How to Sync Multiple Calendars to the iPad With Google Sync
Yes, we’ve covered Apple’s iPad quite a bit this week. While there are other happenings in the mobile tech world, this was a big one — besides, I haven’t blogged much about it just yet. Oh, I will — I’ve been spending time with the device in bits and pieces over this holiday weekend — but I wanted to let the dust settle in terms of coverage. However, there’s one tidbit I wanted to share now, simply because it solves a problem for Google Calendar users that want to sync events with their iPad using Google Sync.
The problem is — using a Microsoft Exchange setup for Google accounts currently works for one single calendar on the iPad. I can’t have that, so I scoured the web for a workaround, found one in a MacRumors forum, and used it successfully. Here’s the method to use until Google addresses the issue for Apple’s iPad — you’ll need to use the Safari browser, although this might work with user agent string spoofing on other browsers too:
- Open Safari and then view its Preferences pane.
- In Preferences, go to the Advanced tab and check “Show Develop menu in menu bar.” If you already have this checked, you can skip this step. Close the Preferences.
- In the Safari menu bar, you should now see a Develop menu option. Select it, choose the User Agent option and pick “Mobile Safari 3.1.3 — iPhone” This tells web sites that you’re using the iPhone’s browser. You need to do this to open up the mobile site for the Google Sync service.
In Safari, browse to http://m.google.com/sync and sign in if needed. Normally you’d do this on your mobile device, but Google isn’t yet recognizing the iPad properly. If you try to configure Google Sync from the iPad, it will say “Sorry, Google Sync is not supported on this device.”- Now go to the Develop menu in Safari and choose to Disable JavaScript as shown by the check mark below.
- Still in Safari, choose to manage your iPad. In my list, it’s the most recent device, but if you use Google Sync across multiple devices, it could appear anywhere in the list.
- In the next window, you’ll see that Google says you can sync up to one calendar to your device. Ignore that message because the workaround now allows multiple calendar selections. For instance, I chose three primary calendars and three shared calendars, offering both work and family events in one single view.
Once you’ve made your selections, click the Save button. That should do it, so don’t forget to undo the User Agent change and re-enable JavaScript in Safari. On the iPad, here’s what the result looks like less than a minute after I ran through these steps:
I’m sure Google will address the one calendar limitation with Google Sync, but until they do, you can easily work around the issue in just a few minutes. Hopefully that helps — and now I’m off for some more iPad playtime so I can share all my thoughts soon.
Related iPad Content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d)
Don’t have an iPad, but can you use CalDAV? Works great with iPhone, supports multiple calendars, and even syncs calendar colors between gCal and iPhone! All without Exchange support.
Oops, link for setting up CalDAV at Google Help.
Mike,
CalDAV works great and is what I used with no problem when I first fired up my iPad. Some users, however, need to be able to send invites, which I’ve heard CalDAV does not support on Google Apps.
Curt
Thanks a million! This worked great! the functionality of the iPad calendar is now better than my iPod Touch, because I can now toggle off calenders too! Great explanation and walkthrough.
Thank you so much for the walk through. This completely worked for me, too.
Brilliant. I am a PC guy but I have an iphone.
I managed to do this on my iphone with turning off Java in the settings.
Working like a charm.
Thank you so much.
Tal
I can confirm that this also works for Google Apps (for your domain) users, although it takes a few extra clicks, and I had to log in twice.
Follow Kevin’s instructions exactly, but after logging in look in the middle of the page where it says:
Google Apps user?
Configure your domain at m.google.com
Click that link, then you’ll see a page with little buttons for the individual Google services. Below the buttons look for:
Google Apps user?
Tap to configure for your domain
Click that, and a dialog opens at the top of the window prompting you to enter your domain. Enter the domain and press the Go button.
Now, I got a green box at the top of the window showing my domain name and several buttons. Click the “Sync” button.
On the next screen click “Sign in with your Google Apps Account.” Enter your user name and password.
NOW, you will finally see the magic page called “Google Sync – Manage Devices” and your iPad should be listed. Disable javascript and click on the iPad link to see the list of your calendars. Check the calendars you want on your iPad and press the “Save” button on the bottom right.
