How to sync a Google Calendar with your iPhone's built-in calendar app

Your Google Calendar activities can sync with your iPhone either by installing the Google Calendar app or by adding it to the iPhone's built-in Calendar app.

When you add a Google account to your iPhone, you can automatically sync your Google Calendar.


To sync Google Calendar with the built-in app, start by adding your Google account to the iPhone's Passwords & Accounts tab in the Settings app.
Be sure you also enable the Google Calendar in your Calendar app.


If you're a Gmail user and keep your schedule in Google Calendar , one way to ensure you always have that information while on the go is to install the Google Calendar app on your iPhone.


But if you'd prefer to see your Google Calendar activities in the iPhone's built-in Calendar app, that's quite easy to do as well.


Go to Settings > Calendars > Accounts > Add Account > Google. Sign in. Tap Next > select Calendar > Save.
Then, open the Calendar app, and select Calendars. Manage the calendars you want to see there.



How to sync Google Calendar with your iPhone


1. Start the Settings app.


2. In the pane on the left, tap "Passwords and Accounts."




Your Google Calendar data can come from the same Google account you add to see Gmail on your phone.



3. Scan the list of accounts on the right. If you see the Google account that includes your calendar information, tap it and skip down to step 6.


4. If you don't already have the account on your iPhone , tap "Add Account."


5. Tap "Google" and, on the sign-in page, follow the instructions to sign in with your Gmail address and password. If you have 2-Step Verification enabled for your Gmail account, you will need to visit your Google Account's Security page , create an app password, and enter that instead of your regular Google password.


6. Once you're logged in, you'll be taken to a page with your email address at the top and some options. On this page, you can choose which Google services mail, contacts, calendar, and notes you want to sync with your iPhone . If the calendar is the only thing you want to sync, turn off the others by swiping the sliders to the left. Make sure that Calendar is turned on. If you're setting up the account on your phone for the first time, tap "Save."



Be sure that the Google Calendar data is turned on or else it won't appear in your Calendar app.



7. Start the Calendar app.


8. At the bottom of the screen, tap "Calendars."


9. If it's not already selected, find the entry for the Google Calendar you just added to your iPhone and tap it. You should see a checkmark, and the calendar entries should immediately appear on the calendar.



Select your Google account in the Calendar app.

How to Sync Your iPhone Calendar With Your Google Calendar

Apple's iOS operating system supports connections to Google accounts. To sync your iPhone and Google calendars:


Open Settings on the iPhone.



Scroll down and select Calendar.



Tap Accounts.



Select Add Account from the bottom of the list.




In the list of officially supported options, select Google.



Enter your Google account email address and password, selecting Next after each entry.




If you only want to sync the calendar, deselect everything except Calendar. Optionally, select the other sliders for Mail, Contacts or Notes if you want to sync them to the iPhone.



Tap Save and wait for your calendars to sync with your iPhone. Depending on the size of your calendars and the speed of your connection, this process can take several minutes.

When the sync is complete, Gmail appears in the Calendar list.




Open the Calendar app.



At the bottom of the screen, tap Calendars to display a list of all calendars to which your iPhone has access. It'll include all of your private, shared, and public calendars linked to your Google Account.



Tap the circled red i beside the calendar name to change the default color associated with the calendar.



Select or deselect the individual calendars you want to appear when you access the iOS calendar app. In the upper-right corner of the screen, tap Done.


Limitations

Google Calendar supports several features that do not work on Apple's Calendar app, including the room scheduling tool, the creation of new Google calendars, and the transmission of email notifications for events. To use the features, you must access your Google account.

Can You Sync Multiple Google and Apple Calendars?

Got more than one Google account? You can add as many Google accounts as you want to your iPhone. The calendars from each account will be visible in the iOS Calendar app.

Google Calendar and Apple Calendar Bidirectionality

Neither Apple nor Google supports the merging of calendars, although merging calendars is possible using some workarounds. So, because each calendar is separate and has different security requirements, you can't see any non-Google calendars loaded on your iPhone from within your Google account.

Alternatives for Syncing Google Calendar to an iPhone

Google offers a version of the Google Calendar app for iOS in the App Store, and several other developers offer iPhone apps that integrate with Google Calendars. For example, the Microsoft Outlook app for iOS integrates with both Gmail and Google Calendar. Either of these is a good choice for people who want to access their Google Calendar but prefer not to use the stock iOS Calendar app.

Tips for Syncing Calendars on Your iPhone

Only sync the calendars you know you'll need on your phone. Calendar items generally don't hog space unless you have a ton of attachments in your appointments. However, the more devices that sync to a calendar, the more likely it becomes that you'll run across a syncing collision. Limiting your iPhone to just the necessities reduces the risk that other calendars will incur a sync error.