Open the birthday event and delete it in three steps
To delete a birthday from Google Calendar, open the calendar on your computer or phone, find the birthday event, click or tap it, and select the delete option. The birthday will disappear from your calendar when ready. If you delete a birthday by mistake, you can undo the deletion within a few seconds by pressing Ctrl+Z on Windows or Command+Z on Mac, or by tapping the undo arrow if it appears on your phone.
Google Calendar stores birthdays in a separate section, so deleting one does not affect the contact's information in Google Contacts — the birthday stays in your contacts unless you remove it there separately. This means you can delete the calendar event without losing the person's birthday information.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a birthday from Google Calendar removes only the calendar event, not the birthday stored in Google Contacts.
- On a computer, click the birthday event, then click the trash icon or select "Delete event" from the menu.
- On a phone, tap the birthday event, then tap the trash icon or delete option at the bottom of the screen.
- You can undo a deletion within a few seconds using Ctrl+Z or Command+Z on a computer, or the undo arrow on a phone.
- If you want to keep the birthday in your contacts but remove it from your calendar view, you can hide the birthday calendar instead of deleting individual events.
Delete a birthday on a computer
Open Google Calendar in your web browser and locate the birthday you want to remove. Birthdays appear on their assigned dates and usually show the person's name with a cake icon. Click directly on the birthday event.
A popup window will appear showing the birthday details. Look for the trash icon (usually at the bottom right of the popup) and click it. Google Calendar will ask you to confirm the deletion — click "Delete" when prompted. The birthday will vanish from your calendar when ready.
If the popup does not show a trash icon, try right-clicking on the birthday event instead. A menu will appear with a "Delete event" option. Select it to remove the birthday.
Delete a birthday on your phone
Open the Google Calendar app on your Android or iPhone. Scroll to find the birthday you want to delete and tap it once. The event details will open in a panel at the bottom of your screen or in a new window.
Look for the trash icon at the bottom of the event details panel. Tap it, then confirm the deletion when Google Calendar asks. On some phones, you may need to tap a three-dot menu icon first to see the delete option.
If you cannot find a trash icon, try pressing and holding on the birthday event for a few seconds. A menu should appear with a delete option.
Hide all birthdays instead of deleting individual events
If you want to remove birthdays from your calendar view without deleting them one at a time, you can hide the entire birthday calendar. On a computer, look at the left sidebar under "Other calendars" and find "Birthdays." Hover over it and click the three-dot menu icon, then select "Hide from list."
On your phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left, scroll down to "Other calendars," find "Birthdays," and tap the three-dot menu next to it. Select "Hide" to remove all birthdays from your calendar view at once. You can unhide them later the same way.
Hiding birthdays keeps them stored in Google Contacts and does not delete any information — it straightforward removes them from your calendar display. This is useful if you want to declutter your calendar but preserve the birthday data.
Recover a deleted birthday
If you delete a birthday by mistake, you have a short window to undo it. On a computer, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) when ready after the deletion. A notification should appear asking if you want to restore the event — click "Undo" if it appears.
On a phone, look for an undo arrow or notification at the bottom of your screen right after you delete the birthday. Tap it to restore the event. This undo option typically disappears after a few seconds, so act quickly.
If you wait too long and the undo option vanishes, the birthday is permanently deleted from your calendar. However, if the birthday was synced from Google Contacts, you can re-add it by opening Contacts, finding the person, and confirming their birthday is still listed there. The birthday will reappear on your calendar automatically.
Understand the difference between calendar and contacts
Google Calendar and Google Contacts are separate systems that share information. When you add a birthday to a contact in Google Contacts, it automatically appears on your Google Calendar. Deleting the birthday from your calendar does not remove it from your contacts — the birthday information stays in the contact's profile.
If you want to remove a birthday completely, you need to delete it from Google Contacts, not just from your calendar. Open Google Contacts, find the person, click their birthday field, and delete the date. This removes the birthday from both Contacts and Calendar.
Some birthdays are added automatically when you receive calendar invitations or when Google syncs information from other sources. These may reappear on your calendar if you do not remove them from the original source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting a birthday from my calendar delete it from my contacts?
No. Deleting a birthday from Google Calendar only removes the calendar event. The birthday remains stored in Google Contacts unless you delete it there separately. You can delete the calendar event without affecting the contact's information.
Can I delete multiple birthdays at once?
Google Calendar does not have a bulk delete feature for birthdays. You must delete them one at a time by clicking each event and selecting delete. If you want to remove all birthdays from your calendar view without deleting them individually, hide the entire birthday calendar instead.
What happens if I hide the birthday calendar?
Hiding the birthday calendar removes all birthdays from your calendar view, but does not delete them. They remain stored in Google Contacts and will reappear if you unhide the calendar later. This is a temporary way to declutter your calendar without losing birthday information.
Can I recover a birthday I deleted weeks ago?
The undo feature only works for a few seconds after deletion. If you deleted a birthday weeks ago, you cannot recover it through undo. However, if the birthday is still in Google Contacts, you can view it there. To restore it to your calendar, go to Google Contacts, confirm the birthday is listed, and it will sync back to your calendar automatically.