How to Sync iCloud and Google Calendars (2026)
Apple and Google do not sync calendars with each other. What you can do is get both into one view, and the method depends on which direction you need and whether you need to edit.
Start by deciding that, because it determines which of these actually works.
Both calendars in one view on iPhone
This is the option most people actually want, and it is the easiest.
- Open Settings, tap Calendar, then Accounts.
- Tap Add Account and choose Google.
- Sign in and make sure Calendars is switched on.
Your Google calendars now appear in the iOS Calendar app alongside iCloud. Both are fully editable, and events you create sync back to whichever account you saved them to.
Tap Calendars at the bottom of the Calendar app to control which ones are visible. To choose where new events land by default, go to Settings, Calendar, Default Calendar.
Both calendars in one view on Mac
- Open Calendar, click the Calendar menu, then Accounts or Add Account.
- Choose Google and sign in.
- Tick Calendars.
Same result: both accounts in one app, both editable.
Getting iCloud events into Google Calendar
This is the direction that disappoints people, because it is read-only.
- On a Mac or at icloud.com, open Calendar.
- Click the share icon next to the calendar you want.
- Turn on Public Calendar and copy the link.
- In Google Calendar on a computer, click the + next to Other calendars and choose From URL.
- Paste the link, changing
webcal://tohttps://if Google rejects it, then click Add calendar.
Your iCloud events now show inside Google Calendar. Two things to know before you rely on it.
It is one-way and read-only. You cannot edit an iCloud event from Google Calendar. Changes flow from iCloud to Google, never back.
It refreshes slowly. Google fetches subscribed URLs on its own schedule, which can run to many hours, and you cannot force it. A meeting you just moved in iCloud may show at the old time in Google for the rest of the day. Our note on the Google Calendar ICS refresh rate covers the timing.
The link is public. Anyone who has that URL can see the calendar, so do not use this for a calendar with sensitive event titles. If that matters, see how to make your Google Calendar private for the general principle.
Getting Google events into Apple Calendar
Better news here, because adding the Google account directly (the first two sections above) gives you full two-way editing. Use that rather than a subscription URL.
If you only want a single Google calendar rather than the whole account, use its secret address under Settings and sharing, Integrate calendar, and subscribe to it in Apple Calendar with File, New Calendar Subscription. That path has the same read-only and refresh-lag caveats as above.
Adding Outlook to the same view
The same approach works. In iOS, Settings, Calendar, Accounts, Add Account, then Outlook.com or Exchange. On Mac, add the account in Calendar the same way. See how to sync Outlook with iPhone for the details, and OGCS if you specifically need Outlook and Google copied into each other on Windows.
When events stop appearing
- Calendars is switched off for the account. Check Settings, Calendar, Accounts.
- The calendar is unchecked. Tap Calendars in the app and confirm it is ticked. An unchecked calendar looks exactly like a sync failure.
- The account needs re-authorizing, usually after a password or two-factor change. Remove and re-add it.
- A subscribed calendar is simply stale. That is expected rather than broken.
More fixes in Google Calendar not syncing.
Why you may not need to sync at all
Every method above is a workaround for the same underlying want: when someone asks for time, the answer should account for everything on your plate. Copying calendars into each other is one way to get there, and it is the way that breaks.
Carly reads each account live instead. Connect iCloud, Google, and Outlook, and it queries all of them at the moment someone asks. Nothing is copied, so there is no refresh lag, no read-only calendar, and no public URL. Your personal events stay private while still blocking work time.
People book through a booking page, and a slot only appears if you are free across every calendar you connected. You get unlimited booking pages and connected calendars, so you can keep separate links for different audiences. Carly connects to thousands of apps, so a booking can also drive a workflow that files the notes or updates your CRM. Free Zapier-style workflows; AI agents from $35/month.
FAQ
Can I sync iCloud and Google calendars two-way?
Not directly between the two services. You get full two-way editing by adding both accounts to one app, such as the iPhone or Mac Calendar app. Pulling iCloud into Google Calendar by URL is read-only.
Why is my iCloud calendar not updating in Google Calendar?
Subscribed calendars refresh on Google’s schedule, often many hours behind, and there is no way to force it. This is expected behavior for a subscription rather than a fault.
Is the iCloud public calendar link safe to share?
Anyone with the URL can read that calendar, so treat it as public. Do not use it for anything with sensitive event titles.
How do I see Apple, Google, and Outlook calendars together?
Add all three accounts to the iPhone or Mac Calendar app. To have your true availability read across all of them without copying anything, connect them to Carly.
Which calendar do new events go to?
Whichever is set as your default. On iPhone that is Settings, Calendar, Default Calendar. Getting this wrong is the usual reason an event “disappears” after you create it.
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