Create goals in Google Calendar

You can make time for the important things in your life by creating goals in Google Calendar.

How goals work

When you create a goal, you choose how much time you want to spend on it each week. Google Calendar automatically schedules time to work on your goal.

If you end up having a conflict at that time, the session is automatically rescheduled.

Over time, scheduling gets better as Google Calendar learns your preferences.

Create a goal

  1. Open the Google Calendar app Calendar.
  2. In the bottom right, tap Create Add.
  3. Tap Goal.
  4. Choose a category, like Exercise or Family & friends. To create a custom goal, pick a category, then tap Custom.
  5. Follow the directions on your screen to set up your goal.
  6. Tap Done Done.
  7. Sessions will be automatically added to your calendar, starting with the first four weeks. You can adjust the time or length of these events at any time.

Change goals you've created

Edit a goal
  1. Open the Google Calendar app Calendar.
  2. Tap the session.
  3. Tap Edit Edit.
  4. Tap the setting you'd like to change and make your changes.
  5. At the top of the page, tap Save.

Any changes you make to your sessions help Google Calendar learn your schedule preferences over time and use that information to schedule future sessions.

Mark a goal as done
  1. Open the Google Calendar app Calendar.
  2. Tap the session.
  3. Tap Did it.
  4. The session will be crossed out on your calendar.
Defer until later

If you don't have time to work on your goal when the session comes up, you can defer it until later.

  1. Open the Google Calendar app Calendar.
  2. Tap the session.
  3. Tap Later.
  4. The session will be automatically rescheduled for a time you're free that week.
Delete a goal
  1. Open the Google Calendar app Calendar.
  2. Tap the session.
  3. In the top right, tap More More.
  4. Tap Delete and then This session or All following sessions (and stop scheduling).
  5. Tap OK.

Change your notification settings

When you have an upcoming session, you'll get a notification on your device. You'll also a notification after your session to track your goal's progress.

  1. Open the Google Calendar app Calendar.
  2. Tap a session.
  3. Tap Edit Edit.
  4. In the "Notification" section Notifications, tap the current notification time.
  5. Change your notification time or settings.
  6. At the top of the page, tap Save.

Note: You can't add extra notifications, or create SMS or email notifications.

Share or hide your goals

Choose the sharing settings you have for your calendar to learn more about which goal sessions others can see on your calendar.

My calendar isn't shared with anyone

Your sessions can only be seen by you.

See only free/busy

Anyone who you've shared your free/busy information with can see that you're busy during your sessions.

They can't see the title or details for any of your sessions.

See all event details

Anyone who you've given view access to can see your sessions' name, date, and time.

They can't make any changes to your goal.

Make changes to events or Make changes AND manage sharing

What people you've shared with can see or do:

  • See sessions
  • Edit a session's date or time
  • Delete a session
  • Add notifications for upcoming sessions that show only on their calendar

What people you've shared with can't see or do:

  • Create a new goal
  • Defer a goal, or mark it as done
  • See the details of a goal, including its frequency, time of day, and duration
I have Google Calendar through my school or work

If you got your Google Account through your work or school, you have a domain administrator who manages your Google Account settings.

What your domain administrator can see or do:

  • See sessions
  • Edit a session's date or time
  • Delete a session
  • Add notifications for upcoming sessions that show only on their calendar

What your domain administrator can't see or do:

  • Create a new goal
  • Defer a goal, or mark it as done
  • See the details of a goal, including its frequency, time of day, and duration
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