How to Change Default Google Calendar Settings?

Google Calendar has dramatically changed the way we organize and manage our schedules. It’s simple, efficient, and accessible across devices. However, despite its range of features, one frustrating limitation is the inability to change your default calendar.

For users managing multiple calendars, whether for work, personal events, or side projects, it’s essential to control which calendar new events are added to. New appointments and reminders can easily end up on the wrong calendar without this flexibility. 

In this blog, we will explain why Google Calendar doesn’t allow you to change your default calendar and explore several practical workarounds to help you manage multiple calendars more effectively.

Understanding Default Calendar Settings

Currently, Google Calendar does not allow changing the default calendar. This limitation is because Google ties your default calendar directly to the first Google account you sign into. 

Example of Default Calendar Behavior:

If your primary email is AdamSmith@gmail.com, the default calendar will likely be named "Adam Smith." This calendar will be listed as the first option under "My Calendars," and all new events will automatically be added there unless you manually select another calendar.

While this works fine for many users, it becomes problematic when juggling multiple calendars for different purposes. The inability to change this default setting means you have limited flexibility in organizing your events across multiple calendars.

Let’s explore how adjusting the default Gmail account can help you manage this limitation. 

Change the Default Gmail Account

If you use multiple Google accounts, your default calendar is tied to the first account you sign into. Changing your default Google account can solve this issue if you want to use a different calendar.

Steps to Change Default Gmail Account:

1. Sign Out of All Google Accounts: To reset your session, sign out of all Google accounts.

2. Sign Into Your Preferred Account First: Log in to your Google account, which you want to set as the default calendar account.

3. Use Multiple Sign-Ins: Keep your primary account open in one browser and use another browser or an incognito window for secondary accounts.

Limitations:

While this method allows you to change your default account, it’s not perfect for managing multiple calendars within the same session. It may not be ideal if you regularly access several accounts simultaneously.

Export and Import Your Google Calendar

One of the more complex yet effective workarounds for changing your default calendar involves exporting your current calendar, importing the data into a new one, and making that new calendar your default.

How to Export Your Calendar:

1. Go to Calendar Settings: Open your Google Calendar settings and select the ICAL option for the private address.

2. Save the .ics File: Download the .ics file to your computer.

How to Create a New Default Calendar:

1. Create a New Calendar: Go to the "Add" dropdown and select "Import Calendar."

2. Import the .ics File: Import the saved .ics file into the new calendar.

3. Rename the New Calendar: Name the calendar “Events” or another preferred name and set it as your default for new invites.

Limitations:

While this method technically creates a new default calendar, it requires manual management. You must remove old events from your default calendar and manage them within the newly imported calendar.

Change the Color and Shape of Your Calendar

If changing the default calendar is not an option, you can rely on visual methods to improve organization. Customizing colors, labels, and icons for your calendars makes it easier to differentiate them at a glance. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open Google Calendar and locate the calendar you want to customize under "My Calendars." Click the three-dot menu next to the calendar name and select a color from the palette. 

2. For more options, click “+” to create a custom color that aligns with your organizational style.

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3. To rename a calendar, go to “Settings” > “My Calendars” and select the calendar you want to rename. Under “Name,” input a descriptive name like “Work Deadlines” or “Personal Tasks,” then save changes to ensure your calendar reflects its purpose.

4. Emojis can be used in calendar names to add icons for quick identification. While Google Calendar doesn’t natively support icons, you can incorporate emojis in the title for a visual cue.

5. Adjust calendar view settings by navigating to “Settings” > “View Options” to hide unnecessary calendars or enable/disable weekends and holidays. Streamlining the view helps reduce clutter, making your most relevant calendars stand out.

These methods make managing multiple calendars more intuitive and visually organized.

How to Set Your Default Calendar for Google Assistant?

While you can’t change the default calendar for Google Calendar directly, you can set a default calendar for Google Assistant, which helps manage voice-added events.

Steps for Android Devices:

1. Go to Settings: Open your device’s settings and scroll to Google.

2. Access Google Assistant Settings: Tap on “Account Services,” then select “Search, Assistant, & Voice.”

3. Choose the Default Calendar: Under “Services,” select the calendar you want Google Assistant to use to add events.

Limitations:

Currently, Google Assistant only allows you to add events to your default calendar and cannot add events to different calendars via voice commands. This can be limiting if your primary calendar is personal, and you must add work-related events to a separate calendar.

Other Workarounds to Manage Default Calendar Issues

Although there is no direct way to change your default calendar in Google Calendar, there are several workarounds you can use to manage your events more effectively.

Solution 1: Work from One Master Calendar

The simplest way to avoid confusion is to use one primary calendar for all your events. This prevents multiple calendars from cluttering your Google Calendar and ensures that all new events appear in the same place.

To keep this calendar clean, only add essential events and tasks. Avoid adding reminders for repetitive tasks or minor notes that don’t require scheduling. This way, your calendar remains focused on the most important events, helping you stay organized.

Solution 2: Uncheck Other Calendars

If you prefer to use multiple calendars for different purposes, you can uncheck all but the ones you use most often. By doing this, you can keep your primary calendar front and center. Any new event will automatically be added there.

Solution 3: Color-Coding and Labels

If you like using multiple calendars but need to separate them visually, try color-coding or labeling your calendars. While this won't change the default calendar, it makes managing multiple calendars and staying organized easier.

