The Microsoft To Do Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Microsoft To Do in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Microsoft To Do
The Insider’s Guide
Free to-do list from Microsoft that syncs with Outlook tasks
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among to-do list apps, read from Microsoft To Do’s own pages.
Made by Microsoft Corporation · checked Oct 4, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02Insider tipsWhat most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
- 03What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 04What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 05Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 06After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
- 07The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 08Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 09About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Microsoft To Do’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Microsoft To Do’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.6
GPA, above 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade
Microsoft To Do is a free to-do list app from Microsoft. Tasks are kept in lists with due dates, reminders, steps and notes, and a My Day list that resets every night is used to choose what to work on today. Tasks are stored in Exchange Online, so they also appear in Outlook, and a list can be shared with other people through an invitation link.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Microsoft To Do, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It covers the basics and stops there, with no projects or boards.
- 1
Best for a free to-do list that shows up in Outlook
Microsoft To Do is a free to-do list with no paid tier, on web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, and its tasks show up in Outlook too.
- 2
It is free
Microsoft To Do has no paid plan at all. The whole app is free: lists, My Day, due dates, reminders, steps, notes, shared lists and up to 25MB of file attachments on a task.
- 3
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
- 4
My Day
A daily list that resets every night. Tasks left unfinished go back to the Tasks list and appear among the next day's suggestions.
- 5
Lists, steps and notes
Tasks sit in lists and can have due dates, reminders, notes, a breakdown into steps and up to 25MB of attached files.
- 6
Shared lists
A list is shared by sending an invitation link, and it stays in sync as members make changes. Access can later be limited to current members or switched off.
- 7
A 3.6 GPA, above 122 of 123
That is against the other to-do list apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Microsoft To Do is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Microsoft To Do at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- To-Do List Apps
- Our grade
- 3.6 GPA, excellent
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 268,102 ratings
The report card
Best for a free to-do list that shows up in Outlook
Microsoft To Do is a free to-do list with no paid tier, on web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, and its tasks show up in Outlook too. It covers the basics and stops there, with no projects or boards. You need a Microsoft account to sign in, lists only share between personal accounts or within one workplace, and there's no Linux app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free, with no paid tier to be nudged towards and nothing held back: lists, My Day, reminders, steps, notes, shared lists and attachments. Rivals in this category want $2.42 to $5.00 a month for the same ground. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole app, on every platform it supports, with a personal Microsoft account or a work or school one. Attachments go up to 25MB a task, and there's no list or task count to bump into. Most people would never find a wall. |
| Features | C | It does the basics and stops: lists, due dates, reminders, notes, steps inside a task and My Day. Hashtags work as simple tags, but there are no projects or boards, and the listing boxes sharing in too, since a list only travels between personal Microsoft accounts or accounts in one workplace. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.72 from 268,102 App Store ratings. Sign in with the account you already have and the lists follow you; unfinished tasks come back as tomorrow's suggestions. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, plus the tasks living in Outlook, Planner tasks showing up here, Power Automate, and a public Outlook Tasks API. Linux is the one system missing. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Microsoft To Do is for
- Fits if you already work in Outlook or Microsoft 365 and want tasks to show up in both
- Works for a to-do list on phone and computer with no paid tier
Who it is not for
- Not for you if you'd rather not have a Microsoft account, as you can't sign in without one
- Too light for project work, since there are no projects or boards here
- Tight if you share lists between a work account and a personal one, which isn't allowed
- Skip it if you're on Linux, as no Linux app is listed
Good to know
Good for
- People who already use Outlook or Microsoft 365
- Anyone who wants a to-do list with no paid tier
- Sharing simple lists with family or coworkers
Worth knowing
- Signing in requires a personal Microsoft account or a work or school account.
- Lists can be shared only between personal Microsoft accounts or between accounts in the same workplace or school.
- No Linux app is listed; the vendor names Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and the web.
Part 02 · Tips
Insider tips
What most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
6
Things most people miss, each from its own help pages
The things about Microsoft To Do that are easy to miss until they cost you: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches at renewal or when you leave. Each one is from Microsoft To Do’s own pages, linked beside it.
Read on Oct 17, 2026. Read from Microsoft's support pages for To Do (tags, flagged email, duplicating and restoring lists, keyboard shortcuts) and its Microsoft account activity policy on 17 October 2026. Not tried out: these tips are what its own pages say.
