Whether you want to organize your day-to-day life a little bit better or want to know what day of the week your birthday falls on, the Calendar on your Mac can help you out. As with many Apple software titles, your Calendar is synced with your other devices if you're signed in with the same iCloud account.

How to add a calendar on Mac

In the Calendar app, you can see and view multiple calendars making it easy to differentiate your work meetings and appointments from your engagements and events. No matter how busy your life gets, you can add as many calendars as necessary.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your Mac. If it's not on your dock, you can find it in your Launchpad.
2. Click on File up in the menu bar.

3. Click on New Calendar
4. Type a name for the Calendar
5. Hit Enter.

How to add an event to a calendar on Mac

1. Launch the Calendar app on your Mac. If it's not on your dock, you can find it in your Launchpad.
2. Double click on the date you want to add an event to.

3. Type in a name for the event.
4. Click on the hour, minutes, and AM/PM of the start time and adjust accordingly.

5. Click on the hour, minutes, and AM/PM of the end time and adjust accordingly.
6. Click on Repeat if you want the event to repeat. This is an optional step.
7. Click on Travel time if you want to add a note for yourself of how long it will take you to get there. Again, this is an optional step.
8. Click on Alert to set up notifications for the event. This is an optional step.

9. Tap the calendar menu it's the little colored box in the top right corner of the event window.
10. Click on the calendar you want the event to be added.
11. Hit Enter on your keyboard.

How to set days per week and the start of week day in Calendar on Mac

Depending on how you like to schedule your life, you can modify how the week appears in your calendars. For example, you can change how many days you see when you're in Week View and what day indicates the start of a new week.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your Mac. If it's not on your dock, you can find it in your Launchpad.
2. Click the Week tab.

3. Click Calendar from the menu bar.
4. Click Preferences.

5. Click on the dropdown menu beside Days per week.
6. Click on 5 or 7.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your Mac. If it's not on your dock, you can find it in your Launchpad.
2. Click the Week tab.

3. Click Calendar from the menu bar.
4. Click Preferences.

5. Click on the dropdown menu beside Start week on.
6. Click the day you want to use.

How to set how often Calender refreshes

If you want your calendars across all your devices to sync automatically, or you'd rather push them manually, you can change the time between refreshes in your preferences.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your Mac. If it's not on your dock, you can find it in your Launchpad.
2. Click Calendar from the menu bar.

3. Click Preferences.
4. Click on the Accounts tab.

5. Click on the dropdown menu.
6. Click on the time interval you want.

How to set notifications in Calendar on Mac

While you can customize alerts for events when you create them, you can set all events you create to have default notifications if you want to save yourself some time.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your Mac. If it's not on your dock, you can find it in your Launchpad.
2. Click Calendar from the menu bar.

3. Click Preferences.
4. Click on the Alerts tab.

5. Click on the Events dropdown menu.
6. Click on the time you want notifications to alert you.

How to enable and disable calendars on Mac

If you want to filter the events quickly you see on your Calendar, you can easily enable or disable the visible calendars whenever you want.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your Mac. If it's not on your dock, you can find it in your Launchpad.
2. Click Calendars.

3. Click the check box beside the calendar you want to disable.
4. Click the check box again when you want to view that calendar again.

Stay on top of your appointments

As you can see, the Calendar app for Mac has a lot of functionality. Use it to better organize your days, weeks, and years on all the best Macs on macOS Monterey.

Updated May 2022: Updated for macOS Monterey.

The built-in Calendar app on iPhone and iPad is not only Apple's specially designed event tracker, it's also a gateway to many other productivity apps that sync with it to provide useful information for your daily life. Even if you use a different calendar service, like Google or Microsoft, you can link those services to your Calendar app to get the most out of your daily planning. Apple's Calendar app has lots of dedicated customizations that you can use to help make it work for you. Here's how to set them up the way you want.

How to change the default time zone for calendar alerts

By default, your iPhone and iPad's Calendar app will automatically change time zones as you move about the country. However, you may want your calendar information to stay in the time zone you live or work in. If you want to change the default time zone, you can override it in your Calendar's settings.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.

3. Tap Time Zone Override.
4. Turn on the Time Zone Override switch.
5. Tap Time Zone.

6. Search for the city you want to change the time zone to.
7. Tap the city to change the default time zone for your Calendar app.

How to select an alternate calendar type

If you usually follow the Chinese, Hebrew, or Islamic calendar, you can make that your default calendar type on your best iPhone or iPad instead of the western one.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.

3. Tap Alternate Calendars.
4. Tap Chinese, Hebrew, or Islamic.

How to turn week numbers on and off

By default, the Calendar app numbers each week in the year. For some, this is a useful way to quickly see how many weeks have gone by, but for others, it's unnecessary information. You can turn this feature off or on to your liking.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.
3. Turn the Week Numbers switch off or on.

How to turn invitee decliners on and off

If you're big on inviting others to events, you may want to know everyone that has confirmed and declined the invitation. You may, however, not have any interest in who is not attending your event. You can turn this feature off or on to your liking.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.
3. Turn the Show Invitee Declines switch off or on.

How to manage calendar syncing

In order to keep data usage and internal storage to a minimum, your iPhone and iPad, by default, only sync back one month. If you're likely to be looking for older event information from your various calendars, you can change how far back your accounts are synced.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.

3. Tap Sync.
4. Tap the time frame you want to sync back to.

How to set default alert times

You can specify what time you want to receive an alert for an event on your calendar. This does not override any events that you have manually selected a notification time. It's for default event notifications for Birthdays, timed events, and all-day events

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.

3. Tap Default Alert Times.
4. Select the alert you want to set a default time for.
5. Select the time you want to receive the alert.

