How to Sync Multiple Google Calendars Automatically

Why Sync Multiple Calendars?

Many people juggle multiple Google Calendars: a work calendar, personal calendar, family calendar, side project calendar, or multiple client calendars. Without syncing, you're constantly switching between calendars and risking double-bookings.

GCalSync lets you connect multiple calendars and keep them all synchronized automatically. Create an event in any calendar, and it appears in all the others—no manual copying needed.

Step 1: Connect All Your Calendars

First, connect all the Google Calendars you want to sync. You can connect calendars from different Google accounts.

1. Sign in to GCalSync with your primary Google account
2. Click "Connect Calendar" in your dashboard
3. Authorize access to your first calendar (e.g., work calendar)
4. Repeat to connect your second calendar (e.g., personal calendar)
5. Continue connecting additional calendars (family, clients, etc.)

💡 Tip: You can connect calendars from different Google accounts. Each account requires a separate OAuth authorization, but GCalSync manages them all in one dashboard.

Step 2: Choose Your Sync Strategy

There are two main approaches to syncing multiple calendars:

Option A: Sync Group (Easiest)

If you want all calendars to sync with each other bidirectionally, use the sync group feature:

1. Go to Dashboard → Syncs
2. Click "Create Sync Group"
3. Select all calendars you want to sync together
4. GCalSync automatically creates bidirectional syncs between all pairs

✅ Best for: When you want all calendars to stay in sync with each other. Creating an event in any calendar syncs it to all others.

Option B: Hub-and-Spoke Model

Sync one central calendar to multiple others (one-way or bidirectional):

1. Choose your main calendar (the "hub")
2. Create individual syncs from hub → calendar 1, hub → calendar 2, etc.
3. Choose one-way (hub to others) or bidirectional for each

✅ Best for: When you have a primary calendar and want to distribute events to multiple secondary calendars (e.g., team calendar → individual calendars).

Option C: Custom Network

Create specific sync relationships between calendars:

• Work ↔ Personal (bidirectional)
• Personal → Family (one-way)
• Work → Client A (one-way)
• Work → Client B (one-way)

✅ Best for: Complex setups where different calendars need different sync relationships.

Step 3: Enable Automatic Syncing

Once your syncs are configured, enable automatic syncing so calendars stay up-to-date without manual intervention.

1. All syncs are active by default
2. GCalSync automatically syncs every 15-30 minutes
3. You can also trigger manual syncs anytime with "Sync Now"
4. Check sync status in your dashboard

Managing Multiple Syncs

Viewing All Syncs

Your dashboard shows all active syncs in one place. You can see:

• Which calendars are syncing with which
• Sync direction (one-way or bidirectional)
• Last sync time
• Sync status (active/paused)

Pausing or Deleting Syncs

You can pause individual syncs without deleting them:

• Pause: Temporarily stops syncing but keeps the configuration
• Delete: Removes the sync and optionally cleans up synced events
• Toggle: Quickly enable/disable syncs from the dashboard

Best Practices for Multiple Calendars

✅ Do This

• Use sync groups for calendars that should all stay in sync
• Use event prefixes to identify which calendar events came from
• Enable privacy mode on calendars where you want to hide details
• Review sync configurations periodically to ensure they're still needed
• Use different colors for synced events to visually distinguish them

❌ Avoid This

• Don't create circular sync chains (A → B → C → A)
• Don't create overlapping bidirectional syncs between the same calendars
• Don't sync read-only calendars bidirectionally (they need write access)
• Don't create too many redundant syncs—use sync groups instead

Common Use Cases

Work + Personal + Family

Sync your work calendar, personal calendar, and shared family calendar. Use bidirectional sync between work and personal, and one-way from personal to family so family can see your availability.

Multiple Client Accounts

As a consultant or freelancer, sync your main calendar to multiple client calendars. Use one-way syncs with privacy mode so clients see when you're busy without seeing other client names.

Team Calendar Distribution

Sync a central team calendar to individual team member calendars. Use one-way sync so team events appear on everyone's calendar automatically.

Common Questions

How many calendars can I sync?

The free tier allows 1 calendar connection. Starter tier supports up to 5 calendars, and Pro tier supports unlimited calendars. Check your current limit in the dashboard.

Can I sync calendars from different Google accounts?

Yes! GCalSync supports calendars from multiple Google accounts. Each account requires a separate OAuth authorization, but you manage them all from one dashboard.

What happens if I have 5 calendars in a sync group?

A sync group with 5 calendars creates 10 bidirectional syncs (all pairs). GCalSync manages all of these automatically. When you create an event in any calendar, it syncs to all 4 others.

Will syncing slow down my calendars?

No. GCalSync syncs run in the background every 30 minutes and only sync changes since the last sync. Your calendars remain fast and responsive.

Related Guides

• → How to sync work & personal calendars
• → Understand sync directions
• → Prevent duplicate events