Google Calendar is #11 in Top 10 Productivity software

Google Calendar
Google Calendar is a free time-management web application offered by Google. The Ajax-driven interface enables users to view, add, and drag-and-drop events from one date to another without reloading the page. It supports view modes such as weekly, monthly, and agenda. Google Calendar allows multiple calendars to be created and shown in the same view. Each can be shared, either read-only or with full edit control, and either with specified people or with everyone (public calendars).

Positions in ratings


#11 in Top 10 Productivity software

Alternatives


The best alternatives to Google Calendar are: Outlook, Apple Reminders, Calendly, Microsoft To-Do, Notion



Latest news about Google Calendar


2023. Gmail brings in Calendly-style availability sharing from Google Calendar



Google has introduced additional functionalities to Gmail that pertain to scheduling, in conjunction with Google Calendar integration. These new features include the ability to swiftly create events and easily share availability. In the conversation view of Gmail, a calendar icon now resides at the bottom, offering two options: "Create an event" and "Offer times you're free." The "Create an event" button functions straightforwardly by generating a Google Calendar event, with the email subject serving as the event name and the email recipients as participants. Moreover, it produces a meeting summary within the email body, enabling efficient sharing of meeting details. While this feature was previously accessible within Gmail's three-dot menu, it now boasts greater prominence and accessibility.




2018. G Suite apps and Google Calendar are getting Gmail’s side panels



The new Gmail boasts a notable feature: a convenient quick-access side panel that provides easy navigation to Google Calendar, Tasks, Keep, and Gmail extensions. Now, Google is extending this functionality to other applications within the G Suite, including Google Calendar, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings. In Google Calendar, users will have swift access to Keep and Tasks, while in the remaining G Suite apps, they will enjoy easy access to Calendar, Keep, and Tasks. G Suite subscribers on the rapid release schedule can already access this feature, while those on the slower release schedule can expect access within two weeks.


2018. Google Calendar gets an Out of Office mode



Google Calendar has introduced two new features: an "Out of Office" feature and customizable working hours. By setting working hours, you can indicate your availability to others, and Google Calendar will automatically decline meeting requests that fall outside of these designated hours. When creating an event using Google Calendar on the web, you now have the option to select the "Out of Office" calendar entry type. For instance, if you are scheduling your vacation dates, you can mark the event as "Out of Office." During this period, if others send you meeting invitations, Google Calendar will automatically decline them, without requiring your intervention.


2018. Google Calendar now lets you add a message when you change an event



Google Calendar has introduced a valuable new feature. Whenever you modify or delete an event, a dialog box will now appear, allowing you to include a brief message that explains the reason behind the change and outlines the specific modifications. This message will be displayed at the top of the event details section on both the event page in Google Calendar and in the email notifications sent to your guests regarding the update. With this automatic dialog box prompt, more users are likely to provide explanations for their changes compared to before. This feature is currently being rolled out to all G Suite users and is expected to become available to everyone, regardless of whether their administrators have opted for the rapid release or schedule release schedule, within the next three days.


2017. Google redesigned Calendar for web



Google has introduced new updates for the web version of Google Calendar, granting PC users access to the sleek layout and user-friendly controls previously available exclusively on the mobile app version of this G Suite tool. With the redesigned calendar layout, the display automatically adjusts to optimize screen utilization. While most of the additional features accompanying the web redesign will prove beneficial for users within larger organizations, one particularly useful enhancement enables the simultaneous viewing of multiple users' calendars side by side for a selected day, facilitating schedule coordination. Moreover, Calendar Invites now support the inclusion of formatting and hyperlinks directly within the description field, while G Suite administrators gain the ability to provide more detailed information about conference rooms within their organization.


2017. Google Calendar improves integration with Microsoft Exchange



The latest update of Google Calendar brings good news for companies utilizing both Google's G Suite and its Microsoft alternative, Exchange, concurrently. With this update, G Suite administrators now have the ability to enable real-time visibility of free/busy information across both systems for their users. As a result, features such as Google Calendar's "Find a Time" and Outlook's "Scheduling Assistant" can seamlessly communicate with each other. Once these features are enabled by an administrator, they become accessible on Google Calendar for Android, iOS, and the web, as well as on all Outlook 2010+ clients across desktop, mobile, and web platforms.