You can also enable the ability to receive an alert to remind you what time you should leave in order to make it to your event based on typical travel time for events where you have an address included.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.

3. Tap Default Alert Times.
4. Turn the Time to Leave switch on.

How to set the start of your week

In the U.S., our standard calendar starts on a Sunday, but that may not be right for you. Maybe you think of Mondays as the beginning of your week. If you work a different schedule than 9-5/M-F, you might consider Saturdays the first day of the week. You can select any day to start your week in the Calendar app.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.

3. Tap Start Week On.
4. Tap a day of the week.

How to set a default calendar

You may be trying to manage multiple calendars from your work, home, and other activities. One of them will always be your main calendar — the one you usually create events for. You can set one specific calendar as your default, which means events created and shared will automatically be from that specific account unless you switch to a different one manually.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.

3. Tap Default Calendar.
4. Select the calendar that you want to be your default.

How to turn location suggestions on and off

When you're creating an event, the Calendar app includes a feature that will make locations suggestions based on what you've title it. For example, if you're scheduled to meet someone for lunch at Applebees, the Calendar app will suggest that you add the nearest Applebees location to the event, which will help if you're hoping to get a notification when it's time to leave for your luncheon. You can turn this feature on or off to your liking.

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Calendar.
3. Turn the Location Suggestions switch off or on.

Having issues with your Apple Watch calendar?

While we love the Calendar app, and the fact that it syncs to your Apple Watch, many people have issues with the Apple Watch calendar syncing properly with their iPhone calendar. Sometimes you can fix your calendar not syncing to your Apple Watch by following a few basic troubleshooting tips.

The Calendar app on your iPhone and iPad lets you create appointments and share events, but — most importantly — it also helps you stay on time! You can set up Calendar to work with iCloud, Google Calendar, Microsoft's Outlook, and even calendars from your company's servers. What's more, thanks to Siri, you can add appointments quickly and easily with the power of your voice.

If you are just getting started with managing your events or if you are looking for some new tips, here's how to get the most out of the Calendar app.

For this guide, we will be talking about the Calendar app on iOS and iPadOS. For the macOS Calendar app, check out our guide: How to set up and start using Calendar on the Mac.

How to set up an iCloud calendar

Apple makes it incredibly easy to set up all your calendar accounts and sync them to your iPhone or iPad. When you create an Apple ID, Apple will automatically provide you with an iCloud calendar, so all you have to do is hop on over to the Calendar app to get started.

How to set up other calendar services

If you use another service for your personal, family, or work calendar, you can set it up through the Settings app. Calendar Account settings will walk you through setting up some of the most common services, such as Google Calendar, Microsoft Exchange, and Outlook, so in most cases, all you will need is your email address and password. Don't worry if you use a calendar that isn't through Apple, Google, or Microsoft — you can still add it easily through Settings. By using the Other option while adding an account, you can type in your credentials the server address for IMAP, POP, and CalDAV calendars.

How to customize your calendars

Apple's Calendar app for iPhone and iPad lets you schedule everything from your workday to household chores. To help keep everything organized, you can customize your Calendar settings to color-code your calendars, set time zones, and even set default alerts.

You can also customize your calendar type to use Chinese, Hebrew, and Islamic calendars instead of the default U.S. format. All so you can have your calendar your way!

How to use the Calendar widget

Another way to customize your Calendar is by adding it directly to your iPhone or iPad Home screen. If you are running iOS 14 or later, you can choose between five Calendar widgets, each with a unique layout and size. Widgets include Up Next that shows your upcoming appointments along with the date, Month which shows you the current day of the month, and List that breaks events down by the hour.

Adding the Calendar widget is straightforward as it follows the same steps as adding other widgets on your iPhone Home screen. Just tap and hold anywhere on your Home screen or the Today View and tap the + icon to bring up the widget picker.

How to add and manage calendar events

The Calendar app for iPhone and iPad provides a great way to keep track of all your appointments and events. While it's faster to use Siri — more on that in a few — to create basic events to add to your calendar, if you need more precise control, or if you want to edit existing event details, you can do it the old fashioned way: by tapping your way through all the options!

By knowing how to add and manage calendar events, you can not only add meetings, but you can also add links and notes to calendar events. By adding details like an address, you can even get travel times for calendar events.

How to share your calendars

Apple helps you stay organized by letting you publish calendars on iCloud and then share them with other people. It's great for planning events — whether they're conferences for work or family vacations. You can share your calendar if you make iCloud calendars public, or you can share an event by adding someone as an invitee.

The easiest way to share events is to use calendars with Family Sharing. When you set up Family Sharing, Apple will create a shared calendar that you can add events to right away. Events that you create will automatically appear on your family's devices in the Calendar app, and they will receive alerts for any changes.

How to use Calendar with Siri

Since Siri is your personal assistant, it only makes sense to have it schedule and manage your meetings and events. You can create a calendar event with Siri in a few seconds, which is much more convenient than manually creating and entering all the data yourself.

You can also ask Siri to schedule a meeting, tell you what's on the agenda for the day, or move an existing appointment to another time to make room for a conference call. Using Siri on your iPhone or iPad isn't the only way to manage your Calendar, though, as you can also request event details or make changes from a HomePod mini.

Keep track of it all with the Calendar app

As you can see, the iOS 15 Calendar app on your best iPhone and iPad makes it easy to manage all of your family events, meetings, and more, all with a few taps or through Siri. However, if you need more customization and sharing options, you can always check out the best calendar apps for even more ways to organize your events.

Updated April 2022: Updated for iOS and iPadOS 15.

