Google Calendar has a new look and new features. Are you up to speed with the changes? If you don’t yet use this online calendar, you should, it is simple, yet useful for work and personal use.
Anyone with a Google account, such as Gmail, Drive, Google+ or an Android phone, has access to Google Calendar and it is available online in a browser, on your Android phone and iPhone, and on tablets too.
Google has been testing a new interface for some time and during early 2018 is rolling out the changes to everyone. It has a new design that looks both modern and simple, and it is better than ever.
1 Add an event
It has always been possible to add an event in the calendar by clicking on a day, but now there is a redesigned pop-up window for creating it. Click any day and enter the title.
2 Set the hour
An all-day event it created by default, but clearing the checkbox enables you to click the date and time and choose when it starts and when it ends.
3 Select the calendar
Click next to the calendar icon at the bottom and if you have more than one calendar, select the one you want to add the event to.
4 Add more options
Next to the SAVE button (see the first screenshot), is MORE OPTIONS. You can save the event right now if you have added all the information you need, but there are many more options for those that need them. For example, a location can be added, you can set the time as Busy or Free, and there is a text editor with formatting, bulleted and numbered lists, links and file attachments.
5 Add guests
If you are meeting with people, add them as guests on the right. Just start typing a name and people are suggested from your contacts.
6 Change the colour
Each calendar is assigned a colour, but you can change the colour of any event by right clicking it and selecting a colour. A solid bar indicates an all-day event, but a white bar with a coloured blog is an event at a specific time.
7 View an event
Click an event in the calendar and a window appears that shows the details, such as the date, time, location, notes and links. Click the pencil icon if you want to edit the details.
8 Access the menu
In the top right corner of this window is three dots. Click it for a menu. You can print the event, duplicate it, copy it to another calendar, publish it and so on.
9 Select a calendar view
There are many view options and they are available in the menu at the top right corner. If you want to print a list of upcoming events, select Schedule view and then select Print on the gear menu.
10 New settings
Click the gear icon to access the menu. A Back to classic Calendar is shown here, but this will probably disappear sooner or later as the new Calendar becomes the default. Click Density and colour.
11 Change the density and colour
Select this option on the gear menu and a panel pops up at the bottom of the browser with two options. The view can be responsive to the screen size or compact. The colour set can be Modern or Classic. It is just personal preference, so try the settings and see which you prefer the most.
12 New settings
The settings have been given a makeover and sections are listed on the left. Select a section to view and adjust the settings.
Google Calendar looks better with these interface changes and it is perhaps even easier to use than before, although it has never been difficult. The changes are small, but welcome.
Thank you for this! So helpful! I use Google Calendar on the job everyday, so this was a perfect little update.
I like some of these new features, especially being able to change the default meeting time period! I also love that they’ve added a conferencing feature, although now that I’m a SAHM, I rarely use that feature anymore!