There are a lot of good, free calendar applications that you can use to effectively manage your schedule.
For example, you might have been debating an iCloud Calendar vs. Google Calendar dilemma and determined that you wanted to go with the Google Calendar alternative.
Luckily, you can add your existing Google Calendar to your iPhone with the dedicated Google Calendar app that you can get from the iPhone’s App Store.
Our how do I add a Google Calendar to my iPhone tutorial below will show you how.
How to Download the Google Calendar App
- Open the App Store.
- Choose Search.
- Type “google calendar” and tap the result.
- Download and install the app.
- Open the app.
- Sign into your Google Account.
Our guide continues below with more information on getting the Google Calendar app on your mobile devices like a phone or tablet so that you can use the app’s key features any place where you have an Internet connection.
If you have a free Google account, or you use Google Workspace for your own business or at your place of employment, then you may really like Google Calendar. But if you are currently using the Apple app, then you may be wondering about an iPhone Calendar Google option instead.
It’s one of the more popular Google Apps that you can use, right alongside things like Google Maps, Google Docs, Gmail, and Google Sheets.
Being able to quickly create a new calendar and share calendars with others are incredibly useful abilities.
You can get the Google Calendar app on your iPhone mobile device by going to the App Store, selecting the Search tab at the bottom of the screen, searching for “google calendar” and choosing the search result, then installing the app.
This is going to add the Google Calendar icon to your Home screen and/or App Library. You will then be able to sign in to your Google account, which will let you sign into that calendar automatically so you can start viewing event titles, event details, other calendars, and more.
Our tutorial continues below with more information on the Google LLC calendar app that you can get on your iPhone or Android device.
Having trouble finding your downloaded files in Chrome? Read our guide on the my downloads history in Google Chrome to learn more about how to locate and manage downloaded files.
How to Use the Official Google Calendar App on Your iPhone 13 (Guide with Pictures)
The steps in this article were performed on an iPhone 13 in the iOS 15.4.1 operating system. These steps will also work on other iPhone models in most recent versions of the iOS software.
These steps will show you how to install the Google Calendar app on your iPhone and use it to manage your calendar.
Step 1: Open the App Store app on your iPhone.
Select the App Store on your Home screen.
If you don’t see it you can swipe down on the Home screen and type “app store” into the search field.
Step 2: Touch the Search tab at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Touch the Search button.
This is where you would go to find other apps that you want to install as well.
Step 3: Tap inside the “search” field at the top of the screen and type the words “google calendar.”
Search for the Google Calendar app.
As you can see, there are a bunch of options that come up in the search results.
Step 4: Choose the “google calendar” search result from the top of the list.
Tap the “google calendar” option from the list of results.
Step 5: Tap the Get button to the right of the Google Calendar app.
Touch the Get or cloud icon.
Note that if you have previously installed the app on one of your iOS devices then you might see a cloud icon next to the app like in the picture below.
Step 6: Tap the Open button, then enter your Google Account credentials to sign into your account.
Launch the app and sign into your Google account.
If you don’t already have a Google Account you will be able to create a new one.
Now that you have completed our how do I add a Google Calendar to my iPhone guide, you will be able to use the Google Calendar app to add and manage your calendar events from your phone.
Our tutorial continues below with additional discussion about apps for Google Calendar.
Do you need your own website? Our article on how to create a website in Google Workspace can show you a free and simple way to do it.
More Information on How the Google Calendar Works
To access your calendar, Gmail, Google Drive, and more, you need to know your Google Account login information. You can read our Google Drive sign in guide for more information on logging in.
The Google Calendar app is included on Android devices by default, so you won’t need to worry about searching for it in Google Play and installing it unless you have removed the app from the device previously.
To get to the Google.com calendar in a Web browser on your laptop or desktop computer, you can go to https://calendar.google.com. Alternatively, you could go the Calendar – Gmail route by signing into your Gmail inbox, clicking the Google Apps button at the top-right of the screen (it looks like a square of nine dots) then choosing the Calendar option there.
The notification settings for the new events, daily agenda, events added, etc., are found by tapping the three horizontal lines at the top left corner of the app. There, you will see a lot of different items, including a Settings menu near the bottom of the list of options.
When you open that Settings menu, you will be able to make adjustments to the app behavior, as well as specific information about different calendars or event types.
