. I reinstalled, it still crashes. Then they asked for a video of the bug. I sent it. That was five days ago. Radio silence. For an app from a trillion-dollar company? Come on. Also, the lack of natural language input drives me crazy. In Todoist, I could type “buy milk every Friday at 4pm” and it would figure it out. Here? Nope. You have to manually set each field. It’s slow and annoying when you’re adding ten tasks at once. And the tags system is weak. You get colored labels, but you can’t filter or search by them properly. It’s like they ran out of budget halfway through designing it.
Is It Worth the Price?
It’s free. So technically, yes, it’s worth what you pay. But free isn’t always a bargain if it costs you time and frustration. For someone who just needs a digital sticky note that syncs across devices, this is perfect. For a power user like me who juggles 40+ active tasks across work, personal life, and side projects, this feels like using a toy when I need a toolbox. I found myself going back to Todoist’s free tier just to get things done faster, and that says something. The Microsoft ecosystem integration is a legit advantage if you’re already married to Office 365. But if you’re not, there are better free options out there that don’t crash and actually listen to support requests. I’d say it’s worth the price if you keep your expectations in check. Don’t expect it to replace a heavy-duty task manager. Use it for simple lists and you’ll be fine.
Developer & Support
I already mentioned my support experience, but let me elaborate because it stings. I’ve been a software user for over a decade. I know bugs happen. What I can’t stand is when companies treat users like beta testers and then ghost them. After my crash video, I followed up twice. The second time, I got an automated message saying “we’re looking into it.” That was Friday morning at 7:45 AM. It’s now been over a week and nothing. Not even a “hey, we reproduced it.” The app has a rating of 4.7, which makes me wonder if casual users just don’t hit these edge cases, or if they’re forgiving because the app is free. Either way, for a Microsoft product, the support feels like a barebones operation. No phone number, no live chat. Just email tickets that take days. If you have a critical issue, good luck. You’re basically on your own until some dev at Redmond decides to look at your ticket.
Privacy & Safety
Privacy is one area where Microsoft isn’t messing around. Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest, they have clear privacy policies, and unlike some free apps, they’re not selling your task list to advertisers. I checked the permissions on my OnePlus 11 — it only asks for storage and notifications. It doesn’t need your contacts or location to function. That’s a big plus in my book. The app uses your Microsoft account for login, which means two-factor authentication is available if you want it. I’d feel comfortable putting sensitive work tasks here, though I wouldn’t store passwords or anything. One weird thing: the app asks for permission to read your Microsoft account info even when you’re offline. Not sure why. Might be a bug. But overall, I trust Microsoft with privacy more than most big tech companies. That’s a low bar, but still.
How does the 'My Day' feature work in Microsoft To Do?
The 'My Day' feature lets you focus on a few selected tasks each day instead of your entire list. You can add tasks to 'My Day' manually or let the app suggest them based on deadlines, and completing them with the 'I'm Done' button gives a satisfying animation to reinforce progress.
Can I use natural language input to quickly add tasks like 'buy milk every Friday at 4pm'?
No, Microsoft To Do does not support natural language input. You must manually set each field like due date and recurrence, which can be slow when adding multiple tasks at once—unlike competitors like Todoist that parse such phrases automatically.
Why does Microsoft To Do crash when I try to reorder tasks by dragging them?
This is a known bug on devices like the OnePlus 11 where the app randomly crashes during drag-and-drop reordering. Reinstalling the app may not fix it, and Microsoft support may ask for a video of the issue, but a permanent solution hasn't been provided yet.
How do I filter or search tasks by tags in Microsoft To Do?
You can't effectively filter or search by tags in Microsoft To Do. The app offers colored labels for tasks, but the tagging system is weak—there's no proper search or filter functionality for tags, making it hard to organize tasks beyond basic lists.
How does Microsoft To Do compare to Todoist for task management?
Microsoft To Do is free and integrates seamlessly with Outlook for flagged emails, but lacks advanced features like natural language input and robust tag filtering that Todoist offers. If you need quick, smart task entry and powerful organization, Todoist is better; if you want a simple, free tool with Outlook sync, Microsoft To Do works well.