As soon as I went back to my iPad all of the calendars had magically appeared.
Good luck.
Thanks for the Google Apps steps, Robert. I was already signed into Google Apps prior so I didn’t have to run through them, but other surely will. :)
Nice find Kevin. On the iPad first day for work use and working great so far. Doing everything I normally do on Netbook. :)
question.
what allows google to see that you now, in fact, own an ipad?
when I put m.google.com/sync in my browser (after following instructions), I only have the option of altering my iphone calendars.
it seems as though google doesn’t know that I have an ipad yet. I want to tell them really bad, but don’t know how.
thanks
same question here. only seeing my iphone
Kevin I am with you except when you chose to manage your ipad. I dont see that on the safari screen. Where did you see that list with iPad at the top. I don’t see that. Also does this then mean that the calendar will sync over wifi? or only when I physically hook up the ipad to the laptop and sync through itunes? Thank you.
Shoot. Never mind. Got it. Thank you for the great tip. I was working on how to do this when I first saw your write up.
Thanks so much for this. Worked perfectly! :-)
Was really frustrated that I couldn’t get all my calendars to show up on here… but could on my iPhone. :-D
Seriously… thanks!
when I get to my google sync settings for the ipad it’ll only let me check one box, won’t let me check any others…
anyone else have this problem?
I have the same problem. I tried in Chrome and firefox and I can’t check any of the boxes
had the same problem. key is to ‘disable javascript’ and it’ll allow you to checkmark and save.
I am with you except when you chose to manage your ipad. I dont see that on the safari screen. Where did you see that list with iPad at the top?
Interesting article. I have always wondered how to use the i pad like this.
Seemed to be huge buzz for the iPad as always with apple products. There have been some critism of the iPad ranging from Apps to video playback.
I’ve just done this and it works!! Thanks!
To all those questioning why they don’t see it on their version of Safari.. the pictures show a desktop version of the client. Essentially, all you are doing is mimicing the iphone browser (mobile safari) on your desktop and enabling the settings.
Since nobody has answered this: If you don’t see a list of devices, it’s because you have to setup the iPad to sync with Google Calendars over Exchange first, which is a separate process. Follow the link in the first paragraph to get to Google Sync, then follow the link there for directions for the iphone. Once you go through that process, when you go back to m.google.com/sync, you will see your iPad there, and then the rest of this article applies.
I carefully followed the instructions but I am unable to select more than one calendar in the settings screen.
I just saw Slayton’s comment with the solution (disabling JavaScript). Now it allows multiple selections. Thx Slayton!
This is great, thank you!!! Worked well, Don’t forget to Disable JavaScript
Thanks so much for this. worked like a gem. saved me a ton of time!! merci!!!!
i’m confused so excuse my ignorance. Do you have to do this on the computer that the Ipad is synched to? Because I cant find any of the safari options you talk about above on my ipad…and I synch to a windows 7 computer – is that going to be an issue?
Thanks Kevin, great stuff! However, it worked for me without disabling JavaScript.
My only concern is why Google disabled syncing with more than one Calendar. Their sync system often seems less than reliable (I’ve been burned many, many times by contact sync screwups), and perhaps this limitation was to protect your calendar data. Just because you can trick their calendar sync doesn’t mean you should.
Study how to get Lee’s & Don’s calendars on the iPad
Great tutorial! Worked. Google Apps (for your domain)
Great work around. Thanks!!
Thanks for the insightful post. For some reason my ipad isnt showing up in my sync list. The only thing I see is a very old iphone sync from september 09′. Please advise.
Peace
You have to set up the Microsoft Exchange account for calendar sync first. Instructions here: http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=138740
Once you do that, follow the above instructions and you’re good to go.
Thanks Kevin, it works perfect! Peace from Brooklyn NY!
IPad returns that I can only set up one Microsoft exchange account. As I already have my office email account through MS exchange I am not able to set up the Google account. Anyone a solution?
Laeven, that’s a limitation to the iPhone OS and there’s no workaround. Same problem would appear on iPhone or iPod Touch as a result. However, with iPhone OS 4, due to hit the iPad in the fall, you’ll have the ability to use multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts.
