How to Create Subtasks in Todoist (2026 Guide)
Big tasks get ignored because they’re vague. “Launch newsletter” sits untouched; “Write draft → get review → schedule send” gets done. Subtasks let you break a task into its steps while keeping them grouped under one parent. Here’s how to nest, reorder, and complete them in Todoist.
How to Add a Subtask
There are three ways, depending on what’s fastest in the moment.
1. Press Tab while adding tasks (fastest):
- Add the parent task and press Enter.
- Start typing the next task, then press Tab before finishing — it indents under the parent.
- Press Enter and keep adding; new tasks stay at the subtask level until you Shift+Tab back out.
2. Drag to nest:
Hover over an existing task, grab the drag handle (the dots on the left), and drag it slightly to the right and beneath another task. It snaps in as a subtask.
3. From the task menu:
Open a task and choose Add sub-task to create one directly inside it.
Nesting Levels
Todoist supports multiple levels of subtasks — a subtask can have its own subtasks, several layers deep. That’s useful for genuinely complex work, but for most tasks one level (parent → subtasks) is plenty. Deep nesting tends to hide tasks rather than clarify them.
Collapsing and Expanding
Each parent with subtasks shows a small arrow (chevron):
- Click it to collapse — the subtasks tuck away and the parent shows a count (e.g. “2/5”).
- Click again to expand when you’re ready to work on it.
Collapsing keeps your Today and project views clean while still tracking progress.
How Completing Works
This is the behavior to understand before you rely on subtasks:
| Action | What happens |
|---|---|
| Complete a subtask | It checks off; the parent stays open |
| Complete the parent | Its remaining subtasks are completed too |
| Subtask has its own due date | It can appear in Today on its own, separate from the parent |
| Move a subtask out (Shift+Tab) | It becomes a standalone top-level task |
The key takeaway: don’t complete the parent until the whole thing is done, or you’ll silently close subtasks you hadn’t finished. Work bottom-up — finish the subtasks, then close the parent.
Giving Subtasks Their Own Dates
A subtask can have its own due date, priority, labels, and assignee — independent of the parent. This is how you stage a project over time: the parent “Launch newsletter” has no date, but “Write draft” is due Monday, “Get review” Wednesday, “Schedule send” Friday. Each shows up in Today on its own day while staying grouped under the parent.
Common Subtask Issues
Tab isn’t indenting. Tab only nests while you’re actively adding tasks in a list. For an existing task, drag it instead.
Subtask jumped to the wrong parent. Dragging is position-sensitive — drop it directly under the intended parent, indented one level right.
Parent disappeared when I completed it. Expected behavior — completing a parent archives it and its subtasks. Reopen it from the completed-tasks view if it was a mistake.
Subtasks not showing in Today. Subtasks only appear in Today if they have a due date of their own. Add one if you want them scheduled independently.
Breaking Down Work Is Easy — Doing It Is the Job
Subtasks make a big task legible, but they don’t make the steps happen. The drafting, the chasing for review, the follow-ups — that’s still on you. Carly is an AI assistant that connects to 200+ apps including Todoist and can take the steps you’d otherwise track as subtasks and actually run them, so breaking work down doesn’t just mean a longer list.
More on Todoist: How to use sections in Todoist · How to set recurring tasks in Todoist · How to use Todoist · Todoist alternatives · Best AI agents for productivity
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