Nowadays, you can upgrade to a new iPhone or iPad with no hassle. You can also set up mail you already had in no time, thanks to the syncing options in iOS 14 and iPadOS, respectively. You don't need your Mac, PC, or even your old phone. Just your new iPhone and a good internet connection. You can add all your email addresses and carry over your Mail, Calendar, and Contacts right into your Mail app.

Here's how to set up mail, contacts, and calendars on your iPhone and iPad.

How to set up iCloud mail, contacts, and calendars on iPhone or iPad

If you're looking to set up an iCloud account on your iPhone or iPad, you'll want to follow the steps here (Don't worry, despite the title, there are steps here if you already have an Apple ID):

How to set up Google mail, calendars, and contacts on iPhone or iPad

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Mail.
3. Tap Accounts.
4. Select Add Account.

5. Tap Google.
6. Tap Continue if prompted to confirm that you want to allow Google.com to sign in on your iPhone or iPad.
7. Enter your Google account credentials.

8. Make sure the switches for mail, contacts, and calendars are in the 'on' or 'off' positions depending on where you want them.
9. Tap Save.

How to set up Outlook.com mail, calendar, and contacts on iPhone or iPad

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Mail.
3. Tap Accounts.
4. Select Add Account.

5. Tap Outlook.com.
6. Enter your Outlook.com account credentials.

7. Make sure the switches for mail, contacts, calendars, and notes are in the 'on' or 'off' positions depending on where you want them.
8. Tap Save.

How to set up Exchange mail, calendar, and contacts on iPhone or iPad

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Mail.
3. Tap Accounts.
4. Select Add Account.

5. Tap Exchange.
6. Enter your Exchange email address.
7. Tap Next.

8. Tap Configure Manually.
9. Enter your Exchange account information if you elected to configure your account manually (you might need to get these from your IT administrator if you don't know them).
10. Tap Next.

11. Make sure the switches for mail, contacts, and calendars are in the 'on' or 'off' positions depending on where you want them.
12. Tap Save.

How to set up IMAP/POP, CalDav, and CardDAV on iPhone or iPad

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap on Mail.
3. Tap Accounts.
4. Select Add Account.

5. Tap Other.
6. Select the type of account you want to configure. Select Mail for an email account CalDAV for a calendar, and CardDAV for contacts.

7. Enter your account information.
8. Tap Next.
9. Tap Done.

You can set up mail, contacts, and calendars right from the Mail app on your iPhone and iPad. However, if you don't like using the Mail app that much, other options might be for you. You can check out our list on the best email apps for iPhone and iPad.

Add your account

You can set up mail accounts across your Apple devices, including the best iPhones and best iPads, including the iPhone 13 and iPad Air 5.

Updated April 2022: Updated for iOS 15 and iPadOS 15.

The Calendar app for iPhone and iPad provides a great way to keep track of all your appointments and events. While it's faster to use Siri to create basic events, if you need more control, or if you want to edit existing event details, you can do it the old fashioned way — by tapping through all the options in the Calendar app.

How to create a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad

It's easy to load up the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad with events. Just follow these steps.

1. Open the Calendar app.
2. Tap on the plus sign (+) in the upper right-hand corner.
3. Enter a title, date, and time to your event. You can also enter an exact location if you wish.

4. Next, choose if you want the event to be an all-day event. Turn this option off if the event has a specific time. You'll then see dates and times you can edit and change.
5. If your event repeats, you can customize it.
   • Tap Repeat.
   • Choose how often your event will repeat.

6. Next choose an alert if you'd like to be notified of an event.
   • Tap Alert.
   • Choose when you'd like to be alerted.

7. Enter a URL if there is a website associated with your event.
8. Tap Add in the upper right hand corner in order to save your entry.

How to edit a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad

Has there been a date or time change for an appointment or event? Here's how to edit its calendar event.

1. Open the Calendar app.
2. Tap the day on which your event takes place. Depending on what view your Calendar app starts from, you may also have to tap the year or month.
3. Tap the event that you'd like to edit.
4. Tap on Edit in the upper right-hand corner.
5. Edit anything you need to and then tap Done in the upper right-hand corner to save your changes.

How to delete a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad

Are you no longer going to that party or having an unnecessary meeting removed from your work schedule? Here's how to delete its calendar event.

1. Open the Calendar app.
2. Tap the month or day during which your event takes place, depending on where your Calendar launches. A gray dot will denote the day.
3. Tap the event that you'd like to delete.
4. Tap on Delete Event — it's at the bottom.
5. Tap on Delete Event one more time when it pops up to confirm the deletion. If it's a repeating event, you'll have to decide whether you want to Delete This Event Only or Delete All Future Events.

How to add links and notes to calendar events on iPhone and iPad

Sometimes it can be handy to add extra info to your calendar events like URLs and notes, but you might not have this info to hand when you first create the calendar entry. Fear not, though, as you can add links and notes to existing calendar entries.

1. Open the Calendar app.
2. Tap on the event you want to add a URL or notes to.
3. Tap Edit.
4. Scroll down to the URL and notes fields and enter information accordingly.
5. Tap Done at the top right to save your changes.

You can now tap on URLs and view notes attached to the event, as can anyone you share the event with.

How to get travel times for calendar events on iPhone and iPad

The Calendar app can help you figure out travel time to an event, but a location will have to be attached to the event to get an exact time. Otherwise, you'll have to choose a time frame between 5 minutes and 2 hours. Your calendar event also must have a set start time. And you cannot put a travel time for events listed as "all day."

1. Open the Calendar app.
2. Tap on the event you'd like to calculate a travel time for (or create a new one).
3. Tap on Edit at the top right.
4. Tap on Travel Time.

5. Turn On travel time.
6. Tap on Starting Location and tell Calendar your starting location by entering an address or the name of a place or business.
7. Tap on Based on location for either driving, walking, or public transit directions.