Hey Kevin,
this actually also works from the iPad:
go to m.google.com/sync
If it says that there’s no service available or the device isn’t supported, make sure you have English (US) selected as language.
select the appropriate device (iPad) as shown on your 4th screenshot and then you can select the calendars as well :)
Best comment ever! Thank you. I could not quite get it to work. Went to m.google.com/sync on my ipad, selected my ipad, and clicked on my wife’s calendar. When to my iCal and the little “calendar” button finally showed up in the top left corner and everything worked! Yay! Before, I tried to follow directions, but it just would not work for me even though I did find a screen where I was allowed to choose her calendar. Oh well. All’s good now.
Perfect!! It work! Much simple way. So i change m’y language from french to english and it work, thank you
Superb ! Works like a charm !
I found that I was able to use my iPhone to go to m.google.com/sync and manage the iPad’s calendars – no browser impersonation required!
Do the color match what you have on your Mac? I’m having trouble getting them to work correctly. The calendars match but not the color scheme.
Thank you very much! Took me some time to get this to work, though.
Since I’m in The Netherlands I had to add ?hl=en so the Google Sync url would read http://m.google.com/sync?hl=en. Otherwise the message (in Dutch) would be “device not supported”. I love my iPad even more now.
thanks!!!!helped
Hey Kevin, what a great write up! I’m still laughing at the tagline (mainly because I know EXACTLY what you’re talking about ‘Using mobile devices since they weighed 30 lbs’); I made a similar write up to your own for windows slugs, like myself, for syncing across outlook, ipad, and google calendars.
This was a HUGE part of what I needed my iPad to do so that my productivity would be impacted. I use a collaboration and management suite called activeCollab and needed to sync to that calendar for all my project items.
My write up can be found here:
http://ipad-candy.com/synching-outlook-to-google-calendar-and-multiple-google-calendars-to-the-ipad-calendar/
Thanks for your blog/write up and here is to lighter more functional devices!
AWESOMMEEEEEE WOOOOOO
thank you guys
Great tip! I was so disappointed when only a single calendar appeared and there was no way to select them like on my iPhone. Thanks so much…
I tried everything like 10 times and:
Using Premium services (domain pocketinfo.nl)
Enabled Sync
followed steps and got the green square
Only shows Gmail, Agenda, Docs and Tasks (so no Sync button)
Is the any step I am missing here as I used my MacBook Pro with Safari, Firefox and tried to do it straight from the iPad. No sync button…….so still just 1 agenda on the iPad.
i got it working via the ipad directly, but looks like there’s plenty of google app and domain specific links here now which should help you if the prob is ongoing for you
Solved the problem, make sure you double check the language and set it to US on every page you encounter.
Is there a way to do it without downloading Safari? I use Mozilla Firefox on my PC.
Betsy, you should be able to do this with Firefox and the User Agent String extension — that will allow you to tell Firefox to use the iPhone UA string, just as I did in Safari above.
or you can do it via the ipad directly (see my post below)
Kevin, Google seems to have addressed this. I just tried it on my iPad and it works:
You can sync additional calendars by visiting the following page from any web browser:
https://www.google.com/calendar/iphoneselect
(Google Apps users can go to https://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/your_domain/iphoneselect, replacing ‘your_domain’ with your actual domain name.)
Select the calendars you’d like to sync, and click Save. The selected calendars will display on your device at the time of the next sync.
Full details here: http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=151674
Hi from Germany,
all this almost drive me nute, until I found the comment on adding language extension to the sync link, like http://m.google.com/sync?hl=en – tuen it worked…
However I can confirm Jope’s comment of June 1st:
Google seems to have fixet the isssue, the tutorial at their website works http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=151674
Please update the guide – everything works with the iPad’s Safari browser now.
Thanks
Frank
Unless you’re on iOS4 (which ipads are not) then you cannot send invitations with CalDAV and it sync’s slower than an exchange…
Thank you so much! This is brilliant!
Have had my iPad now for 45 minutes…so, a little new. How do I get to preferences pane on safari?