2017. Alexa now works with G Suite calendar



Amazon has expanded the capabilities of its connected speakers and other Alexa-powered devices by enabling integration with your G Suite calendar. This new functionality allows users to interact with their calendar using voice commands, making it convenient to obtain a daily overview or make modifications and additions effortlessly. By incorporating G Suite calendar support, Amazon aims to enhance the practicality of Echo devices and Alexa speakers in office settings and general business usage. It's worth noting that Alexa already supports various calendaring platforms. Google Calendar integration has been available since the launch of Alexa, and earlier this year, Amazon introduced support for Outlook Calendar (including Hotmail, MSN, and Live email accounts) as well as Office 365 Calendar for users with Exchange Online mailboxes. With the addition of G Suite calendar integration, Amazon continues to expand the capabilities of Alexa devices, catering to a wider range of user needs.


2016. Google Calendar added reminders on the web



In December, Google introduced a to-do feature called Reminders to its Google Calendar apps for iOS and Android. More recently, this functionality has been extended to the web version as well. Reminders enhance Google Calendar's existing to-do list capabilities, allowing users to create tasks in their Gmail inbox, Google Keep, or calendar. These reminders appear prominently on top of the Google Calendar interface, serving as persistent notifications that urge users to complete pending tasks such as paying bills, making phone calls, or addressing other postponed responsibilities.


2015. Google acquired mobile calendar app Timeful



Google has completed the acquisition of Timeful, a calendar app designed to alleviate stress, enhance productivity, and foster a better work-life balance for individuals overwhelmed by numerous commitments. Timeful employed an innovative approach by initially analyzing users' daily scheduling patterns and utilizing notifications to prioritize tasks. For example, if a user expressed their intention to visit the gym three times a week, the app would suggest and send reminders to schedule these sessions during their available time slots. With the integration of Timeful's technology, Google aims to implement its features across various products such as Inbox, Calendar, and other future endeavors, as stated by Alex Gawley, Director of Product Management, in a blog post.


2015. Google Calendar is available on iPhone


Google introduced its revamped calendar app for Android in November, and now Google Calendar has officially made its way to the iPhone. While iPhone users could previously import Google calendars into the standard iPhone Calendar app or other third-party apps, they can now enjoy a dedicated iOS app for Google Calendar. The app brings along several new features, such as Events from Gmail, which automatically converts events from emails into Calendar events. Additionally, it includes Assists, a helpful autocomplete feature that suggests text from various sources, making it faster to fill out Calendar event forms. Lastly, the app introduces a new scrollable format called Schedule View, which is specifically designed to enhance the mobile user experience.


2014. New Google Calendar for Android allows to enter events automagically


Google has introduced a fresh version of the Google Calendar app, compatible with Android Lollipop 5.0 and all devices running Android 4.1 or newer. This updated app incorporates three significant enhancements that enhance user experience by offering intelligent suggestions and auto-completion when creating events. With the new Schedule View, users can now view a map displaying the location of their events. Additionally, the app includes captivating photos, cityscapes, and illustrations of the surrounding area. Another notable feature is "Assists," which leverages your past interactions on your phone to make educated guesses about event details. For instance, if you regularly go for a run with a specific friend in the park every week, the latest Google Calendar version will automatically suggest the precise place, time, and person when you begin typing "r-u-n."


2011. Google restores offline access to GMail, Calendar and Docs in Google Chrome



As you know, earlier GMail, Google Calendar and Google Docs supported offline mode in all browsers using Google Gears plug-in. But then Google decided to bet on HTML5 and abandoned its own proprietary plug-in. The Gears was quickly removed from the Chrome browser (in Firefox and IE it still works). And today Google developers were happy to announce that the offline mode for these apps in Chrome is back and it is implemented on HTML5. However, for an average user it will look no better than it was before: for offline access you still need to install an app (from the Chrome Web Store). In addition, the interface of the offline app is different from the usual web-based GMail interface. It looks lie GMail for iPad. ***


2009. Google Calendar now has its own Labs.

Labs, located within the Google Calendar Settings, serves as a dedicated tab for users to explore and activate innovative experimental features. Presently, it includes six distinct features: Background Image, Attach a Document, World Clock, Jump To Date, Next Meeting, and Free or Busy. In addition to the introduction of Google Calendar Labs, Google is expanding the accessibility of new APIs for developers, enabling them to modify the Google Calendar interface. Developers can leverage these APIs to utilize Google Calendar as a gadget container, complete with integration capabilities for OpenSocial apps and OAuth authentication. Alternatively, developers can create new sidebar features as standalone applications. The recently introduced Labs features have been developed using the gadget API.