8. Tap on Edit Event at the top. Travel time will appear under Starts and Ends.
9. Tap Done.

How to move a calendar event or appointment on iPhone or iPad by dragging and dropping

Suppose you need to quickly change the time of an event or appointment in your iPhone or iPad's Calendar. In that case, the Today view gives you an effortless way of doing so by dragging and dropping instead of entering into edit mode for each event you need to change.

1. Open the Calendar app.
2. Toggle list view off at the top if it isn't already.
3. Tap on the day you need to switch things around for.
4. Tap and hold on to the event you need to change the time for. It will change to a darker color.
5. Drag the event to the time you need to move it to and release it when it's at the correct time.

Stay organized everywhere

While we've used paper calendars in our homes and carried diaries in our bags for decades, the best calendar is the one you always have with you. Since you don't go anywhere without your iPhone, it makes total sense to use its built-in Calendar app. It's one of the best iPhone apps for managing your upcoming events, so you always know what's coming up.

Updated April 2022: Updated for iOS 15.

One of the biggest headaches for many families is coordinating schedules. From soccer practices to ballet recitals to a night without the kids, Family Sharing can also help you make sure everyone's where they need to be, when they need to be there.

Of course, it's necessary to enable Family Sharing before you will have access to a family calendar. You can also ask a family member to add you to an existing family sharing account if someone else is managing the family calendar. Once you enable Family Sharing, a shared calendar is created for you automatically. All you have left to do is start using it!

How to use Family Sharing with the Calendar app

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad once you've enabled and set up Family Sharing already.
2. Create a new event or tap on an existing one that you'd like to appear on the family calendar.
3. Tap on Calendar.
4. Choose the calendar labeled Family.
5. Fill out your event and tap Add on the top right of your screen.

Everyone that's in your Family Sharing group will see anything that is added to the Family calendar via the Calendar app. They'll also receive any notifications linked to events so everyone can stay on top of who needs to be where and when. Be sure to fill out the alerts section when you create the event if you want family members to receive alerts.

Remember to pay attention to which calendar you're using. For your own personal appointments and events, you can add them to your own calendar so that your entire family doesn't receive reminders.

Get organized

Getting your family organized will be a breeze with Family Sharing. No more excuses kids! Now everyone will be on board with the family plan on their best iPhone or iPad.

Updated April 2022: Everything's up to date for the latest version of iOS.

What you need to know

• Apple is fixing an issue with its Calendar app.
• Users in multiple counties were missing 2022 holidays from their calendar.
• A fix appears to be rolling out now.

Apple appears to be in the process of fixing an issue with its Calendar app.

As reported by MacRumors, a number of 2022 holidays were missing from Apple's Calendar app for users in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, and Denmark.

According to the report, users from those countries started talking about the issue back in the middle of 2021. At the time, they hoped that either Apple would fix it or it would potentially resolve itself when the clock turned to 2022. Unfortunately, that was not the case and the holidays were still missing.

It appears that the issue could be limited to iPhones running newer operating systems as users in those countries are not experiencing the problem on older versions of iOS.

Thankfully, it appears that Apple is working on a solution. While the company would usually fix the problem in a software update, users from the affected countries are reporting that the missing holidays are popping back up in the Calendar app.

If you are still missing your holidays, keep an eye out as they could magically appear anytime now.

Using the Calendar app on your favorite Apple Watch makes it super easy to stay on top of your busy schedule. Whether you have a doctor's appointment, multiple meetings, or have to take the kids to their piano recital; your Apple Watch calendar can help remind you where you need to be when.

Unfortunately, sometimes you'll look at the Calendar app on your Apple Watch, and it appears blank, even though you have a ton of events on your schedule. This can happen if your Apple Watch Series 6 (or any other model) stopped syncing calendar data from your iPhone — an annoying issue, but there are some solutions! Here's what you can do about the Apple Watch calendar not syncing.

1. Check for updates

Sometimes this solution can be as simple as ensuring you have installed the latest update to your Apple Watch. Here's how!

1. Launch Watch from your iPhone Home screen.
2. Tap My Watch from the bottom row of tabs.
3. Tap General from the menu.
4. Tap Software Update.

Do you still find your calendar not syncing on your Apple Watch? Continue reading to try and solve the issue!

2. Toggle Calendars off and on in iCloud on iPhone

Since all your calendar data is shared through iCloud to your various devices, if your Apple Watch is not syncing your calendar correctly, you can try to toggle calendars from iCloud in an attempt to remedy the issue.

1. Open Settings
2. Tap iCloud banner at the top of the screen.
3. Tap iCloud.

4. Tap the Calendars On/Off Switch to turn it off.
5. Tap Keep on my iPhone.
6. Tap the Calendars On/Off Switch to turn it back on.

Give your Apple Watch a couple of minutes for the iCloud sync to happen again, and check to see if the problem is solved. Is your Apple Watch calendar not syncing still? Read on for more troubleshooting tips.

3. Reset Sync Data on Apple Watch

If you're having problems with the calendar not syncing, you can use a setting inside the Watch app to reboot that connection. After enabling this feature, your Apple Watch's contacts and calendars will be erased and replaced with the most recent iCloud sync from your iPhone.

1. Open the Watch app.
2. Tap the My Watch tab.
3. Tap General.
4. Select Reset.
5. Tap Reset Sync Data.

It may take a few minutes for all the data to re-sync to your Apple Watch, so be patient. If, after several minutes of your Apple Watch Calendar not syncing, try moving on to the next steps to resolve the issue.

4. Unpair your Apple Watch

If you're still having issues with your Apple Watch calendar not syncing, then you can try unpairing the Apple Watch from your iPhone and then pairing it again after it's done.

