GUIDE

How to Keep Track of Gift Ideas

Write a gift idea down the moment you hear it, in one place you always use. On iPhone, a Gift Ideas list in Reminders or a note in Notes works, with one section per person. Even better is saving ideas on the person’s contact, next to their birthday, as Starrise Contacts does for free.

Updated October 2026

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The short answer

Capture ideas all year, keep them per person, and look at them a week before the birthday.

With the Reminders app

Open Reminders and tap Add List. Name it Gift Ideas.
Add each idea as a reminder, starting with the person’s name: “Anna: cookbook from the café”.
Paste a shop link into the URL field in the reminder details, if you have one.
When you have bought a gift, mark it as completed.

A note in the Notes app with one heading per person works as well.

Limits

The ideas live apart from the person, so you don’t see them when the birthday reminder comes.
A long list for many people gets hard to scan.

The easier way with Starrise Contacts

Starrise Contacts saves gift ideas on each contact, free. Paste a shop link to see the product’s picture, name and price. When the birthday or anniversary reminder comes, the ideas are right there. See the birthday reminder app.

Gift ideas next to dated notes, birthdays and anniversaries.
With Pro, iCloud Sync keeps them up to date on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Tips

Listen for “I’ve always wanted…” and “Mine just broke”. Those are the best ideas.
Note experiences too: a concert, a class, a restaurant they mentioned.
Write down what you already gave, so you don’t give it twice.

Sources

Steps checked in October 2026 against Apple’s iPhone User Guide.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to keep track of gift ideas?

Write each idea down the moment you hear it, in one place, sorted by person. Saving it on the person’s contact means you see it when their birthday comes.

Can I save gift ideas in iPhone Contacts?

Only as text in the contact’s Notes field. Starrise Contacts has a gift ideas section on each contact, with a picture, name and price for shop links.

Are gift ideas in Starrise Contacts free?

Yes. Gift ideas, notes, birthday and anniversary reminders are free. Pro adds iCloud Sync, Keep in Touch reminders and more.

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Try Starrise Contacts for free

Starrise Contacts works on the contacts already on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. No account, nothing to import. Free to download, with an optional Pro subscription.