How to Send a Google Calendar Invite (Computer and Phone)

A calendar invite is one of the most useful little habits in business. It stops the "was it Tuesday or Thursday?" emails, puts the meeting link in the right place and gets people to commit. Google Calendar makes sending one easy, but there are a few options and limits that make the difference between an invite people accept and one they ignore. Here's how to do it well.

Send an invite from your computer

1. Open Google Calendar.
2. Click Create in the top left to start a new event, or click an existing event and choose Edit event.
3. Add a clear title, the date and the time.
4. On the right, under Guests, start typing a name and pick the person from your contacts, or type their full email address.
5. Add a location, a video call link and a short description of what the meeting is for.
6. Click Save, then choose to send the invitation emails when Calendar asks.

A handy shortcut: press Shift + C in any calendar view to open a new event straight away.

Send an invite from your phone

1. Open the Google Calendar app.
2. Tap the plus button, then Event, or open an event you've already made.
3. Tap Add people and type a name or email address.
4. Tap Save. Google emails the invitation to your guests.

Inviting people who don't use Google Calendar

This worries people more than it should. Google says you can add anyone with an email address, even if they don't have Google Calendar. They get an email invitation and can let you know if they're coming by clicking the Yes, No or Maybe links. Outlook users, Apple users and everyone else can accept it into their own calendar.

Make your invite easy to say yes to

• Use a specific title. "Website review with Sarah" beats "Catch up".
• Mark optional guests. Next to a guest's name, click Mark optional so people know whether they really need to be there.
• Check availability first. Use Find a time to see when guests are free, as long as they've shared their calendar with you or are in your organisation.
• Put the agenda in the description. Three bullet points are plenty.
• Add the video link. Then nobody has to hunt for it five minutes before the call.

Limits worth knowing

Limit	What Google says
Guests per event	Up to 200 people
Inviting bigger groups	Use Google Groups, which can include up to 100,000 people
Your own reminders	Up to 5 notifications per event, not shared with guests
Events you can't add guests to	Events created from Gmail, birthdays, holidays and sports calendars

That reminders point catches people out. The notifications you set are for you. Your guests get reminders based on their own calendar settings, so if you need them to prepare something, say so in the description or send a quick note the day before.

Updating or changing an invite

If you change the time or details after sending, Google asks whether to email your guests about the update. In most cases you should say yes, so everyone's calendar stays accurate. Google says guests' calendars always update after they click Yes or Maybe in the invitation email, so an accepted invite is the most reliable kind.

Why someone didn't get your invite

Check the email address first: one typo and it goes nowhere. Then ask them to look in their spam or promotions folder. If they use a work email, their company's settings might filter calendar invites from outside senders. Resending from the event usually sorts it. If you plan content with a team, a shared content calendar template pairs nicely with recurring invites so everyone knows what's due.

Recurring meetings

For a weekly team call or a monthly client review, set the event to repeat before you add guests. Click the Does not repeat dropdown in the event and choose how often it happens. Your guests get one invitation that covers every future occurrence, and if you change a single week later, Calendar asks whether to update just that event or the whole series. It's far tidier than sending a fresh invite every week.

Invites for client calls

If you book calls with clients, the invite is part of your first impression. I put three things in every client invite: what we're covering, what they should bring, and how to reschedule if they need to. It cuts no-shows and stops last-minute email ping-pong. If you run a community or a group programme, a community content calendar template helps you plan the recurring sessions you'll be inviting people to.

My verdict

Create the event, add guests by name or email, write a clear title and agenda, and click Save. Anyone with an email address can reply, so don't worry about which calendar app people use. For anything over 200 people, invite a Google Group instead, and remember your reminders aren't your guests' reminders.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send a Google Calendar invite to someone without Gmail?

Yes. You can add anyone with an email address. They can reply Yes, No or Maybe from the invitation email.

How many people can I invite to a Google Calendar event?

Up to 200 people. For larger groups, invite a Google Group, which can have up to 100,000 people.

How do I make a guest optional in Google Calendar?

Next to the guest's name in the event, click Mark optional.

Do my guests get my event reminders?

No. Your notifications aren't shared with Google Calendar guests, who get reminders based on their own settings.

Why can't I add guests to some events?

You can't add people to events automatically created from Gmail, birthdays, holidays or sports calendars.