How to add a new calendar to Google Calendar

01 Oct 2024, 22:05 by Ben Khalesi · Android Police

Google Calendar is a powerful tool for organizing your time. As one of the best utility apps on Android, it lets you oversee various calendars in one place, making it easy to switch between them. This could include your work and personal calendars, family members' schedules, holiday calendars, or sports team timetables. Here's a tutorial on how to add a new calendar to Google Calendar, whether you use a Windows PC, Mac, or budget Chromebook.

Ways to add calendars to Google Calendar

Google Calendar offers multiple options for adding new calendars. You can create a custom calendar, or if you're transitioning from Outlook or Apple Calendar, you can import your data using different formats. You can add calendars via a URL (iCal format) or by uploading files from your computer in iCal or CSV format.

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You can also subscribe to someone else's calendar by requesting access permission via Gmail or exploring existing calendars, such as national holidays, religious observances, and sports events. You'll need a working Google account and a web browser since the mobile Google Calendar app does not allow you to add calendars. Google Calendar works on most browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and Edge.

How to customize and add a calendar on Google Calendar

Creating a custom calendar is a great way to manage events or tasks that need their own space. For example, when balancing personal commitments with work projects, having separate calendars keeps you organized and avoids overlap. You could also create a custom calendar for tracking a hobby, fitness routine, or birthdays. Here's how to create your custom calendar:

Go to calendar.google.com using your preferred web browser.
Go to the lower-left corner of the screen, locate the Other calendars section, and click the + icon to open more options.
Select Create new calendar from the popup menu.
Enter a calendar name, add an optional description, choose a time zone, and click Create calendar.
Wait for your new Google Calendar to process. Your new calendar appears under My Calendars on the left side of the page.

How to subscribe to someone else's calendar on Google Calendar

If you need to stay updated with someone else's schedule, subscribing to their calendar is an easy solution. For instance, if you're working on a team project and need to keep track of your colleague's availability, or if you want to follow a family member's schedule for better coordination, subscribing to their calendar can save time and avoid miscommunication. Follow these steps to request access to another calendar:

Open Google Calendar using your preferred web browser.
Go to the lower-left corner of the screen, locate the Other calendars section, and click the + icon to open more options.
Select Subscribe to calendar from the menu.
Type the email address of the calendar owner into the box to request access.
Optionally, provide a brief message, then click Request access.

If you need to share your schedule with specific people, such as colleagues, friends, or family, here's everything you need to know about sharing a Google calendar.

How to add pre-existing calendars to Google Calendar

Adding pre-existing calendars is a useful way to keep track of important dates and events without manually entering them. For example, if you want to stay updated with national holidays, sports events, or moon phases, adding these ready-made calendars ensures you never miss a date. Here's how to browse and add pre-existing calendars:

On your Google Calendar page, click the + icon next to the Other calendars section.
Select Browse calendars of interest from the menu.
Explore options, such as holiday calendars, sports schedules, or moon phases, to find one that suits your interests.
After finding the calendar you want, check the box next to it to add it to your list.

How to add calendars using a URL in Google Calendar

While Google Calendar has plenty of built-in options, you aren't limited to those. You can add interesting calendars using iCalendar (often called iCal or .ics), a widely used format for calendar sharing. Websites like WebCal offer many iCal calendars. If you find one that interests you, here's how to add it to your Google Calendar:

Browse and select the iCal calendar you want.
Copy the iCal URL provided.
Go to calendar.google.com in your web browser.
In the lower-left corner, next to Other calendars, click the + icon and select From URL from the drop-down menu.
Paste the iCal URL you copied into the provided box.
Click Add calendar to add the events from the iCal file to your Google Calendar.

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How to import a calendar file into Google Calendar

The first step for importing events into Google Calendar is to export them from your current calendar application. Whether you use Outlook or Apple Calendar, open the app and find the Export option. Select the correct format: CSV for most cases or vCard if you're on Apple. The exported file is saved in your downloads folder unless you specify a different location. When that's done, here's how to import your events into Google Calendar:

Go to calendar.google.com in your web browser.
Select Other Calendars in the lower-left corner, then click Import from the menu.
Click Select file from your computer and choose the exported file.
Select the calendar where you want to add the imported events. By default, they are added to your primary calendar.
Click Import to add the events.

Importing a calendar is helpful for a one-time transfer, such as adding a static schedule. Changes made to the original calendar aren't reflected in the new one. To keep them updated, sync the calendars.

If you export a .zip file, extract the files and import each individually. If you import repeated calendar events from a .csv file, they may appear as individual one-time events.

Get the most out of Google Calendar

Google Calendar's easy-to-use design makes it a go-to tool for keeping organized. However, beyond the basics, there's so much more it can do to help you stay productive. You can stay ahead of the game by exploring advanced options like color-coded events, custom reminders, and app integrations. Check out these Google Calendar tips and tricks to get the most out of Google Calendar.