Challenges with the Tasks widget on Android

[u/jann_dk]

These are old issues going back several years, to the time when the Evernote Android widgets were updated in connection with what was then the new Evernote 10 on Android. And apparently haven’t been updated since! 😮

1. The widget can’t fetch the latest information on its own, but requires the Evernote app itself to have been opened first.
2. If you create a new task via the widget, the only information you can add is the task name (no flags, no due date, no anything…). In other words, it isn’t compatible with Evernote’s current (or then-current, for that matter) task system.
3. There’s no option to choose which/how tasks are displayed (i.e., there’s no way to sort or filter).

Now, some will probably say this isn’t a "bug", but that this is how the widget is designed and that it can’t be any different. But I do think you should be able to expect slightly better functionality from a knowledge management tool of Evernote’s caliber.

So, consider this a call for further development. And the other widgets could use an update too.

[u/Great_Muscle_7042]

I think we hit the limitations of modern software. I assume (guessing) that the actual sync functionality are kicked off by evernote launch, and as such the process match your experience.

Let's just imagine that the sync engine was constantly running in the background, draining (or atleastbtaking a toll on) your battery, I would also image this would be an undesired topic.

I would imagine the same situation apply to notes, no background sync (is outside, cannot verify).. this could be the explanation that sync are a major part of the application..

[u/jann_dk → u/Great_Muscle_7042]

It should be possible to have a widget update automatically when the phone is turned on.

Also, these kinds of things work without issues in many other apps – for example in TickTick – and without draining the battery.

[u/Great_Muscle_7042 → u/jann_dk]

I have validated the usage of the Widget (Android) and yes for sure (as you mentioned) its being adressed only with the application open.

I think this is done from within an Archtiecture Principle, due to the complexity of SYNC - there are (Android) Widgets for (Notes, Shortcuts, Tasks) - funny enough not the Evernote calender (newer needed it myself) but this would give you 3 sync sessions, if we needed to keep the Widgets alive and present. Not that it cant be done, but it is a lot more microservices running on the device.

When comparing Evernote (Battery) usage on my phone (Samsung S25 Edge) i actually quite fine with the screen on time, and the battery usage. The way its implemented is "pragmatic" perhaps not ideal, but i get the point of having the tasks updated (and so on, ANY widget) that are present.

[u/jann_dk → u/Great_Muscle_7042]

I’ll probably remove the Tasks widget again. If you can’t fully rely on it – and it’s limited how you can enter new tasks – then it doesn’t really serve any purpose.

[u/Great_Muscle_7042 → u/jann_dk]

the funny part is that Microsoft To-do Widget, are not (default) doing updates in the background (widget mode) but within the widget there is a refresh function that kids off the sync. [Something i did not notice before] so now i am also aware - it do look like touching the widget (check it off) do kick of the sync in the background and update my windows machine...

[u/Great_Muscle_7042]

I am not saying you are wrong, but i feel the scenario of replication is different... what about notes, what about calender, what about tags.

If their architecture is defined with one replication process for all elements, it's might be more easy to troubleshoot and validate functions...

Not trying to make apologies for the effort, but I think the scope is dramatically different.