Troubleshooting Common Issues

Duplicate Events

Symptoms

You see multiple copies of the same event in your calendar(s).

Common Causes

• Multiple overlapping sync configurations
• Two one-way syncs in opposite directions instead of one bidirectional
• Manually created events before enabling sync

Solutions

1. Review your sync configurations for overlaps
2. Delete all synced events from Dashboard
3. Consolidate to single bidirectional sync if appropriate
4. Re-sync with correct configuration

Events Not Syncing

Symptoms

New events aren't appearing in the target calendar after sync.

Check These First

1. Is the sync configuration active? (Check Dashboard)
2. Did you run a manual sync or is automatic sync enabled?
3. Are you creating events in the correct source calendar?
4. Check sync direction (one-way vs bidirectional)

Solutions

• Verify sync is active (toggle if needed)
• Click "Sync Now" to run immediately
• Check sync logs/history for errors
• Refresh calendar access tokens if expired

OAuth/Authentication Errors

Symptoms

• "Authentication failed" errors
• "Invalid token" messages
• Redirected to login unexpectedly

Solutions

1. Go to Dashboard → Connected Calendars
2. Click "Refresh Token" on the affected calendar
3. If that fails, disconnect and reconnect the calendar
4. Ensure you're granting all required permissions during OAuth

Missing or Deleted Events

Why events disappear

• Source event was deleted → synced event removed
• Sync configuration was deleted → all synced events removed
• Calendar was disconnected → synced events cleaned up
• "Delete All Synced Events" was triggered

Prevention

• Don't delete events from target calendars
• Be careful with "Delete All Synced Events" button
• Pause syncs instead of deleting them
• Keep regular backups of important calendars

Sync Taking Too Long

Factors affecting speed

• Number of events to sync
• Google Calendar API rate limits
• Network conditions
• Number of active syncs running simultaneously

What's normal

• First sync: 1-5 minutes for hundreds of events
• Subsequent syncs: 10-30 seconds (only new/changed events)
• Multiple calendars: May take longer, syncs run sequentially

Privacy Mode Not Working

Check These

1. Privacy mode is enabled on the TARGET calendar (where events sync TO)
2. Placeholder text is set and saved
3. You've run a sync after enabling privacy mode
4. Looking at newly synced events, not old ones

Calendar Connection Failed

Common Issues

• Didn't grant all required permissions
• Used wrong Google account
• Browser blocked popup window
• Session expired during OAuth flow

Solutions

1. Allow popups for gcalsync.io
2. Try incognito/private browsing
3. Clear browser cookies for Google
4. Use "Manual Connection" mode if OAuth fails repeatedly

Still Having Issues?

If none of these solutions work:

• Check the FAQ for additional help
• Review sync logs in Dashboard for specific error messages
• Try disconnecting and reconnecting affected calendars
• Contact support with sync logs and specific error details

Related Guides

• → Prevent duplicate events
• → Privacy mode explained
• → Frequently Asked Questions