I’m trying to follow your direction, but cannot find the “preferences pane” anywhere in Safari. It’s not in the Settings and there is no way I can figure out how to find it when in Safari. What am I missing? Thanks
hm, are you sure that you are using Safari on your computer? Preferences are always under the Safari name right by the Apple menu..
you dont need the desktop-related instructions at all. just turn off javascript in ipad settings safari. see post below.
Ar these steps what I need to send an appointment with my PC Outlook calendar at work to my personal iPad?
thank you,
M
sending is not required if it’s sync’ing because they will share the information between them. but yes.
Very good solution. Worked well. I like the multiple calendars on my iPhone, now I can get the same functionality on the iPad.
I could not get mine to come up with anything after the step where you go to http://m.google.com/sync. It just goes to a Google site that has a video on it and features of Google Sync. Do I have to have a Google App’s account to make this happen?
see my new comment. it might help.
Any idea on how I can sync my iPad calendar with my ms office calendar? I do not have any exchange servers.
Thanks,
Adam
Adam, I previously used Outlook Mobile Access (oma) as my exchange server, I think. The IT dept had allowed remote access to emails (if our email was on the enabled server, and only half the employees were for some reason?). I just used my usual internal network username and password. My new employer doesnt have this feature turned on so its a no-go. Eg:
Domain: oma.employer.com.au
User: username
Pass: *****
Some phones require SSL, others force you to unlock your mobile phone with a PIN, not just a swipe. It all depends.
sorry, if you mean, how do you do sync with ms office on a computer, its a sync option you can choose from a dropdown menu when you sync your iDevice with iTunes (on the contacts tab I think)
Didn’t work.
AWESOME. Thanks I am setup now! :)
Thanks! I had done it for the iPhone, but didn’t know about the develop menu in Safari. Awesome. But why does Apple make it so hard to use the most useful features (multiple calendars)?!
No desktop Mac/PC is required. On iPad, open settings > Safari > turn off java (i also turned off Accept cookies > as a precaution) then open iPad Safari and browse to m.google.com/sync and select your device (iPad) to manage > and then check the calendars you want sync’d > save.
Open the calendar app and give it a few moments, then when it syncs it’s all pretty and colourful like the pic in the original post.
I’ve always used the Google Exchange settings because it’s faster than gmail>push but the safari developer and sync instructions details here should be unrelated. If you’d like to do the same, here’s the link: http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?answer=138740&topic=14252
Thanks so much for this, easy and done in two minutes!
Thanks a lot, that was really great. I could make this work by setting Google Chrome to behave as an iPhone as described here: http://lifehacker.com/comment/21276101/
However, I can’t add the “tasks” calendar. Anyone has any idea how to include the “tasks”calendar?
Thanks for these instructions, exactly what I needed, and works perfectly !! :)
Thanks so much for a very helpful blog. This calendar problem was making me sad but your solution made me happy again.
Just to let you know and for anyone else looking for this fix, it can now be done straight from your iPad. Just go to http://m.google.com/sync on your iPad and it will show up the menu with currently synced devices, just select your iPad and select the other calenders and hit save, then wait for iPad to download the other calenders.
Just for anyone wondering: this still only works if you work with the english language google page. if you try to access m.google.com/sync and your account is in german for example, it gives you an error. So then you have to change the language to English (US) and it works directly on the ipad.
Thanks, amazing they still haven’t fixed this for languages other than English…
thank you for providing this, I searched everywhere for this!!! so much help!
I performed all the steps. Yet my calendars have shown up. Is it because they are shared calendars? Meaning they’re not my calendars they are shared across the domain with all our business staff.
I completed all of the steps with no hick-ups. However, when I went to check to see if it worked on my iPad no calendars showed up. I made an Exchange account for my google account on my iPad and it still didn’t work. Help?
I am in the same boat – did you resolve this yet?
Worked perfectly. Thanks for posting.
that’s a Good information. for me….
Thank you it worked perfectly!!!
The colors on google calendar are not matching with the iPad. Is there a way of making them match? The colors are very dull on the iPad. Thank you for your help.