Delete a calendar you created yourself
If you created a calendar in Google Calendar and no longer need it, you can remove it permanently. The calendar disappears from your account and cannot be recovered, so make sure you do not need any of the events stored in it before you delete.
Open Google Calendar in your web browser. On the left side under "My calendars", find the calendar you want to delete. Hover your mouse over the calendar name until three dots appear to the right of it. Click those dots and select "Delete calendar" from the menu. Google will ask you to confirm — click "Delete" again, and the calendar is gone.
This action is permanent. If you think you might need the events later, export the calendar first by clicking the three dots and choosing "Settings and sharing", then scrolling down to find the export option. Google will read a file you can save or import elsewhere.
Key Takeaways
- Calendars you created can be deleted by clicking the three dots next to the calendar name and selecting "Delete calendar" — the action cannot be undone.
- Shared calendars owned by someone else cannot be deleted by you; you can only remove them from your view by clicking the three dots and choosing "Unsubscribe".
- Before deleting a calendar, export it first if you need to keep a record of the events it contains.
- Deleting a calendar does not affect other calendars in your account or any events on your main Google Calendar.
Remove a shared calendar from your view
When someone shares a calendar with you, you see it in your Google Calendar account, but you do not own it. You cannot delete a calendar you do not own, but you can remove it from your view so it no longer appears in your list.
Find the shared calendar on the left side under "Other calendars". Hover over the calendar name until three dots appear. Click the dots and select "Unsubscribe". The calendar disappears from your account when ready, though the owner still has their copy and can share it with you again later if they choose.
Unsubscribing does not delete the calendar for anyone else — it only removes it from your personal view. If you change your mind, ask the person who owns the calendar to share it with you again.
What happens to events when you delete a calendar
When you delete a calendar you created, every event on that calendar is deleted along with it. Those events do not move to another calendar and cannot be recovered from Google Calendar itself.
If the calendar was shared with other people, deleting it removes the calendar from your account only. The other people who had access will see an error when they try to view it, because the calendar no longer exists. They cannot recover the events either.
If you only want to hide a calendar temporarily without losing the events, do not delete it. Instead, uncheck the box next to the calendar name on the left side. The calendar and all its events stay in your account but become invisible until you check the box again.
Delete a calendar from the Google Calendar app on your phone
The process on a phone or tablet is similar to the web version but uses slightly different steps. Open the Google Calendar app on your device and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner.
Scroll down to find the calendar you want to delete under "My calendars" or "Other calendars". Press and hold the calendar name until a menu appears. Tap "Delete" and confirm your choice. The calendar is removed from your phone and from your Google account across all devices.
If you are using an iPhone, the steps are the same. If you are using an Android phone and the menu does not appear when you press and hold, try tapping the three dots next to the calendar name instead.
Recover a deleted calendar
Google Calendar does not have an undo button or a trash folder for deleted calendars. Once you delete a calendar, it is gone from your account permanently.
If you deleted a calendar by mistake and need the events back, your only option is to restore from a backup if you created one. If you exported the calendar before deleting it, you can import that file back into Google Calendar by going to Settings, clicking "Import and export", and uploading the file you saved.
If you did not export the calendar and have no backup, the events cannot be recovered. This is why exporting before deletion is important if there is any chance you might need the information later.
Difference between deleting and hiding a calendar
Deleting and hiding are not the same thing, and it is straightforward to confuse them. When you delete a calendar, it is removed from your account entirely and the events are lost. When you hide a calendar, it stays in your account but becomes invisible until you unhide it.
To hide a calendar instead of deleting it, find the calendar name on the left side and uncheck the box next to it. The calendar disappears from your view, but all the events remain in your account. Check the box again whenever you want to see the calendar and its events.
Hiding is useful when you have a calendar you do not need right now but might want to see again later. Deleting is the right choice only when you are certain you will never need that calendar or its events again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete someone else's calendar from my account?
No, you can only delete calendars you created. For calendars someone else owns and shared with you, you can unsubscribe to remove them from your view, but you cannot delete them. The owner still has their copy.
What if I delete a calendar by mistake?
If you did not export the calendar first, the events cannot be recovered from Google Calendar. If you have a backup file from before the deletion, you can import it back. Otherwise, the calendar and its events are permanently lost.
Does deleting a calendar affect my other calendars?
No. Deleting one calendar does not change any other calendars in your account or any events on them. Only the calendar you delete and the events on it are removed.
Can I delete my main Google Calendar?
No. Your main calendar (usually labeled with your name or email address) cannot be deleted. You can delete any other calendars you created, but Google Calendar requires you to keep at least one calendar in your account.
If I delete a calendar, do the people I shared it with still see it?
No. When you delete a calendar, it disappears for everyone who had access to it. They will see an error message when they try to view it, and the calendar cannot be recovered unless you have a backup to reimport.