- 1
Easy to miss
Type #work in a task name to tag it
To Do does have tags. Put a hashtag like #work or #school in the task name, when you add it or later. Select the tag, or search for it, to see every task, step and note that has it. If you live in Outlook, tasks can take your Outlook categories too.
support.microsoft.com - 2
Setting
Turn on Flagged email to see flagged Outlook mail as tasks
Open the list menu and pick Flagged email, then Create, or switch it on in Settings. It starts with your 100 most recently flagged emails from the last 30 days. It only works with Microsoft-hosted accounts like Outlook.com, and only for your main mailbox, not shared ones.
support.microsoft.com - 3
Easy to miss
Duplicate a list to use it as a template
On Windows and the web, right-click a list in the sidebar and choose Duplicate list. Microsoft suggests it for lists you keep reusing, like groceries or packing for a trip. You may need to switch on context menus in Settings first.
support.microsoft.com - 4
Shortcut
Ctrl+T adds a task to My Day in the Windows app
The rest of the list: Ctrl+N for a new task, Ctrl+L for a new list, Ctrl+D to complete a task, Ctrl+F to search and Ctrl+R to sync now. Microsoft's page is written for the Windows app, so on a Mac or the web some keys may differ.
support.microsoft.com - 5
Easy to miss
Deleted a list by mistake? Get it back through desktop Outlook
Your lists are stored in Exchange Online, so a deleted one turns up in Outlook. Sign in to Outlook on your computer with the same account, open Deleted Items, right-click the list's folder and pick Move, Other Folder, Tasks.
support.microsoft.com - 6
Leaving
Sign in at least once every 2 years or your account can be closed
Microsoft's activity policy says a personal Microsoft account needs a sign-in at least once in two years to stay active, and To Do lives on that account. An active Microsoft subscription or an unspent balance on the account keeps it open in the meantime.
support.microsoft.com
Part 03 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Microsoft To Do is free to use.
Free, with no paid tier to be nudged towards and nothing held back: lists, My Day, reminders, steps, notes, shared lists and attachments.
Free
$0
Every feature of the app, signed in with a personal Microsoft account or a work or school account.
The free plan
The whole app is free: lists, My Day, due dates, reminders, steps, notes, shared lists and up to 25MB of file attachments on a task.
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 4, 2026.
Part 04 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Free to-do list from Microsoft that syncs with Outlook tasks. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, real-time collaboration, tasks.
It does the basics and stops: lists, due dates, reminders, notes, steps inside a task and My Day.
- My Day
- A daily list that resets every night. Tasks left unfinished go back to the Tasks list and appear among the next day's suggestions.
- Lists, steps and notes
- Tasks sit in lists and can have due dates, reminders, notes, a breakdown into steps and up to 25MB of attached files.
- Shared lists
- A list is shared by sending an invitation link, and it stays in sync as members make changes. Access can later be limited to current members or switched off.
- Outlook and Planner
- Tasks are stored in Exchange Online, so they show up in both To Do and Outlook Tasks. Flagged email can be handled as tasks, and Planner tasks can be seen in To Do.
- Sync across devices
- Signing in with the same account on each device keeps lists in step; the vendor says the app updates every 5 seconds.
- Tasks API
- Microsoft points developers to the public Outlook Tasks REST API for reading and updating the tasks that To Do stores.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Outlook
- Microsoft Planner
- Power Automate
- Microsoft Launcher
Microsoft To Do is made by Microsoft Corporation.
Part 05 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
122/123
Other to-do list apps it is graded above
Microsoft To Do's GPA of 3.6 is higher than 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 108 of 123) and worst on features (C, above 8).
Microsoft To Do has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.3 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 124 to-do list apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Microsoft To Do’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 69 of 123
- AFree plan and trialAbove 87 of 123
- CFeaturesAbove 8 of 123
- AEase of useAbove 105 of 123
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 108 of 123
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 99 to-do list apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Microsoft To Do is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Microsoft To Do is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.6 is higher than 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade.
What you could make
- Tasks: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, Outlook, Microsoft Planner and Power Automate among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Microsoft To Do’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 06 · Refunds
After you pay
Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help
What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Microsoft To Do’s own terms and help pages.
