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Health & Wellness

Steps checked against official help pages. Last checked: Oct 19, 2026

How to Set Up Medication Reminders on Your Phone

What this helps with: Getting a gentle alert on your phone when it’s time to take a medicine, vitamin, or supplement.

This guide shows how to use the app. For questions about your health or medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist. The app does not replace the label on your medicine or their advice.

Before you start

  • Have your medicine bottles or boxes nearby. You’ll copy the name and strength from the label.
  • Ask your pharmacist if you’re not sure what time to take something. Your phone only reminds you of what you tell it.

iPhone: the Health app

  1. Open the Health app.
    • What you’ll tap: A white icon with a red heart.
  2. Tap Browse at the bottom, then tap Medications.
  3. Tap Add a Medication.
  4. Type the name of the medicine, then tap Add. (In the US, you can also tap the small camera and point it at the label.)
  5. Choose the type (like a tablet or capsule), then tap Next.
  6. Choose the strength printed on the label, then tap Next.
  7. Set the schedule: how often, which days, and what time. Tap Next.
  8. Pick a shape and color if you like, so it looks like your pill. Or tap Skip.
  9. Check the details, then tap Done.

When the reminder comes: Tap it, then tap Taken or Skipped. This keeps a simple record.

Want a louder reminder? Go back to Browse, then Medications. Tap Options at the bottom, then turn on Follow Up Reminders. You’ll get a second nudge 30 minutes later if you haven’t logged it. You can also turn on Critical Alerts, which make a sound even when your phone is on silent.

Samsung Galaxy: the Samsung Health app

  1. Open the Samsung Health app.
  2. Scroll down and tap Medications. (Don’t see it? Tap the three dots at the top right, tap Edit home, and add Medications.)
  3. Tap Add medication, then type the name. If it’s not in the list, tap Add custom medication.
  4. Follow the steps on the screen to add the strength, the schedule, and the reminder style. A strong style fills the screen and makes a longer sound.
  5. Tap Save.

This feature is not offered in every country.

Any Android phone: a repeating alarm

This simple option works on almost every Android phone.

  1. Open the Clock app and tap Alarm.
  2. Tap Add (the + button) and set the time. Tap OK.
  3. Tap the alarm, then tap the days of the week you want it to repeat.
  4. Tap Alarm name and type something clear, like “Morning pills.”

If something goes wrong

  • I didn’t get the reminder. Make sure your phone isn’t on silent or Do Not Disturb. On iPhone, check that Health is allowed to send notifications in Settings, then Apps, then Health, then Notifications.
  • My medicine isn’t in the list. Type the name yourself. On iPhone, tap Add. On Samsung, tap Add custom medication.
  • The app shows a warning or medicine facts. Some apps show general facts about medicines. Don’t change how you take anything because of an app. Ask your pharmacist or doctor first.
  • I stopped taking a medicine. On iPhone, swipe left on it in your list and tap Archive. Ask your doctor before you stop any medicine.
  • For an emergency, call 911. Don’t wait for an app.

Official sources

Last checked: Oct 19, 2026

This is general help, not medical advice or personalized tech support. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about your medicines. Don’t rely on a reminder alone for anything urgent. Features vary by phone, app version, and country.

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