Set up a Google Calendar account if you don't have one
You need a Google account to create a family calendar. If you already use Gmail, YouTube, or Google Drive, you already have one. If not, go to accounts.google.com and click "Create account". You'll choose a name, password, and recovery email or phone number. Google will ask for your birth date and gender — these are optional fields you can skip.
Once your account is set up, go to calendar.google.com to open Google Calendar. You'll see an empty calendar with today's date highlighted. This is your personal calendar, which only you can see unless you share it.
Create a new calendar for your family
On the left side of Google Calendar, look for the section labeled "My calendars". Below that, you'll see a plus sign (+) next to "My calendars". Click it and select "Create new calendar".
A form will appear asking for a calendar name. Type something like "Family Calendar" or "Smith Family Schedule". You can add a description if you want — for example, "Shared family events, appointments, and reminders". Leave the time zone set to your location. Click "Create calendar" at the bottom.
Your new family calendar now appears in the "My calendars" list on the left. You can click on it to view only that calendar, or leave it checked to see it alongside your personal calendar.
Key Takeaways
- You need a Google account to create a family calendar, but if you use Gmail or any other Google service, you already have one.
- Create a new calendar from the "My calendars" section rather than using your personal calendar, so family events stay separate from your own.
- Share the calendar by clicking the three dots next to the calendar name, selecting "Settings and sharing", and sending the link or email addresses to family members.
- Family members can view the calendar on any device by signing into their own Google account, or view it without an account if you share a public link.
- You can color-code events by person or category, set notifications for each event, and edit or delete events from any device where you're signed in.
Add family members to the calendar
Click the three dots next to your family calendar name in the "My calendars" list. Select "Settings and sharing". Scroll down to the "Share with specific people" section.
Click "Add people". Type the email address of the family member you want to invite. A dropdown menu will appear showing their name if they have a Google account. Click their name to select them. You'll see options for what permission level to give them: "Make changes and manage sharing", "Make changes", or "See all event details". Choose "Make changes" if you want them to add and edit events. Choose "See all event details" if you only want them to view the calendar. Click "Send".
The family member will receive an email invitation. They click the link in the email, sign into their Google account, and the family calendar appears in their "My calendars" list. They can now see all events and add their own if you gave them permission.
Add events and set reminders
Click on any date or time slot in the calendar to create an event. A small popup will appear. Type the event name — for example, "Soccer practice" or "Doctor appointment". You can click "More options" to add more details like the time, location, and who it's for.
In the full event form, you can set a start and end time, add a location, and write a description. Scroll down to "Notifications" and click "Add notification". Choose how far in advance you want to be reminded — "15 minutes before", "1 day before", or any custom time. You can add multiple reminders for the same event. Click "Save".
The event now appears on the family calendar for everyone who has access. If you gave family members permission to edit, they can click the event and make changes too.
Use color coding to organize by person or category
Right-click on any event in the calendar. A menu will appear with color options. Click a color to assign it to that event. You might use blue for your events, green for your partner's, and red for your child's. Or use colors by category: orange for medical appointments, purple for school events, yellow for social plans.
You can also set a default color for all new events in a calendar. Click the three dots next to the calendar name, select "Settings and sharing", scroll to "Event color", and choose your preferred color. New events will use that color unless you change them individually.
Color coding makes it much faster to scan the calendar and see at a glance whose event is whose, or what type of commitment it is. Family members can use their own color scheme on their devices — the colors don't have to match.
View the calendar on phones and tablets
read the Google Calendar app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). Sign in with the same Google account you used to create the family calendar. The family calendar will appear automatically in your calendar list.
On a phone or tablet, you can add events the same way you do on a computer: tap the plus sign (+) at the bottom, fill in the event details, and tap "Save". You can also tap any date to create a quick event. Notifications will alert you on your phone at the time you set.
If a family member adds an event on their phone, it appears on everyone else's calendar within seconds. This makes it straightforward to stay in sync even when people are in different places.
Share a view-only link if someone doesn't have a Google account
Some family members may not have a Google account or may not want to create one. You can share a public link that lets them view the calendar without signing in.
Click the three dots next to the family calendar name. Select "Settings and sharing". Scroll to "Access permissions" and click the radio button next to "Make available to the public". A link will appear that you can copy and send to anyone. They can open it in any web browser and see all events, but they cannot add or edit events.
If you later want to stop sharing the public link, go back to "Access permissions" and select "Restricted" instead. The link will no longer work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see the family calendar on my work calendar at the same time?
Yes. In Google Calendar, both calendars appear in your "My calendars" list. Leave both checked to see them side by side. You can also switch between them by clicking each one. Events from both calendars show up in your phone notifications and email reminders.
What happens if I delete an event by mistake?
Click the event and select "Delete". Google Calendar will ask you to confirm. If you change your mind when ready, use Ctrl+Z (or Command+Z on Mac) to undo. If you deleted it more than a few minutes ago, you cannot recover it — the event is gone for everyone who shares the calendar.
Can family members see my personal calendar, or only the family calendar?
Only the calendars you specifically share with them. Your personal calendar stays private unless you share it separately. You can have as many calendars as you want — one for family, one for work, one for personal appointments — and choose which ones to share with which people.
Do I need to pay for Google Calendar to share it with my family?
No. Google Calendar is free. You can create unlimited calendars, invite unlimited people, and use all features at no cost. Google does not charge for sharing or for the mobile app.
Can I print the family calendar?
Yes. Click the three dots next to the calendar name and select "Print". You can choose to print one day, one week, one month, or a custom date range. The printed calendar will show all events in the colors you assigned them.