Create a new calendar in Google Calendar

To set up a family calendar, log into Google Calendar on any device where you have a Google account. On the left side of the screen, find the section labeled "Other calendars" and click the plus sign next to it. Select "Create new calendar" from the menu that appears.

Give the calendar a name — something like "Family Schedule" or "Household Calendar" works well. You can add a description if you want (for example, "Shared family events and appointments"), choose a time zone, and pick a color to make it visually distinct from your personal calendar. Click "Create calendar" when you're done.

The calendar now exists in your Google Calendar account, but only you can see it. The next step is to add the people in your family so they can view and edit it.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a new calendar through "Other calendars" in Google Calendar, give it a family name, and choose a color to distinguish it from your personal calendar.
  • Share the calendar by clicking the three-dot menu next to the calendar name, selecting "Settings and sharing," and entering each family member's email address.
  • You can set different permission levels for each person — some can only view events while others can add or edit them.
  • Family members see the shared calendar in their own Google Calendar account once they accept the invitation or you add them directly.
  • Anyone with edit access can add events, and changes appear instantly for all people viewing the calendar.

Share the calendar with family members

Click the three-dot menu icon next to your new family calendar's name on the left side. Select "Settings and sharing" from the dropdown. Scroll down to the "Share with specific people" section.

Click "Add people" and type in the email address of the first family member. Google Calendar will show you options as you type. Select the correct person, then choose their permission level from the dropdown menu. "Editor" lets them add and change events; "Viewer" lets them only see what's there; "Freebusyonly" shows them only whether you're busy or free, without event details.

Repeat this step for each family member. They'll receive an email invitation to view the calendar. Once they accept, the calendar appears in their own Google Calendar account under "Other calendars." If someone doesn't accept the invitation, you can still add them by entering their email directly — they'll see the calendar in their account without needing to respond.

Add events that everyone can see

Click on any date or time slot in the family calendar to create a new event. Type the event name, set the date and time, and add any details you want others to see — like a location, description, or notes about what to bring.

Before you save, make sure the event is assigned to your family calendar, not your personal one. Look at the calendar dropdown in the event details and select the family calendar name. Click "Save" and the event appears for everyone who has access to that calendar.

Any family member with editor access can add their own events the same way. Changes sync instantly across all devices, so if someone adds a doctor's appointment or changes a pickup time, everyone sees the update right away without refreshing.

Adjust who can do what with permissions

Different family members may need different levels of control. A teenager might only need to view the family schedule, while a co-parent should be able to add and edit events. You set this when you first share the calendar, but you can change it anytime.

Go back to "Settings and sharing" for the family calendar. Find the person's name in the "Share with specific people" section and click the permission dropdown next to their email. Select the new permission level and it takes effect immediately. If you want to remove someone's access entirely, click the X next to their name.

Use color coding and notifications

Google Calendar lets you assign a color to the family calendar itself, which helps you spot family events at a glance among your personal appointments. You chose this color when you created the calendar, but you can change it anytime by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting "Edit color."

You can also set notifications for events on the family calendar. When you create or edit an event, scroll down to "Notifications" and choose how you want to be alerted — email, popup on your device, or a notification at a specific time before the event. This is useful for shared appointments where you need a reminder that something is coming up.

Access the family calendar on mobile devices

The Google Calendar app on Android and iOS shows shared calendars the same way the website does. Once someone adds you to a family calendar, it appears in the app under "Other calendars." You can tap any event to see details, and if you have editor access, you can add new events directly from your phone.

Make sure you're signed into the Google Calendar app with the same Google account that received the calendar invitation. If you use multiple Google accounts on your phone, switch to the correct account in the app settings to see the family calendar.

Troubleshoot common issues

If a family member says they can't see the calendar after you've shared it, ask them to check their "Other calendars" section — sometimes the invitation lands in email but the calendar doesn't automatically appear in their account. They may need to click "Subscribe to calendar" or refresh their browser.

If events aren't showing up for someone even though they have access, confirm that the event was actually saved to the family calendar and not to a personal calendar by mistake. The event details show which calendar it belongs to. If someone accidentally created an event on their own calendar, you can move it by editing the event and changing the calendar dropdown.

If changes aren't syncing across devices, try signing out of Google Calendar and signing back in. This forces the app to refresh and pull the latest version of shared events. On mobile, you may need to close and reopen the app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share a family calendar with someone who doesn't have a Google account?

No — everyone who views or edits a family calendar needs their own Google account. If a family member doesn't have one, they can create a free account at google.com. They don't need to pay for anything or use Gmail if they don't want to; a Google account is simply the login that gives them access to Google Calendar.

What happens if I delete an event from the family calendar?

The event disappears for everyone who can see that calendar. If you delete it by mistake, you can undo the deletion immediately by pressing Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) if you're still on the same page. After you leave the page, the deletion is permanent and can't be undone through Google Calendar itself.

Can I see a family member's personal calendar at the same time as the family calendar?

Only if they share their personal calendar with you separately. Sharing the family calendar doesn't give you access to anyone's private calendars. If you want to see when a family member is busy, they can share their personal calendar with you using the same process, or they can set their permission to "Freebusyonly" so you see only busy/free status without event details.

What if someone in the family keeps changing or deleting other people's events?

Change their permission from "Editor" to "Viewer" so they can only see events but not modify them. Go to "Settings and sharing," find their name, and click the permission dropdown. If they need to add their own events but shouldn't edit others' events, Google Calendar doesn't have a middle ground — you'd need to trust them or use a different tool.

Can I set up a family calendar that syncs with my phone's built-in calendar app?

On Android, the Google Calendar app is the built-in calendar, so shared calendars appear there automatically. On iPhone, the built-in Calendar app can show Google Calendar events if you add your Google account to your phone's settings under Passwords & Accounts. Once you do, the family calendar appears in the iPhone Calendar app alongside your other calendars.