Google Calendar is one of the most popular calendar services out there. It offers all the features that one can expect from a calendar app. However, sadly, it doesn’t offer a native feature to add birthdays. But that doesn’t mean you cannot show birthdays in it. Two hidden features let you add birthdays to Google Calendar. Let’s check them out.
Both are official methods and do not require downloading any third-party app. In the first method, you will be using Google Contacts, and in the second method, you need to create a recurring birthday event. Let’s check the methods in detail.
Method 1: Use Google Contacts
Google Calendar doesn’t show birthdays directly. It syncs or gets birthdays from Google Contacts. Therefore, in this method, you need to add Contact’s birthday saved in Google Contacts, and the same will show up on Google Calendar after enabling the birthday calendar in it.
Let’s check the step-by-step process. Since the method involves two things, we have divided the steps into two sections.
Part 1: Add Birthdays to Google Contacts
Note: You can add birthdays to Google Contacts from any device, which will appear on other devices where you are logged in to the same account. For instance, if you add a birthday to a Google contact on iPhone, it will automatically reflect in Google Contacts on Android and the web.
Add Birthdays to Google Contacts on Android
Step 1: Open the Google Contacts app on your Android phone. If it isn’t already installed, download and install it from Play Store.
Download Google Calendar on Android
Step 2: Tap on the contact whose birthday you want to add. If the contact doesn’t exist, tap on the floating (+) button in the Contacts tab to create a new contact.
Step 3: Tap the Pencil (Edit) icon at the top.
Step 4: Scroll down on the contact edit screen and tap on the Significant date box.
Step 5: Enter the birth date and tap on Set.
Tip: You can even include the year of birth or turn it off.
Step 6: Make sure it says Birthday in the Label text box. If it says something else, tap on it and change it to Birthday.
Step 7: Tap on the Save button.
Now, repeat the steps to add the birthdays of other contacts.
Tip: Check out the best features of Google Contacts.
Add Birthdays to Google Contacts on iPhone
There’s no Google Contact app for iPhone. So, you will need to use the web version of Google Contacts to add birthdays, as shown below:
Step 1: Open Google Contacts in a browser on your iPhone and sign in to your Google account.
Go to Google Contacts
Step 2: Tap on the contact for which you want to add birthday details. Then, tap on the floating Pencil (Edit) icon.
Step 3: Select the Birthday field and enter the birthday details.
Step 4: Tap on Done.
Step 5: Scroll up and tap on the Save button.
Tip: Know the difference between iCloud and Google Contacts on iPhone.
Add Birthdays to Google Contacts on PC
Step 1: Open the Google Contacts website in a browser on your computer and sign in to your Google account.
Go to Google Contacts
Step 2: Click on the contact to which you want to add the birthday.
Step 3: Click the Edit button.
Step 4: On the contact edit screen, click on the Birthday text box and enter the birthday in the prescribed format.
Step 5: Click the Save button to save the birthday.
Tip: Learn how to restore deleted contacts from Google.
Part 2: Show Birthdays in Google Calendar
Once you have added birthdays in Google Contacts, you need to enable the birthday calendar in Google Calendar so that birthdays from Google Contacts show up on Google Calendar.
Enable Birthday in Google Calendar on Android and iPhone
Follow these steps to add birthdays to Google Calendar on iPhone and Android:
Step 1: Open the Google Calendar app on your Android or iPhone.
Step 2: Tap on the three-bar icon in the upper-left corner and go to Settings.
Step 3: Scroll down and tap on Birthdays.
Step 4: Enable the toggle next to the account from which you want to show birthdays in Google Calendar.
Step 5: Return to the Google Calendar app home screen and tap on the three-bar icon.
Step 6: Scroll down and tap the box next to Birthdays to enable it. It will show a checkmark.
If it already shows a checkmark, the birthday calendar is already enabled.
That’s it. Now, birthdays from Google Contacts will appear on the phone’s Google Calendar app.
Tip: Learn how to fix Google Calendar not syncing
Enable Birthday in Google Calendar on PC
Step 1: Open Google Calendar on your computer and log into your Google account, where you added your birthday to the contact.
Go to Google Calendar
Step 2: Check the box next to Contacts under the My Calendars section. If Contacts doesn’t show up, look for Birthdays and enable it.
Step 3: If neither Birthdays nor Contacts are showing up, click on the (+) icon next to Other calendars.
Step 4: Select ‘Browse calendars of interest.’
Step 5: Click on the box next to Your contacts under Birthdays to show birthdays in Google Calendar.
Tip: Learn how to set working hours in Google Calendar.
How to Set Birthday Reminders in Google Calendar for Every Year
If you want to be reminded about birthdays every year, turn on birthday notifications in the Google Contacts app. However, this is possible on Android phones only. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Launch the Google Contacts app on your Android phone.
Step 2: Open the contact and tap on the three-dot icon. Select Add birthday notification.
Note: You must enable or disable notifications individually for each contact. Also, repeat the steps and tap on ‘Turn off birthday notification’ to disable the birthday notification.
Method 2: Add Birthdays to Google Calendar Without Contacts
The above method necessarily requires you to add birthdays in Google Contacts first. But what if the person isn’t added to your contacts, but you want to save their birthday in Google Calendar? The first way is to create a new contact and add just birthday information to it.
Another method that lets you add birthdays to Google Calendar of friends and family without contact is by simply creating a recurring event. Basically, you need to manually add birthdays to Google Calendar, as shown below.
Manually Add Birthday to Google Calendar on Android and iPhone
Step 1: Open the Google Calendar app on your phone.
Step 2: Tap on the (+) button at the bottom and select Event.
Step 3: Give a title to your birthday event. For instance, Elyan’s birthday. Also, enable the toggle next to All-day.
Step 4: Tap on Does not repeat and select Every year. This creates a recurring event.
Step 5: Now, if you want to be reminded about your birthday in Google Calendar, scroll down and tap on Add notification.
Step 6: Select the preferred time when you want to be reminded.
Step 6: Tap on the Save button.
Congratulations! You have successfully added birthdays to Google Calendar without using contacts.
Note: An event created on one device will sync to your other devices where you are logged into the same Google account.
Add Birthday to Google Calendar Without Contacts on PC
Step 1: Open the Google Calendar website on your computer and log in to your account.
Go to Google Calendar
Step 2: Click on the Create button in the upper-left corner and select Event.
Step 3: Add a title for your birthday event.
Step 4: Click on the date and time field and check the box next to All day.
Step 5: Also, click on Doesn’t repeat and select Custom.
Step 6: Click on the drop-down box next to Repeat and select 1 and Year, respectively. Make sure it says Repeat every 1 Year.
Step 7: Also, select Never under Ends and click on Done.
Step 8: Click on the More Options button.
Step 9: Here, you can add a notification if you want to be reminded about the birthday event every year. Finally, click on Save.
Tip: Learn how to share Google Calendar with others.
FAQs About Adding Birthdays to Google Calendar
Birthday Time
We hope you were able to add birthdays to Google Calendar. If you don’t know someone’s birthday, learn how to find birthdays on LinkedIn and Snapchat.
