REMINDERS · PLAIN ANSWERS
How do I set a reminder for every hour on my iPhone?
Open the Reminders app, add a reminder, tap the info button beside it, turn on Date and Time, then set Repeat to Hourly. It is free and already on your phone. An hourly repeat runs on a fixed clock, though, with no setting to keep it inside your working day, so if the reminder is really there to get you up from your desk, an app such as Pause can remind you every 45, 60 or 90 minutes only within the working hours and days you choose, then guide a short break when you tap it.
By Pause · KCO Partners LLC · Published September 16, 2026
Part of Workplace stretching, the Pause workplace stretching series.
Step by step in Reminders
Open Reminders and tap New Reminder. Type a short title, such as “Stand up”. Tap the info button (ⓘ) next to it, turn on Date and choose today, turn on Time and choose the next full hour, then tap Repeat and choose Hourly. Tap Done. Reminders treats it as a task, so it sits in your list until you tick it off or delete it, and you switch it off yourself at the end of the day.
Using Clock alarms instead
In the Clock app, an alarm’s Repeat setting chooses days of the week, not hours. An hourly alarm therefore means one alarm per hour: eight of them for a nine-to-five day, each set to repeat on weekdays. Alarms are made to wake you, so they are loud by default, which is a lot for a quiet office.
When the reminder is for a break
In Pause you choose working days, a start and end time and an interval of 45, 60 or 90 minutes. The first reminder comes one interval after you start and none arrive outside those hours, so there is nothing to switch off in the evening. Reminders are delivered quietly: no sound, no badge, and they do not break through a Focus mode. Tapping one offers “Start my break” or “Snooze 10 minutes”. Workplace guidance from CCOHS suggests a short break from the workstation every hour.
Common questions
Can I set a reminder every two hours?
Reminders’ built-in Hourly option repeats every hour. For a different gap you can create separate reminders at the times you want, each repeating daily. Pause’s intervals are 45, 60 or 90 minutes.
Do Pause reminders need the app to be open?
No. Pause schedules its reminders on your iPhone ahead of time, so they arrive with the app closed, as long as notifications are allowed for Pause.
Is the reminder free in Pause?
Reminder setup is part of Pause Plus. Your first completed break is free without an account, so you can try a guided break before deciding.
Background: CCOHS stretching at the workstation · CDC workplace physical activity break guide · HSE display screen equipment breaks. These organisations do not endorse Pause. Product details describe Pause’s current iPhone build. These pages are general wellness information, not medical advice, and Pause’s routines have not been clinically validated.