2009. Google added Tasks to Google Calendar

There are multiple ways to create tasks in the application. One option is to click on Tasks, which will open the task pane on the right side. From there, you can add new tasks by simply typing them into new lines. To assign a due date, click on the arrow on the right and select a date from the calendar. Additionally, in the day, week, and 4-day views, you can click on the top empty space or anywhere in the month view to choose between adding an event or a task. Adding a task follows a similar process as adding an event, where you provide a name and description. To keep your task list organized, you can create lists for tasks by clicking the list icon at the bottom of the task list. You also have the ability to reassign tasks to different lists and indent tasks that have dependencies on others. These organizational features ensure that your task list remains well-structured and manageable.


2009. Google Calendar goes Offline

Google has expanded its offline capabilities by enabling offline access to Google Calendar, following the recent introduction of offline functionality for Gmail. However, this feature is currently limited to users of the Google Apps business software package, and the general public will have to wait for access. Unlike the offline Gmail feature, which allows users to compose and save emails for sending later, the offline calendar functionality only offers read-only access for enterprise users. Unfortunately, users cannot create, edit, or delete events using the offline calendar application.


2008. Google Calendar gets more business savvy

If you've been hesitant about switching from Outlook to Google Apps, it's worth taking another look at Google's recent enhancements. In a recent blog post, Google highlighted several small yet significant improvements to Google Calendar, particularly benefiting business users. One notable enhancement is the flexibility of reminders, which now allows for customized timing, including the option to set reminders years in advance. Users can choose their preferred method of notification, whether it's a pop-up, email, or SMS message. This is especially useful for those whose mobile phones don't sync with Google Calendar. Another noteworthy improvement is the ability to selectively email meeting attendees, similar to Outlook. Users can now send separate messages to those who have responded positively, negatively, or are undecided, without disturbing others. This feature proves valuable in both business and social settings, allowing for targeted communication without spamming individuals who have already replied. Additionally, Google has made slight upgrades to the event creation tool, enabling overlapping events, and introduced a two-click calendar subscription shortcut that simplifies subscribing to others' calendars without dealing with special invitations or permissions. These improvements make Google Calendar a more appealing option for both personal and professional use.


2008. Google Calendar adds iCal Support

Google has introduced Google Calendar CalDAV support in beta form, acknowledging the demand from Mac users to sync their desktop calendars with their online ones. By following the provided instructions, users can establish synchronization between their OS X Leopard calendar and Google Calendar. However, the initial release has some drawbacks. It is not compatible with other CalDAV-enabled software, lacks support for To Dos, and does not sync email reminders or alarms. As alternatives, users can consider using the free Calgoo or the $65 Spanning Sync. Regardless of the chosen method, it is advisable to back up data before attempting any changes.


2008. Google Gears Coming to Gmail and Google Calendar Soon

Within the next six weeks, Google plans to introduce offline support for Gmail and Google Calendar through Google Gears, as stated by Andrew Fogg from kusiri. This move follows Google's previous implementation of offline access for Google Docs and Google Reader. Additionally, Google is expected to support SyncML for contact synchronization in Gmail around the same time. As Google aims to expand its presence in small businesses and enterprises, providing offline access to email and calendar functions has become essential. Despite the increasing availability of mobile Internet access, business users prefer not to rely solely on online connectivity for accessing their email and calendars. Competitors like Zimbra, Zoho, and MySpace are already utilizing Google Gears for offline capabilities, and Google's adoption of SyncML is notable. SyncML, an open standard for synchronizing information across devices, has mainly been embraced by the mobile phone industry. By leveraging SyncML, Google can synchronize its contacts database with the iPhone and potentially explore the use of SyncML push technology to deliver email to various devices in the future.


2008. Sync your Google and Outlook calendars

The challenge with online calendars is the need to maintain separate work and personal calendars. However, Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook have now provided a solution. Recently, Google introduced Google Calendar Sync, allowing users to synchronize events between these two calendars. With this tool, users have the flexibility to choose the direction of synchronization and set the frequency of updates. Installing the software was a straightforward process, and I was able to view Outlook items in my Google Calendar. Unfortunately, I encountered a minor issue where the synchronization was not working in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, once I resolve this, the feature will prove to be highly beneficial. While there are other paid Outlook calendar sync tools available, it's worth mentioning Jotlet, which introduced two-way synchronization with Outlook last year, and Calgoo, a Java-based application that syncs both online and offline calendars, including Google and Microsoft.


2007. Google Calendar Now Works With Gears

Google Gears, the beta application that enables offline functionality for certain applications, has reportedly been integrated with Google Calendar, although we couldn't confirm it ourselves. According to Andy Beal of Marketing Pilgrim, his Calendar was Gears-enabled when he accessed it. While we cannot verify the authenticity of the screenshot provided, it's worth noting that Google often releases features to selected users before a wider rollout. The addition of Gears to Calendar would be beneficial, as it allows users to access their schedules regardless of internet connectivity. Other applications like Google Reader, Remember the Milk, and Zoho Writer already work with Gears.


