How to Add Another Calendar to Google Calendar

The fastest way to add a calendar

Open Google Calendar on your computer or phone. In the left sidebar under "Other calendars," look for a plus sign (+) next to that heading. Click it, then select "Subscribe to calendar." Paste the calendar's web address (its URL) into the box that appears, and Google Calendar will add it to your list. The calendar shows up immediately, though it may take a few minutes to display events.

If you want to add a calendar owned by someone else in your organization or a public calendar someone has shared with you, they will give you a link or an email address. Pasting that link or entering that address through the plus sign is the standard path. You do not need permission to subscribe to a public calendar, but you do need permission to view a private one — the owner has to share it with you first.

Key Takeaways

The plus sign (+) next to "Other calendars" in the left sidebar is where you add any calendar that is not your own.
Public calendars need only a web address or URL, which you can paste directly into Google Calendar.
Private calendars require the owner to share them with you by email address before you can see them.
Calendars you add appear in your sidebar and sync across all your devices where you are signed into Google.
You can hide, rename, or remove any added calendar from your sidebar without affecting the original calendar.

Adding a calendar by URL

When someone shares a calendar link with you, it usually looks like a long web address ending in .ics or containing calendar.google.com. Copy that entire address. Open Google Calendar, find the plus sign next to "Other calendars" on the left, and click it. Choose "Subscribe to calendar" from the menu.

Paste the URL into the text box and click "Subscribe." Google Calendar checks the address, and if it is valid, the calendar appears in your sidebar within seconds. If you see an error message, double-check that you copied the entire address without extra spaces at the beginning or end. Some calendar links are long and easy to cut off by accident.

Adding a calendar by email address

If someone has shared a calendar with you through Google Calendar itself, they sent it to your email address. You do not need to do anything — the calendar should already appear in your sidebar under "Other calendars." If it does not show up, ask the person who shared it to resend the invitation, or check your email for a message from Google Calendar with a link to accept the share.

To share your own calendar with someone else, click the three dots next to your calendar name in the sidebar, select "Settings and sharing," and scroll to "Share with specific people." Enter their email address and choose whether they can view only, make changes, or manage the calendar. They will receive an email and can then see it in their own sidebar.

Managing calendars you have added

Once a calendar is in your sidebar, you can control how it appears. Click the three dots next to any calendar name to see options: you can hide it temporarily (it stays in your list but does not show events), rename it so it makes sense in your own sidebar, change its color, or remove it entirely. Removing a calendar from your sidebar does not delete the original calendar or affect anyone else who subscribes to it.

If you add the same calendar on your phone and computer, changes you make to visibility or color on one device do not always sync to the other. You may need to adjust the settings separately on each device. Events themselves always sync — if an event is added to a calendar you subscribe to, you will see it on all your devices within a few minutes.

Troubleshooting calendars that do not appear

If you pasted a URL and nothing happened, the link may be broken or expired. Ask the person who gave it to you to send it again or to check that they have shared the calendar correctly. Some organizations use calendar systems that are not compatible with Google Calendar — in that case, you may need to use a different method, like importing a file instead.

If someone shared a calendar with you by email but you do not see it in your sidebar, check your email for an invitation from Google Calendar and click the link to accept it. You can also go to the Google Calendar settings (the gear icon in the top right), click "Settings," and look under "Calendars" to see if the shared calendar is listed there but hidden. If it is, click it and turn on the visibility toggle.

Adding calendars from outside Google Calendar

Some calendars live outside Google Calendar — on websites, in other apps, or in files. Many public calendars (like holiday calendars, sports schedules, or weather) offer a Google Calendar link you can copy and paste. Look for a button that says "Add to Google Calendar" or "Subscribe" on the website, and it will give you the URL to use.

If you have a calendar file (usually an .ics file) on your computer, you can import it into Google Calendar instead of subscribing to it. Click the plus sign next to "Other calendars," choose "Import and export," and select the file from your computer. The events from that file will be added to one of your calendars — you choose which one during import. This is a one-time action; changes to the original file will not show up in Google Calendar unless you import it again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a calendar from someone who does not use Google Calendar?

Yes, if they have exported their calendar as a file or if their calendar system offers a public web link. Ask them for either the .ics file or the calendar URL. If they have neither, they may need to export their calendar from their own app first. Once you have the file or link, use the import or subscribe method in Google Calendar to add it.

What happens if I remove a calendar from my sidebar?

Removing it from your sidebar only hides it from your view — it does not delete the calendar or affect anyone else who has subscribed to it. You can add it back at any time by using the plus sign and pasting the URL again. The original calendar owner will not know you removed it.

Can I edit events on a calendar I added?

It depends on the permissions the owner gave you. If they shared it with "view only" access, you can see events but not change them. If they gave you "make changes" or "manage" access, you can edit or add events. When you add a calendar by URL alone (subscribing), you usually cannot edit events unless the owner has made the calendar fully public with edit rights.

Will a calendar I add sync to my phone?

Yes. Any calendar you add on your computer will appear on your phone as long as you are signed into the same Google account. It may take a few minutes to sync. You can also add calendars directly on your phone using the same plus sign method in the Google Calendar app.

How many calendars can I add?

Google Calendar does not set a hard limit on the number of calendars you can subscribe to or add. However, if you add too many, your sidebar becomes crowded and your calendar view may slow down. Most people find 10 to 20 calendars manageable; beyond that, consider hiding some or organizing them into groups if your version of Google Calendar supports that feature.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.