Before doing this, I highly recommend backing up your Apple Watch, so in the event sometime goes really wrong during the process, you still have a backup to restore your watch.

If this step still hasn't solved the issue, you'll likely have to contact Apple directly.

5. Contact Apple Support

Sometimes some issues require more expert knowledge, and only Apple will be able to assist you properly. If you've tried all the steps above and you're still having problems with your calendar not syncing, you should try contacting Apple Support

Do you have a solution?

Have you encountered is an issue before and found a way to resolve it? Let us know in the comments down below, so everyone can reap the benefits!

Updated August 2021: Updated for the most recent version of watchOS 7.

What you need to know

• People have historically suffered from spam appointments appearing in their iCloud calendars and it's happening again.
• Users can unsubscribe from these calendar subscriptions, but they need to know how.

Every so often we see a spate of people complaining about spam appointments appearing in their iCloud Calendars and it's super irritating when it happens to you. If you already make use of Calendar Family Sharing it adds even more to your calendar, but there is a way to fix it in the short term.

As 9to5Mac points out, people are taking to Twitter to share their frustration that this is still happening. I say still happening because I remember this starting more than five years ago and it still hasn't been fixed. That said, the issue is that people are accepting invitations to subscribe to calendars and even if they press Cancel the invitation will reappear later. And there is no way to block those invitations.

There's a growing thread on Reddit, too.

Anyone who finds themselves stuck with a subscribed calendar like this can remove it easily enough by tapping an event and then tapping Unsubscribe from this Calendar at the bottom of the screen. It isn't ideal, but it works. At least in the short term.

These calendar invitations normally appear on websites within Safari which means the best way to avoid them is to be careful what you accept. That's a good rule of thumb for life on the internet anyway, but hopefully Apple finds a way to make this problem go away for good in the future.

Apple's iCloud is one of the best iPhone calendaring options out there and it's free with every Apple device, so don't ditch it just yet. Just try and keep tabs on what you're tapping for now.

Learning how to use Contacts on iPhone and iPad might seem a little basic, but there are many things you can do that you probably didn't know about. You can add photos, import your contacts from iCloud, and many other available features within the app. And thanks to the Apple ecosystem, your contacts will be updated on all your Apple devices, including your Mac with no extra work at all. Here's everything you need to start mastering Contacts on your iPhone.

How to add a contact on iPhone and iPad

The first step to mastering Contacts on iPhone or iPad is learning how to add a new contact to your list. Here's what you need to do.

1. Launch the Contacts app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on the plus sign in the top right corner.
3. In the top section of this screen, you can type in necessary information like:
   • Contact's first name
   • Contact's last name
   • Contact's company

4. Tap on the green plus sign next to add a phone number.
5. Enter your contact's phone number
6. By default, home will be selected as the label associated with this contact's number. To change this, tap on the arrow next to home.
7. Tap on an appropriate label that goes with your contact's number (e.g., work, mobile, etc.)
8. Tap on Done in the top right corner to save this contact.

You can add additional information for your contacts, like alternate phone numbers, email addresses, website, address, birthday, etc., using similar tap and type steps as above.

How to import contacts on iPhone and iPad

If you already have contacts associated with iCloud or an email account, it's easy to add them as contacts.

• How to import contacts from an iCloud account
• How to import contacts from a Gmail account
• How to import contacts from an Outlook, Hotmail, or Live account
• How to import contacts from an Exchange account

Sometimes after you do an import, you end up with duplicate contacts. No need to manually remove all the double entries. There's a faster way to get rid of duplicate contacts.

How to update an existing contact on iPhone and iPad

Has your friend changed their number, email address, or name? It's easy to edit their contact information on the iPhone and iPad.

1. Launch the Contacts app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on the contact you want to update.
3. Tap on the Edit button in the top right corner.

From here, you can add additional phone numbers, email addresses, and other information specific to this contact.

How to find an existing contact on iPhone and iPad

As your contact list grows, it can be tough to track down people's numbers. Here are some fast tips for finding contacts.

1. Launch the Contacts app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on the search bar at the top of your screen.
3. Type in your contact's name (first or last) to locate them.

If you've forgotten someone's name but know they're in your contacts, you can quickly browse connections by the first letter in their name.

1. Launch the Contacts app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on a letter on the right side of your screen.

3. Once you've tapped on a letter, you will automatically go to contacts whose first or last name starts with that letter depending on your settings.

How to share a contact on iPhone and iPad

Need to share a work contact with a colleague or pass along the info of a good insurance agent to a friend who is taking up fire juggling? Share your contacts with ease, right in the Contacts app!

1. Launch the Contacts app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on the contact you want to share.
3. Tap on Share Contact.

Depending on the applications on your phone, you'll have a few different ways to share your contact, including AirDrop for nearby devices, Message, Mail, and other third-party apps. Tap on whichever one is most relevant for the way you want to share your contact and follow the prompts to send it off!

How to assign photos to contacts on iPhone and iPad

What's great about the Contacts app is that you can assign a photo to your contacts from the Photos app. Here's how to do it!

1. Launch the Photos app from your Home screen.
2. Tap the photo you want to assign to a contact.
3. Tap the share button on the bottom left of your screen.
4. Tap Assign to Contact.

5. Tap the contact to whom you'd like to assign the photo.
6. Drag and pinch the photo to scale and move it as you like.
7. Tap Choose on the bottom right of your screen.
8. Tap Update on the top right of your screen.

The photo will now be part of that contact's profile.

How to delete a contact on iPhone and iPad

If a friend has gone off the grid or a friend is no longer a friend, it's time to delete them from your contacts.

1. Launch the Contacts app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on the contact you want to delete.
3. Tap on Edit in the top, right corner.

4. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
5. Tap on Delete Contact.
6. Tap on Delete Contact.

Doing this won't prevent the person from being able to contact you (to do that, you have to block them, but at least they're no longer in your contacts. If you change your mind, you can always re-add a person into Contacts on your iPhone or iPad.

Now sure how to use Contacts on iPhone or your iPad?

Do you have any questions about how to use Contacts on iPhone and iPad? Shoot them in the comments!

Updated November 2020: Updated for iOS 14.

Flexibits just updated its Fantastical line of apps across the board to its third iteration. It's got so many new and awesome features that you won't even notice all of them right away. From weather reports to collaborative meeting time proposals. Fantastical has it all and then some. I'm finally ready to let go of my other calendar apps and just stick with this one. There's a lot to unpack here, so let's get started.

Personal rant

Let me take a moment to put some people on blast

I have to start off by saying how disappointed I was to see so many one-star App Store reviews for Fantastical with users hating on the subscription model and wanting to keep Fantastical 2. These haters have got it all wrong. Let me explain.

First of all, Fantastical is not subscription-only. It's still a wonderful calendar app if you don't want to pay for the many dozens of extra features. If you want to stick with a free version of Fantastical, and you've never downloaded the app before, this is what you get:

• The same basic calendar features with adding and managing your calendar accounts
• The same awesome reminders and tasks lists, including support for iCloud Reminders, Todoist, and Google Tasks (you just can't add tasks from Fantastical)
• The same weather forecast support from AccuWeather (it's only three-days out instead of 10)
• The same awesome natural language new event input
• The same calendar set options
• The same views, Lock screen widget, and Menu Bar add-on

It's still a fantastic Fantastical. There are just some new features that cost Flexibits money to run (like managing invite proposals). If you need those extra features, $40 per year is a small price to pay.

The features I listed above are actually for those that either never upgraded from Fantastical 1 or for those that have never used Fantastical before. If you're upgrading from Fantastical 2, you still get to keep Fantastical 2's great features!

This is the part that disappointed me so much in the App Store review section. People are complaining that they think Flexibits is forcing them to pay a subscription price to get the great features they are used to from Fantastical 2, but they're wrong. Let me break it down for you. If you already had Fantastical 2 and you're updating (or already updated) to Fantastical 3, these are the additional features you get that no one else gets for free:

• Full-screen day, week, month and year views on Mac and iPad
• The option to run in the background for the mini window on Mac
• Full task support (including adding tasks in Fantastical)
• Fantastical is now universal (not separate for iPad)
• Stand-along Apple Watch app
• Autocomplete recommendations for people and places
• Adding invitees to new events
• Attachments for Mac
• Calendar sets for Mac
• Travel Time/Time to Leave alerts on Mac
• Push Notifications for Google and Exchange on Mac
• Default alerts for new events
• Time zone overrides
• Invitations and ability to respond in Fantastical

These are special gifts that Flexibits has given to us, it's loyal customers, for supporting Fantastical 2, and some people feel justified giving a one-star review because they don't like the subscription model. It just burns me up inside.

Speaking of subscription models, Flexibits isn't turning to this model simply so it can make more money. From the company blog, in addition to extra costs associated with running Fantastical 3, the company is moving to a more flexible upgrade cycle that gives us any and all great new features as they are ready. We don't have to wait two, three, or even five years for one big package of upgrades.

Now that you have a better understanding of what the difference is between Fantastical 2 and Fantastical 3 and why Flexibits has gone to a subscription model, please hop over to the App Store and give it a proper and knowledgable rating.

On with the show

Fantastical 3 has everything

If you are the kind of person that needs a robust and feature-rich calendar app, you're going to understand why this many features needs a subscription model and why it's worth the price (especially if you pay for a year upfront). There are dozens of new additions, from little things like custom event colors and alert sounds, to big things like event time proposal management. Let me start with the big ones.

Event time proposal management is probably Fantastical's biggest new feature and it allows you to schedule an event and suggest multiple date and time options to have invitees pick from. The invite is sent to everyone in an email, so even people that don't have Fantastical can participate. Everyone is directed to a web URL where they pick from the options presented. If everyone picks a date and time that works, the event is automatically added to your calendar. If everyone can't make it at the same time, you'll receive a notification that none of your times worked and you'll have to propose some new times.

No more texting back and forth (or in the case of my job, sending Slack messages back and forth) all day until a good time is finally picked. Just send out a message and let Fantastical do all of the scheduling.

My favorite part about this feature is that invitees don't have to be Fantastical users in order to participate in picking a time. Everyone can pick. Fantastical users get the event added automatically once it's been confirmed unanimously.

Another big feature comes in the form of tasks. You've always been able to see and take action on your iCloud Reminders, but Fantastical 3 takes it a step further with the integration of Todoist and Google Tasks. Now, not only can you see and tick the done box on daily single items, but you can also see, edit, add to, and tick off sub-tasks for projects.

If you want to add a task right in Fantastical, all you have to do is start typing the word "task" into the add field and it will switch from the event view to a task view. Then, just type the task you want to add and it'll be added to your task list (you can also choose which list to add it to). You can also switch to a view that only shows your task list instead of your daily event list.

With events and tasks, you can also create templates to use any time you want. It's different from recurring events or tasks. This is for when you do something often, but it's not always the same day or time. If, for example, you get a haircut every six weeks, but it's not always the same day and time, create a template that you can quickly use when scheduling the next haircut appointment.

You can now include travel time with location-based events. First, add the location of the event. Then, open the event's additional features to get the "Travel Time" feature. Using your current location and the location of the event, Fantastical will estimate your travel time. You can even add additional travel time manually (because, you know, traffic). With travel time turned on, you can get alerts to let you know when you should leave.