2007. Synch Your Google Calendar and Contacts with MS Outlook

If you are a user of Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar, and Gmail, you can synchronize your Gmail Contacts and Google Calendar with Outlook, eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications constantly. This process is simple and free. In this post, I will provide instructions on how to accomplish both tasks. To sync Google Calendar with Outlook, the easiest method is to use a free and user-friendly open-source software called Remote Calendars. After downloading and running Remote Calendars with Outlook closed, you will have a new toolbar in Outlook labeled "RC." Click on the plus sign to subscribe to a non-Outlook calendar. In a separate browser session, go to calendar.google.com, access the calendar settings for the desired calendar, right-click on the ICAL icon, and choose to copy the shortcut or link location. Return to Outlook, paste the URL into Remote Calendar's URL prompt, name your calendar, and you're finished. To update your Google Calendar information in Outlook, simply click on the refresh button on Remote Calendar's toolbar. This software also allows you to sync multiple Google Calendars with Outlook. To sync Gmail Contacts with Outlook, the easiest method is to import your Gmail Contacts file into Outlook. In Gmail, go to Contacts, select All Contacts, click on Export, choose Outlook CSV, and export your contacts. In Outlook, go to the File menu, select Import from another program or file, choose CSV (Windows), browse for the exported CSV file, follow the prompts to import your contacts, and you're done. It's a straightforward process.


2007. Google Calendar Mobile

Amidst the buzz surrounding the Facebook Platform news, Google quietly introduced a noteworthy release on Thursday: a mobile version of Google Calendar. This update simplifies the process of accessing and managing events while on the move, as users can now easily view and edit their calendars by simply visiting calendar.google.com from their mobile devices, eliminating the need for syncing. This development indicates another incremental advancement for Google's web office suite.


2006. Google offers hosted productivity apps

Starting next week, organizations will have the opportunity to provide their members or employees with a range of Web-based services for free, courtesy of Google. The beta version of Google Apps for Your Domain is now available, offering Gmail with 2GB of storage, Google Calendar, Google Talk, and Page Creator. This new service builds upon the previously launched beta version of Gmail for Your Domain, which allows organizations to use Gmail applications with their own customized email addresses. The existing Gmail for Your Domain service already boasts an impressive user base, including tens of thousands of active domains, hundreds of thousands of users, and numerous registered universities. With Google Apps for Your Domain, organizations can outsource their communication applications to Google, customize the user interface to reflect their branding and color scheme, and utilize an English-language web-based control panel for managing user accounts, aliases, and distribution lists. Additionally, a premium edition with support and extra storage will be introduced later this year, although specific details have not been disclosed.


2006. Google Calendar goes offline

Web-based applications often pose a challenge when there's no internet access available, rendering them useless. However, a solution has emerged with Calgoo, an offline reader for Google Calendar developed by Canadian start-up Time Search. This early public beta version of Calgoo allows users to download their Google Calendar appointments onto their local PCs and provides a decent calendar interface. Although the application supports multiple calendars, it currently has limitations, such as the inability to display multiple calendars simultaneously and create new appointments. Hopefully, future updates will address these issues. Moving forward, it would be beneficial to see more standalone apps like Calgoo or even micro local servers that synchronize with online data, enabling users to access their information seamlessly regardless of their internet connection, all through a unified interface.


2006. Google Calendar arrives

Today marks the public launch of Google Calendar, offering users a clean and clutter-free interface along with the flexibility to customize it according to their preferences. While Yahoo Calendar currently dominates this market, it does not yet provide an open application programming interface (API). However, Google Calendar's beta version, powered by AJAX, already supports XML and iCal standards. Not only can you create multiple calendars, but you can also import them from Microsoft Outlook. By default, your Google Calendar is set to private, but you have the option to make it accessible to strangers or friends. Imagine if your favorite art gallery, theater, or book club uses a compatible calendar service - you can effortlessly incorporate their events into your personal Google Calendar, ensuring that you stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in town. Additionally, this service is designed to detect events within your Gmail messages, allowing you to conveniently add them to your calendar. Color coding aids in organizing and distinguishing between different events. Furthermore, you have the ability to export your schedule via RSS and subscribe to the feeds using a third-party newsreader. Embrace the possibilities offered by Google Calendar and streamline your scheduling and event management tasks.