You can quickly switch between multiple calendars on the device by tapping your Google Account profile icon at the top-right corner of the screen and then choosing another Google account. There are also options there to Add another account or manage accounts on the device. You can even elect to manage your Google Account, which will open your Google My Account page.
If you want to create a new calendar event in the mobile app and app it to your schedule, you can tap the big plus sign at the bottom-right corner of the screen. This will open a screen where you can elect to add a Goal, Reminder, Task, or Event.
If you choose to add an event, then you can put an event title in the field at the top of the window. If it’s an event title you have used before, then you can save time by selecting the title from the list of suggestions.
You can then customize the events further by using suggested times or your own specific time, you can add additional information like inviting specific people to the event, schedule meetings, customize notifications or reminders, and much more.
When you are on the main screen of the Google Calendar app you can jump to the current day by touching the calendar icon at the top-right of the screen, next to your profile icon.
You can change the current view for the calendar by touching the three lines at the top-left of the screen and then selecting from the single day, three day, week, or month view options at the top of the left column.
Our add Gmail account to iPhone tutorial can provide additional information on setting up your Gmail account on your Apple device.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Add Google Calendar to iPhone
How can I add my Google Calendar to the default Apple Calendar app?
If you would like to use the calendar from your Google account, then you can add it by going to Settings > Calendar > Accounts > Add Account > Google > then signing into your Google Account.
How do I sync Google Calendar with the iOS Calendar app?
When you add your Google account to your iPhone, either through the Settings > Calendar menu or the Settings > Mail menu, you can choose whether or not to include your calendar data.
Once you have added the calendar to the device, it will periodically sync new events on the iPhone.
This can take a few minutes, however, so if you add an event from another device like your laptop or iPad, you may not see that event on your iPhone calendar right away.
Can I have multiple Google calendars in the stock iOS Calendar app?
Yes, you can sync many calendars at once to your iPhone’s calendar app. The only limit you may run into is that your iPhone doesn’t allow you to have more than 10 Google account credentials saved on the device at the same time.
You can add or remove synced events from the iPhone calendar app by opening the app, touching calendars at the bottom of the screen, and then tapping the circle to the left of any calendar that you would like to remove ot add from the device.
New Google Accounts or a Gmail account can be added to the phone by going to Settings > Mail > Accounts > add Account > then selecting the Google option, entering your account credentials, and making sure that the Calendar button is turned on at the last step.
Where can I see all the calendars that are syncing with my iPhone Calendar app?
If you open the Settings app, you can scroll down and select the “Calendar” option.
There, you will find an “Accounts” button that will show you all of the calendars on the device.
This can include as many Google accounts as you have added to the device, whether it’s a subscribed calendar, other people’s Google calendars, or other accounts that you have selected to automatically sync with your phone.
Can you manage your Google Calendar with your iPhone?
Yes, whether you select Google Calendar as your preferred calendar option on the phone, or you would rather tap Calendar and use the default Apple calendar on your iPhone or iPad, you can view, add, edit, or delete calendar entires on the device.
Is it possible to add iCloud Calendar to Gmail?
Yes, you can do this by getting your iCloud calendar link from your iPhone.
Open the Calendar app, tap Calendars, then touch the i button next to the iCloud Calendar you want to link.
Turn on the Public Calendar option, tap Share Link, then copy the link, email it to yourself, or paste it into a document where you can access it for the next step.
Navigate to the https://calendar.google.com website, then click the + button next to Other calendars.
Choose the From URL option, then enter the link from earlier into the URL of calendar field.
You can then click the Add calendar button to finish adding your iCloud calendar to your Google calendar.
Where is my shared Google Calendar iPhone information?
If you have signed into the Google Calendar app with the Google account that has access to the shared calendar, then you can open the Google Calendar app, tap the three lines at the top-left corner of the window, then tap the box to the left of the shared calendar.
Once the shared calendar is enabled, you should see its events on the main calendar screen.
Conclusion
While there isn’t really a definitive best calendar app for iPhone, you do have some options available to you if the default Apple Calendar app doesn’t have everything that you need.
This article has focused on the Google Calendar app, which is a perfect alternative for individuals who are already involved in the Google ecosystem.
Additionally, switching from your current calendar option to Google is often fairly straightforward, and can be accomplished for free.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.