Google Calendar setup gets messy when you mix the web app, phone apps, Apple Calendar, Outlook, and shared calendars in the wrong order. Start with the Google Account and the browser version first, then connect the places where you want the calendar to appear. The steps below keep you on the current supported paths and away from desktop-app and mobile-subscription shortcuts that no longer apply.
Start with Google Calendar on the web
This fixes the basic Google Calendar setup and gets you to the main settings screen. Open a supported browser with JavaScript and cookies enabled, then go to calendar.google.com and sign in with your Google Account.
If you need a Google Account, go to the Google Account sign-in page and click Create account. Choose the account type, then enter a username in Username. Enter and confirm your password.
Follow the remaining prompts. Once Calendar opens, use the top-right Settings menu and choose Settings to adjust your calendar preferences.
Fix browser setup problems
The most common cause is a browser setup issue, especially cookies or JavaScript being turned off. Use the latest Chrome, or the current or previous version of Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge. Turn on cookies and JavaScript in the browser, then reload calendar.google.com and sign in again.
For offline access and accessibility tools, use Chrome. Google Calendar supports those features in Chrome, not Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge. On a phone or tablet, open a supported mobile browser and go to calendar.google.com. If you get an error on mobile, use a different browser, turn on cookies, or install the Google Calendar app.
Install Google Calendar on your phone
On Android, open Google Play and find Google Calendar - Apps on Google Play. Tap Install or Update. Once that finishes, open the Google Calendar app. Use the same Google Account you use on your computer.
On iPhone or iPad, open the App Store listing Google Calendar: Get Organized. Tap Get or Update, then open the app and sign in with your Google Account.
Check the device requirements before installing on Apple devices: the App Store listing requires iOS 17.0 or later, iPadOS 17.0 or later, and watchOS 11.0 or later. If an older Android device cannot find Google Calendar in Google Play, use calendar.google.com in a supported mobile browser.
Add Google Calendar to Apple Calendar
You can use Apple Calendar on iPhone instead of the Google Calendar app. Apple lists Google as a supported calendar account provider in the iPhone Calendar settings.
Open the iPhone Settings app, then go to Apps, Calendar, Calendar Accounts, Add Account, and Google. Sign in with your Google Account.
To make your Google calendar the default for new events, open Settings, go to Apps, Calendar, Default Calendar, then select the Google calendar.
If Apple Calendar does not show the Google calendar after setup, use the Google Calendar app or calendar.google.com to confirm the account and events are working there first.
Create calendars and import events
The most common cause of confusion is that Google only lets you create new calendars from a browser, not from the mobile app. On a computer, open Google Calendar and find Other calendars on the left side. Next to Other calendars, click Add other calendars.
Choose Create new calendar and add a name and description. Click Create calendar. The new calendar appears in the browser and in the Calendar app.
To import existing events, open Google Calendar on a computer. Go to Settings, Settings, Import & Export, and Select file from your computer.
Choose an .ics or .csv file, then choose which calendar should receive the imported events. Click Import.
Add calendars from other people
Google Calendar subscriptions start on the web when you want to add another Google user's calendar. On a computer, open Google Calendar, then next to Other calendars, click Add other calendars and choose Subscribe to calendar.
Enter the person's email address in Add calendar, or select a calendar, then request access when Calendar asks for it. Google says you cannot subscribe to calendars that are not from Google, and performance issues can occur above 400 subscriptions.
For a public calendar, use Other calendars, Add other calendars, From URL, enter the published calendar URL, then choose Add calendar. This only works when the other person's calendar is public.
If this method fails on a phone or tablet, open the shared-calendar invitation email and tap Open Calendar, or add and request the calendar from Google Calendar on a computer.
Share your calendar with someone else
On a computer, open Google Calendar, go to My calendars, hover over the calendar, choose More, then open Settings and sharing. Under Share with specific people or groups, choose Add people and groups, enter an email address or Google Group, choose the permission, then select Send.
On Android, open the Google Calendar app, then go to Menu, Settings, and select the calendar. Under Shared with, tap Add people or groups, enter and choose a name or group, choose the permission level, then tap Save.
You need to own the calendar or have Make changes and manage sharing permission to share it. Work and school administrators can also limit sharing, block it, or show only free or busy details.
Turn on Gmail events and Assistant access
On a computer, open Google Calendar and use the top-right Settings menu. Choose Settings, then open General and Google Workspace smart features.
Choose Manage Workspace smart feature settings and turn on Smart features in Google Workspace. Click Save, then go back to Settings, General, and Google Workspace smart features.
Check Show events from Gmail. For Google Assistant on a Google Home device, open the Google Home app and tap your profile picture or initial. Confirm that it uses the same Google Account as Calendar. From the home screen, touch and hold the device.
Open Device settings, Recognition & sharing, and Recognition & Personalization, then turn on Allow personal results. For shared calendars in Assistant, open the Google Home app on an Android phone or tablet. Go to Calendar.
Check the box next to the shared calendar. Keep Gmail events and Assistant tied to the same Google Account you use for Calendar.
Set up Outlook and desktop access correctly
The most common cause of trouble on a computer is looking for a standalone Google Calendar desktop app, but Google does not provide current install steps for one.
Use calendar.google.com in a supported browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, or ChromeOS. Offline use is handled through supported browser functionality.
To view Google Calendar in new Outlook, open Google Calendar on a computer. Under My Calendars, choose the vertical ellipsis beside the calendar name and open Settings and sharing. Open Integrate Calendar.
Copy the Secret address in iCal format. In new Outlook Calendar, choose Add calendar, then choose Subscribe from web. Paste the URL.
Choose Import. This Outlook setup is a subscription for viewing, not full two-way Google editing.
In classic Outlook for Windows, export a calendar snapshot from Google Calendar through My calendars, the three dots, Settings and sharing, Calendar settings, and Export calendar.
In classic Outlook, use File, Open & Export, Import/Export, Import an iCalendar (.ics) or vCalendar file (.vcs), Next, choose the .ics file, select OK, then choose Open as New.
That classic Outlook import is only a static snapshot, so it does not update itself after you import it.
Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook is for eligible Google Workspace organizations using supported Windows and classic Outlook versions, not personal Gmail.
Google Workspace Sync is not supported on macOS, Outlook web, Android, iOS, Microsoft Store Outlook, or 64-bit Office on ARM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove a Google Calendar without deleting it?
Yes. On the web, click a calendar under My calendars or Other calendars to hide or show it, or use More and Hide from list to remove it from the visible list.
Can I delete my main Google Calendar?
No. Google allows owners to delete secondary calendars, but primary calendars cannot be deleted; their events can be deleted instead.
Can Google Assistant create events on a shared calendar?
Yes, where supported. In the Google Home app on Android, choose the shared calendar under Calendar, and set it under Default calendar to create events when that option is available.
Can Google Calendar add events from Gmail everywhere?
No. Events from Gmail do not work for government accounts, accounts with data location restrictions, or accounts without Gmail, and they are off by default in the EEA, Japan, Switzerland, and the UK.