Smarter Scheduling with Clockwise 

While Google Calendar is a powerful tool for managing your schedule, it doesn’t cater to advanced needs like optimizing meeting times or automatically balancing focus time with appointments. This is where Clockwise comes in.
Clockwise is an intelligent calendar assistant that integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar to help you manage your time more effectively. It optimizes your schedule by automatically rescheduling meetings, creating uninterrupted focus time, and ensuring you’re aligned with team priorities.

Key Features of Clockwise

1. Find Time Where None Exists: Identifies which meetings are flexible for urgent or last-minute meetings and proposes adjustments. It opens up time beyond what’s visible.

2. Team Collaboration: Synchronizes team calendars to find the most convenient meeting times, reducing the back-and-forth of scheduling.

3. Calendar Syncing: Balances personal and work calendars seamlessly, making it an essential tool for managing multiple calendars. 

4. Automatic Lunch Holds: Ensures you never miss lunch by reserving a midday break in your calendar, promoting well-being and work-life balance.

5. Flexible Time Zones: Ideal for distributed teams, Clockwise intelligently schedules across multiple time zones, simplifying global collaboration.

6. Analytics and Insights: Provides detailed insights into your calendar usage, such as time spent in meetings versus focus time, enabling data-driven improvements to your schedule.

7. Recurring Meeting Management: Automatically optimizes recurring meetings to reduce conflicts and improve weekly efficiency.

8. Unified Event Management: Modify, book, or cancel multiple events in a single chat request. From scheduling numerous 1:1s to reorganizing a packed day, Clockwise easily simplifies complex calendar tasks.

It integrates with popular tools like Slack, enhancing productivity by connecting your workflows.

How Clockwise Addresses Google Calendar’s Limitations?

Google Calendar has limitations in scheduling and managing multiple calendars. It struggles with optimizing meeting times and preventing conflicts. Clockwise automates scheduling, improves focus time, and ensures meetings are planned efficiently. Here’s how:

• Managing Multiple Calendars: Clockwise simplifies juggling multiple calendars by syncing them intelligently and prioritizing events based on context.
• Default Calendar Confusion: While it doesn’t change Google’s default calendar settings, Clockwise ensures your events are scheduled most logically and productively.
• Time Optimization: By identifying optimal meeting times, Clockwise minimizes overlap and wasted time, which Google Calendar doesn’t natively handle.

Getting Started with Clockwise

Setting up Clockwise is easy, it takes just a few steps: 

1. Install the Clockwise Chrome extension or app.

2. Link your Google Calendar account.

3. Configure preferences for focus time, meeting hours, and calendar syncing.

4. Let Clockwise handle the heavy lifting while you focus on what matters.

If you struggle with managing multiple calendars or ensuring your schedule aligns with your goals, Clockwise can save you weekly hours. It’s beneficial for professionals who must balance personal and work commitments or teams looking to improve efficiency.

Conclusion

Managing your schedule effectively can feel challenging, especially with Google Calendar’s limitations on default calendar settings. However, by employing strategies like using a master calendar, color-coding, or even exporting and importing data, you can work around these restrictions and stay organized.

But if you want to take complete control of your calendar, Clockwise is the ultimate solution. It goes beyond basic workarounds, offering advanced automation and intelligent scheduling to transform how you manage your time. With features like dynamic meeting adjustments, seamless focus time management, and smart calendar syncing, Clockwise ensures your schedule is continually optimized for productivity and balance.

Take control of your schedule with Clockwise—your smart calendar assistant. Get Started for Free Now.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do you create a calendar invite in Google Calendar?

To create a calendar invite in Google Calendar:

• Open Google Calendar and click on the desired date.
• Select “Create” and enter event details like title, time, and location.
• Add guests by entering their email addresses in the “Add Guests” section.
• Customize event settings like notifications or privacy preferences.
• Click “Save,” and Google Calendar will send email invitations to all guests automatically.

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2. Can You Sync Google Calendar with Other Calendar Apps?

Yes, Google Calendar can sync with apps like Outlook and Apple Calendar. To sync, access the settings of the desired calendar app and add your Google account. For apps that don't support direct integration, you can use the iCal URL from Google Calendar. Navigate to “Settings” > “Integrate Calendar,” copy the iCal URL, and paste it into the external app to enable real-time syncing of events.

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3. How Do I Change My Google Calendar Preferences?

To change preferences in Google Calendar:

• Click the gear icon in the top-right corner and select “Settings.”
• Adjust preferences like notifications, default event duration, and calendar view.
• Modify time zone and working hours under the "Time Zone" and "Working Hours" sections.
• Save your changes, which will apply immediately to all devices synced with your Google Calendar.

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4. How do you make the Google Calendar default on Windows 11?

To make Google Calendar default on Windows 11:

• Open the Windows Mail or Calendar app and add your Google account to your settings.
• Navigate to “Settings” > “Accounts” and click “Add Account.”
• Log in using your Google credentials to integrate Google Calendar.
• Go to Windows settings and select “Apps” > “Default Apps.”
• Set the integrated app (e.g., Outlook or Mail) as the default calendar handler for seamless scheduling.

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5. How Do I Change the Default Calendar View?

To change the default view in Google Calendar:

• Click the gear icon in the top-right corner and go to “Settings.”
• Scroll to the “View Options” section and choose your preferred view: Day, Week, Month, or Year.
• Optionally, enable or disable features like weekends or holidays.
• Save your changes; your chosen view will default when you open Google Calendar.

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