How to Add Attachments to a Google Calendar Event (2026)
Attaching the agenda, deck, or brief directly to a calendar event means everyone has it the moment they open the invite — no separate email, no hunting for the link. Google Calendar attachments live in Google Drive, so a little permission awareness keeps them from showing up broken.
1. Add an Attachment on the Web
- Go to calendar.google.com.
- Create a new event or open an existing one, then click More options (or the pencil to edit).
- In the Description section, click the paperclip “Add attachment” icon.
- Choose your file:
- Google Drive — browse, search, or pick from Recent.
- Upload — drag in or select a file from your computer (it’s saved to your Drive).
- Select the file, then click Save on the event.
The attachment now appears on the event for you and your guests, right under the description.
2. Make Sure Guests Can Actually Open It
This is the part people miss. An attached Drive file is only viewable by guests who have access to that file. If they don’t, they’ll see the attachment but get “Request access” when they click.
When you add guests to an event with a Drive attachment, Google usually prompts:
“Some guests don’t have access to one or more attachments. Do you want to share?”
Choose Share and set the access level (usually Can view). If you skipped that prompt, fix it in Drive:
- Open the file in Google Drive.
- Click Share.
- Add the guests (or set link sharing to Anyone with the link → Viewer for broad audiences).
Files uploaded through the attachment picker are stored in your Drive, so the same sharing rules apply.
3. The Mobile Limitation
The Google Calendar mobile apps can’t add attachments — there’s no paperclip in the app’s event editor. You can view attachments others added, but to attach a file you’ll need:
- calendar.google.com in a phone browser (desktop mode), or
- a computer.
4. Personal Gmail vs. Google Workspace
| Personal Gmail | Google Workspace | |
|---|---|---|
| Attach from Drive | ✅ | ✅ |
| Upload from computer | ✅ (saved to your Drive) | ✅ |
| Auto-share prompt for guests | ✅ | ✅ (subject to org sharing rules) |
| External-guest sharing | Link sharing | May be restricted by admin policy |
On Workspace, your admin’s external-sharing settings can block attachments from reaching guests outside your organization. If external guests can’t open a file, that policy is usually why.
5. Common Fixes
- Guest sees “Request access”: the file isn’t shared with them — re-share from Drive (Section 2).
- No paperclip icon: you’re on mobile, or not in the full editor — open More options on the web.
- Attachment disappeared: the underlying Drive file was moved to Trash or deleted — restore it in Drive.
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More on Google Calendar: How to add multiple guests · How to create a calendar invite · How to share a folder in Google Drive · Best AI calendar assistants
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