Fantastical has added a fun new feature called "Interesting Calendars." Fantastical uses the SchedJoules API to bring pre-made events from holidays, sports, TV, Finance, and popular events to your calendar. Tap one of the categories, like sports, then pick a sub-category, like your favorite team, and add it to your calendar. Then, you'll be able to see all of the games scheduled for the season.

Fantastical has also teamed up with AccuWeather to provide the daily forecast. With the subscription model, you can see 10 days out. Events that have a location attached to them will also display weather details for that specific area.

With Time Zones, you can easily see what time it will be for people in a different time zone. This is invaluable in my remote work environment. We live all over the world, so I've added their different locations for my co-workers to my favorite time zones. Now, I can see what time it is for everyone at a specific time and take that into consideration when creating a new event.

For those remote meetings, as I have all the time, you can add a remote meeting link from Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Google Meets. I do this all the time for Google Meets, but I normally have to go directly to my Google calendar in order to add the meeting link.

With a fantastical subscription, you can also change the color of events, combine duplicate events, hide events, change the Home screen icon, use custom alerts, and more.

Fantastical is also now a stand-alone app for Apple Watch that doesn't even need iPhone support if you've got the cellular model. You can check your events, get notifications, and more while your iPhone is at home. With a subscription, all of your calendar sets and customizations sync across all of your devices, including Apple Watch.

This is all just what's available today, at launch. Flexibits also has a number of updates and new features in the pipeline that will roll out throughout the year. As a subscriber, you'll get all of those features, whenever they are ready, instead of having to wait for a dot update or full revamp a few years down the road.

It's worth it

Who should subscribe and who shouldn't

Source: iMore

You're at a crossroads here. You used to pay for Fantastical's major updates, one version at a time, one app at a time. But now, you can download all of the apps for free on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, but it comes at the cost of a subscription.

Fantastical 2 came in at $5 for the iPhone version, $15 for the iPad version, and $50 for the Mac version for a total of $70 if you wanted all three. For $40 per year, you can have all versions of Fantastical 3. Assuming a major update every two years across the board, you'd only be paying about $5 more to upgrade all of these apps anyway. Of course, it's not a direct comparison because Fantastical on the Mac didn't have a regular upgrade cycle.

Here's the thing though, your subscription helps Flexibits regularly add awesome new features that you don't have to wait two years for. Plus, with this reliable revenue coming in, the developers can imagine a whole lot more that the company wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford to do on a monthly basis.

The features that come with a Flexibits subscription are many. However, not everyone needs things like meeting time proposals or travel time notifications. If you don't check your calendar about 25 times per day, if you don't map out every hour of your life with lists, events, and tasks, you may be happy with the free version, especially if you're a Fantastical 2 user.

If you are a Fantastical 2 user and you really hate change, stick with your special upgraded version. You get more than a dozen free features that non-upgraders have to pay for. You win either way.

If you only ever used Fantastical on your iPhone, I don't think you need a subscription. The free version will probably fit your basic needs.

If you've had Fantastical for iPhone and iPad, but never went for the Mac app, you're kind of in the middle. I'd recommend delving into the free 14-day trial to see if there are any features you just can't live without. Remember, if you're upgrading from Fantastical 2, you get a lot of great features without needing to subscribe, so you might be better off sticking with your free upgraded version.

If you've always paid for Fantastical's apps across all of your devices, you're like me and you know just how invaluable all of these great new features are. You know they're worth dropping $40 once per year on. You just might be feeling a little subscription fatigued. Think of it this way: You're just paying for two major updates upfront and in exchange, you get the benefit of a company that doesn't have to wait to give you all the awesome goodies the developers come up with all year long.

What you need to know

• Flexibits has just announced that Fantastical 3.0 is now available.
• That means all new apps for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
• It's got a great new interface and loads of new features too.

Flexibits has just released the brand new Fantastical app for Mac, iPhone iPad and Apple Watch, Fantastical 3.0.

In a press release Flexibits said:

New features include harmonization across all your Apple devices, full-screen window, calendar set syncing, time zone support, interesting calendars and more. It's also got a brand new user interface, and native macOS, iPadOS and iOS features like a Today Widget, Action and Share extensions and Handoff support.

There's a new scheduling feature that lets you propose multiple meeting times, Weather At a Glance, and Interesting Calendars that feature holidays, sports and TV events and more.

Existing features have also been refined and improved.

The new Fantastical 3.0 is free and has limited features, and there's also a paid Fantastical Premium subscription that will unlock all features across all platforms. It has a 14-day free trial and only costs $4.99 a month (33% off if you pay annually).

Check out the video below!

On Fantastical 2.0 users Flexibits said:

Fantastical 2 users will automatically be updated to version 3.0. Unlike lots of previous subscription transitions, we wanted to be fair and generous so we will automatically unlock every Fantastical 2 feature for prior users. The version 3.0 update will detect their prior installations and unlock the features they currently have. You will still have to pay for new/premium features, but all existing F2 features will be unlocked.

This means iPad users will need to download a new app (the existing iPhone app linked above/which again, in version 3.0 will be a Universal Binary). The new app will automatically detect they had Fantastical 2 for iPad installed and unlock the features they paid for.

We all have busy schedules as we live our day-to-day lives. That's why keeping a digital calendar is the best way to keep track of everything that you have to do and go to throughout the day. But if you have an Apple Watch, it's easier to just take a look at your wrist for your schedule than pulling out your phone. Here's everything you need to know about using the Calendar app on your Apple Watch.

