Google Calendar Not Syncing? How to Fix It on Any Device

You add a meeting on your laptop and it never appears on your phone. Or your assistant books something into your calendar and you only find out when the client is waiting. Google Calendar is meant to show the same events on every device you're signed in to, so when it doesn't, something specific has gone wrong, and it's usually one of a handful of settings.

Work out which kind of sync problem you have

What's happening	Most likely cause
Events from your computer don't show on your phone	Calendar hidden in the app, or no connection
Events from your phone don't show on your computer	Saved to a phone-only calendar, not Google
Old events have disappeared from the app	The app only syncs the past year
Google events don't show in Apple Calendar or Outlook	That's a different sync set-up
Nothing syncs at all	App out of date, storage full or account sync off

The quick fixes Google recommends first

1. Check your connection. Make sure mobile data or Wi-Fi is on and airplane mode is off. Open a browser and load a page to be sure.
2. Update the Calendar app from the App Store or Google Play.
3. Make sure the calendar is visible. Open the Calendar app, tap Menu at the top left and check the box next to each calendar you want to see. An unticked calendar is still syncing, it's just hidden.
4. Check where new events are saved. Tap Create, then look at the top of the new event to see which calendar it's going into. If it's a calendar that isn't linked to your Google Account, it won't appear anywhere else.

The catch: the app deliberately hides older events

This one causes a lot of panic. Google says the Calendar app only syncs past events up to one year. If you scroll back further on your phone and your history seems to stop, nothing has been deleted. Open calendar.google.com on a computer and it's all there. It's a design limit, not a fault, so there's nothing to fix.

If you're on Android

1. Open your phone's Settings, go to your Google account and make sure sync is switched on for Calendar.
2. In the Calendar app, open the menu and choose Refresh to force a sync.
3. Check your storage. When a phone runs out of space, Google notes that the Calendar app stops syncing.
4. As a last resort, clear the Calendar app's data. Only do this after checking your events are visible on calendar.google.com, because anything that only exists on the phone would be lost.

Some of these settings vary by phone maker, and Google mentions that a few steps only apply to newer Android versions, so the menus on your phone may be named slightly differently.

If you're on iPhone or iPad

1. Quit the Google Calendar app completely and open it again.
2. Check the app is up to date in the App Store.
3. Remove your Google account from the app and add it back.
4. If it's still stuck, delete the app and reinstall it. Your events live in your Google Account, so they come back when you sign in.

Using Apple Calendar or Outlook instead of the Google app?

If your Google events don't show in Apple's Calendar app or in Outlook, the fixes above won't help, because those apps sync in a different way. On an iPhone, check that Calendars is switched on for your Google account in the iPhone's settings. In Outlook, you'll usually be adding Google Calendar as a subscribed or connected calendar, which can take longer to refresh than the Google app does.

How to stop sync problems coming back

• Set your Google Calendar as the default calendar on your phone, so new events don't end up in a local one.
• Keep at least a little free storage on your phone.
• Update the Calendar app whenever an update is offered.
• Share calendars with your team rather than copying events between calendars by hand.

If your calendar is busy because you're juggling a team across locations, my guide to managing a virtual team covers the habits that keep everyone on the same page.

When the problem is the other person's calendar

Sometimes your calendar is fine and it's a shared calendar that looks out of date. If a colleague has shared their calendar with you, you'll only see what their sharing permission allows, and changes to their events can take a little while to appear. Ask them to check the sharing settings before you start troubleshooting your own phone.

My verdict

Most Google Calendar sync problems come down to four things: no connection, an out-of-date app, a hidden calendar, or events saved to the wrong calendar. Check those first and you'll fix the majority in minutes. Don't mistake the one-year limit for missing events, and never clear app data until you've confirmed everything is on calendar.google.com. For more ways to keep your week under control, see my picks of tools for time management.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Google Calendar not syncing on my phone?

Usually no internet connection, an out-of-date app, a calendar that's hidden in the app's menu, or events saved to a calendar that isn't linked to your Google Account.

Why can't I see old events in the Google Calendar app?

The app only syncs past events from up to one year back. Older events are on calendar.google.com.

How do I force Google Calendar to sync on Android?

Open the app's menu and tap Refresh, and check account sync is on for Calendar in your phone's settings.

Will reinstalling Google Calendar delete my events?

No. Events are stored in your Google Account and come back when you sign in.

Why don't my Google events show in Apple Calendar?

Apple Calendar syncs separately. Check Calendars is switched on for your Google account in the iPhone's settings.