Google Tasks is a really interesting task manager. For years, it was barely functional and neglected by Google. It lacked basic features and was not robust enough to be used as a productivity tool.
Today, that’s not true. Google appears committed to developing Tasks into an app that can be genuinely useful to a wide variety of people. Removing reminders and transitioning to tasks was a big part of that evolution, but last week’s announcement was the one I had been waiting for. A full-screen interface for Google Tasks is finally here!
Not a Web App, But Close Enough
Because it doesn’t have a web app, Google Tasks has always been a bit of an outlier in the Google ecosystem. Docs, Keep, Mail, and even Contacts have a dedicated URL that you can use to navigate to the app you want to use. Instead, access to Google Tasks is restricted to the sidebar of Mail, Calendar, and Drive.
You can still access Tasks in the sidebar, but I would bet that most people will prefer the new option of viewing Tasks full screen inside of Google Calendar.
All you have to do to access the new full-screen Google Tasks page is navigate to your Google Calendar and click the Tasks button in the top right corner. It’s a quick and convenient way to get to your to-do list.
A Match Made in Heaven
Although it may have been nice for Tasks to have its own web app, adding it to Calendar is the next best thing. Tasks with due dates already appear on your Google Calendar, so having Google Tasks integrated with Google Calendar makes a lot of sense.
If you want to view all your tasks for the week, you can do that easily in Google Calendar. If you want to view tasks on a specific list or start checking off items, then the Google Tasks tab is just a click away.
Full Screen for Google Tasks
For those of us who would prefer a standalone app for Google Tasks, the Full Screen for Google Tasks Chrome extension still exists to meet that need. It has over 100,000 users, offers a two-way sync with your Google account, and is also available as a web version.
In terms of functionality, it doesn’t really offer anything in addition to what the new Google Tasks experience provides, but the user interface may be more intuitive to some.
Be More Productive With Google Tasks
The one thing that held me back from going “all in” with Google Tasks was the lack of a full-screen mode. I found the sidebar cramped and difficult to use.
This update changes that. It is easy to be more productive when you have a larger canvas to view your lists and tasks side by side. For me, this means Google Tasks has talked its way back into being one of the best cross-platform task managers you can use today.