Leaving Microsoft To Do
Not graded · checked Oct 18, 2026
To Do is free and there is no plan to buy, so there is nothing to refund. The only thing there is to close is the Microsoft account your lists live in, and Microsoft lets you do that yourself in a few clicks. You even choose how long you have to change your mind, 30 days or 60. After that window Microsoft says your data and content are deleted, and none of the pages read offers a way to take the lists with you.
- Closing your account
There is no paid plan to end. The account behind To Do is a Microsoft account, which you close yourself after signing in: Microsoft asks you to tick off a checklist, choose a reopen window, give a reason and mark the account for closure. You must be able to sign in to do it, and if you have reset all your sign-in verification details Microsoft makes you wait 60 days first.
- Sign in to the Microsoft account you want to close, and verify it if asked
- Check that the page shows the right account, then click Next
- Read the list and tick each checkbox to acknowledge it
- Choose whether the reopen window is 30 or 60 days
- Pick a reason from the Select a reason list
- Click Mark account for closure
- What you keep afterwards
The account is marked for closure and can be reopened during the window you chose, 30 or 60 days. Microsoft states that once the account has been closed and the reopen window has passed, it will delete your data and your content, pointing to the Microsoft Services Agreement. No page read here describes a way to export To Do lists first.
Stated on support.microsoft.com
In your favour
- Nothing to pay, so nothing to cancel and no money to chase.
- You close the account yourself, online, without writing to anyone.
- You pick the grace period: 30 or 60 days to change your mind and reopen it.
Watch out for
- Once the reopen window passes, Microsoft says your data and content are deleted.
- You have to be able to sign in to close the account at all.
- Reset all your sign-in verification details and Microsoft makes you wait 60 days.
- No page read here offers an export, so copy anything you want to keep by hand.
Customer support
Good · checked Oct 18, 2026
For a free app this is more than you would expect. The help page sends you to in-app messaging that reaches the support team directly, and Microsoft's own contact page offers live chat with a specialist once the self-help suggestions run out. There are written articles and a public community behind that. It is not an A because nothing states when anyone answers or how long you should expect to wait.
Ways to get help
Live chat
Microsoft's Contact Us page says it shows self-help options first and that further help is available if you need it, including live chat with a Microsoft specialist.
Stated on support.microsoft.comHelp inside the app
Microsoft's help page for To Do says the best route is the in-app support centre: tap or select your username, then Get support, where you can search the FAQs and use in-app messaging to reach the support team directly.
Stated on support.microsoft.comHelp centre
The Microsoft To Do support site has written articles on getting started, lists, My Day, sharing, syncing and integrations, open to anyone without signing in.
Stated on support.microsoft.comCommunity or forum
The Microsoft Tech Community, linked from the To Do support pages, is a public forum where Microsoft staff and other users discuss its products.
Stated on techcommunity.microsoft.com
Not listed on Microsoft To Do’s pages: phone, email, contact form or ticket.
- When people answer
Its pages do not say.
- How fast it says it replies
Its pages do not say.
- What depends on your plan
To Do has one free tier and the support routes are the same for everyone using it. Microsoft's help page adds that an administrator for an organisation should go through Microsoft 365 for business support instead.
Stated on support.microsoft.com
In your favour
- In-app messaging reaches the support team directly, and the app costs nothing.
- Microsoft's contact page offers live chat with a specialist after the self-help step.
- The written articles are open to anyone, with no sign-in and no account needed.
Watch out for
- No page states when support works or how fast it aims to reply.
- Support starts with self-help; you have to work past it to reach a person.
- There is no To Do phone line: you go through Microsoft's general support.
- Organisation admins are sent to the separate Microsoft 365 business support route.
What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Microsoft's help page on getting help for Microsoft To Do, the To Do support site, Microsoft's Contact Us page, its article on closing a Microsoft account, the Microsoft Tech Community and the app's App Store listing. Nobody here closed an account or contacted its support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.
Part 07 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Todoist, TickTick, Any.do, Things 3 and Superlist
The 5 tools Microsoft To Do is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Todoist
Free plan · from $5/mo
Cross-platform to-do list with natural-language task entry.
- Only Todoist lists a Linux app.
- Only Todoist lists a browser extension.
- Todoist also covers templates, natural-language input, calendar and kanban boards.
- 3.4GPA
TickTick
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
To-do list with a calendar, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer built in.
- Only TickTick lists a Linux app.
- Only TickTick lists a browser extension.
- TickTick also covers natural-language input, calendar, kanban boards, Pomodoro timer and habit tracking.
- 2.8GPA
Any.do
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
To-do list and calendar app with separate family and team plans.
- Only Any.do lists a browser extension.
- Any.do also covers templates, calendar, kanban boards, Gantt & timelines and workflow automation.
- 2.6GPA
Things 3
Free trial · from $9.99 one-time
Personal task manager for Apple devices, sold as a one-time purchase.
- Microsoft To Do has a free plan. Things 3 does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Microsoft To Do lists a web app.
- Only Microsoft To Do lists Windows and Android apps.
- 2.6GPA
Superlist
Free plan · from $5/mo
To-do lists that hold tasks and notes together, with AI meeting notes.
- Only Microsoft To Do lists a Windows app.
- Superlist also covers meeting notes, transcription and notes.
Part 08 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Microsoft To Do free?
Yes. Microsoft To Do is free to use.
How much does Microsoft To Do cost?
Microsoft To Do lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Microsoft To Do work on?
Microsoft To Do is available on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
How is Microsoft To Do rated?
Microsoft To Do's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 268,102 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Microsoft To Do have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Microsoft To Do is listed for Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is Microsoft To Do open source?
Microsoft To Do is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 4, 2026.
Does Microsoft To Do have an API?
Yes. Microsoft To Do offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Microsoft To Do integrate with?
Microsoft To Do's listing names Outlook, Microsoft Planner, Power Automate and Microsoft Launcher.
Who makes Microsoft To Do?
Microsoft To Do is made by Microsoft Corporation.
What are the alternatives to Microsoft To Do?
The closest alternatives to Microsoft To Do in our directory are Todoist, TickTick, Any.do, Things 3 and Superlist.
How do I close a Microsoft To Do account?
There is no paid plan to end. The account behind To Do is a Microsoft account, which you close yourself after signing in: Microsoft asks you to tick off a checklist, choose a reopen window, give a reason and mark the account for closure.
What happens to my data if I leave Microsoft To Do?
The account is marked for closure and can be reopened during the window you chose, 30 or 60 days.
How do I contact Microsoft To Do support?
Microsoft To Do's pages list these ways to get help: live chat, help inside the app, help centre and community or forum.
How does Microsoft To Do compare with other to-do list apps?
Microsoft To Do's GPA of 3.6 is higher than 122 of the 123 other to-do list apps we grade, and level with 1.
Is Microsoft To Do good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Microsoft To Do A for value for money. Microsoft To Do has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Microsoft To Do?
Microsoft To Do is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Microsoft To Do’s own pages on Oct 4, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Microsoft's own pages on 4 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-24.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft Corporation. Prices change, so check to-do.office.com before you buy.
- apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-to-do/id1212616790
- apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-to-do/id1274495053?mt=12
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/todo
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/ToDo/welcome-to-microsoft-to-do
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/ToDo/get-help-for-microsoft-to-do
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/ToDo/my-day-and-suggestions
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/ToDo/create-and-share-lists
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/ToDo/syncing-your-microsoft-to-do-account
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/todo/plan-and-connect-with-microsoft-to-do
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/ToDo/integrations-with-microsoft-to-do
- support.microsoft.com/en-us/ToDo/using-microsoft-to-do-s-api
Part 09 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Microsoft To Do, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-to-do
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Microsoft To Do: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 4, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-to-do
Know someone choosing between to-do list apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/microsoft-to-do/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded to-do list apps after Microsoft To Do, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- To-Do List Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 124 to-do list apps we grade, compared
- Apple Reminders Insider's GuideApple's free to-do app for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch3.6 GPA
- Google Tasks Insider's GuideGoogle's to-do list, built into Gmail, Calendar, Chat and Docs3.4 GPA
- Super Productivity Insider's GuideFree, open-source to-do app with time tracking and a Pomodoro timer3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Microsoft To Do’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Microsoft To Do is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Microsoft Corporation. Prices and plans change: check to-do.office.com before you buy.