• How to check the calendar on your Apple Watch with complications
• How to check the calendar on your Apple Watch with Siri
• How to check the calendar on your Apple Watch with the app
• How to respond to calendar invitations on your Apple Watch

How to check the calendar on your Apple Watch with complications

With the Apple Watch, some watch faces allow for complications, which are little bits of information that appear on the watch face. However, the amount of information and detail that appears in a complication will vary depending on your selected watch face.

1. Pick a watch face that allows for large-style complications (Infograph (Series 4 only), Utility for analog, and Modular for digital). How to change the clock face on your Apple Watch
2. Customize your clock face to display the Calendar complication. How to customize complications on your Apple Watch

3. Tap the Calendar complication to launch the Calendar app.

How to check the calendar on your Apple Watch with Siri

Aside from having your Calendar on as a complication, the fastest way to get to your schedule is to ask Siri, the built-in virtual assistant on your Apple Watch.

1. Raise your Apple Watch towards your mouth and say, "Hey, Siri", or press and hold the Digital Crown to activate Siri.
   • With watchOS 5 and Apple Watch Series 3 or later, you no longer need to say "Hey Siri" to get Siri's attention. Just start talking.
2. Ask Siri about the calendar information that you want to know, or just say something like "Show me my calendar."
   • "What's my schedule like tomorrow?"
   • "What events do I have remaining today?"

It's important to note that the Calendar on your Apple Watch will only go out 7-days in advance. So if you are requesting Siri to give you info about something more than 7-days away (or even in the past), it won't be available.

How to check the calendar on your Apple Watch with the app

1. Press the Digital Crown on your Apple Watch to go to your Home Screen (or tell Siri "Open Calendar").
2. Find the Calendar app icon, then tap it to launch.

3. By default, it may be on the Up Next view. You can press firmly on the screen to bring up different view options: List, Day, and Today.
4. Tap the view you want.
5. In the List or Day views, you can tap > Today to switch to a Month view.

How to respond to calendar invitations on your Apple Watch

If you receive a calendar event invite, you can respond directly on your Apple Watch instead of your iPhone. You just need to do the following:

• When you see the invite as soon as it arrives: Scroll to the bottom of the notification and tap Accept, Maybe, or Decline.
• If you see the notification later: Tap the invite in your notifications, scroll down, and respond.
• If you're already in the Calendar app: Tap the event to respond.

Questions?

Have any questions about using Calendar on your Apple Watch? Drop 'em in the comments below!

Apple provides you with the pretty basic Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad. It gets the job done, I mean you can enter new appointment details in, and it goes on your calendar, complete with alerts and reminders the day before. But sometimes it just isn't enough. Fortunately, the App Store has plenty of great options that have some cool and useful features that Apple didn't include, and here's how to get them set up!

• How to set up your calendar in Fantastical
• How to set up your calendar in Calendars 5 by Readdle
• How to set up your calendar in Google Calendar
• How to set up your calendar in Timepage
• How to set up your calendar in Microsoft Outlook

How to set up your calendar in Fantastical

Fantastical is my preferred calendar app of choice on iOS and Mac. I love it because the interface is beautiful and easy-to-use, and the natural language input for adding events makes it super easy to quickly create new events, rather than filling out individual fields. Plus, you get Reminder integration too, alerts, multiple calendar syncing, and much more. It's easily one of the best calendar apps around and well worth the cost.

• $5 (iPhone) - Download Now
• $10 (iPad) - Download Now

Fantastical 2 will work with your existing account calendar that you added in iOS Settings. Here's how to set that up if you didn't already:

1. Launch Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Go into Passwords & Accounts.
3. Tap Add Account.

4. Select your provider, then log in with your account credentials.
5. Once you give access and the account is verified, make sure that at least Calendars is selected (you can also turn on Mail, Contacts, and Notes if you want). Repeat steps 3-5 for all of the accounts you need.

6. Launch Fantastical on your iPhone or iPad.
7. Tap on the Settings Gear in the top left corner.
8. Tap on Calendars.

9. Select which account calendars you want to view in Fantastical.
10. Tap Settings in the top left to save your selection and return to Fantastical's Settings view.

You can also create new calendars to your iCloud account directly within Fantastical.

1. Launch Fantastical on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the Settings Gear in the top left corner.
3. Tap on Calendars.

4. Select Add Calendar in the bottom left corner.
5. Give your calendar a name.
6. Select the account to add it to (only seems to work with iCloud for whatever reason).

7. Choose a color for that calendar.
8. Tap Done in the upper right corner.

9. That calendar will automatically be selected to be displayed in Fantastical, but you can de-select it if need be.
10. Tap Settings in the upper left corner to save your selections and go back to Fantastical Settings.

Fantastical is sleek, fast, and powerful. Plus, once you get your calendars set up, you can tweak the individual settings to work just how you need it to work. It's quite a robust app that makes managing your schedule a breeze.

How to set up your calendar in Calendars 5 by Readdle

Readdle's Calendars 5 is a more traditional calendar app that focuses on displaying as much information about your schedule on the screen at once. You get monthly, weekly, and daily views, natural language input for event creation, built-in task management, and more. There are two ways to get your calendars set up in Calendars 5: importing from native iOS Calendar, or by syncing directly with Google Calendar.

$7 - Download Now

The easiest way to get started with Calendars 5 is to import your native iOS calendar data. To get that setup, do the following:

1. Launch Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Go into Passwords & Accounts.
3. Tap Add Account.

4. Select your provider, then log in with your account credentials.
5. Once you give access and the account is verified, make sure that at least Calendars is selected (you can also turn on Mail, Contacts, and Notes if you want).
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for all of the accounts that have calendars you want to access.

7. Launch Calendars 5 on your iPhone or iPad.
8. Select iPhone Calendar on the screen that asks you to select the calendar to sync with.
9. Tap Next.

10. Calendars 5 will import your calendar data from iOS.
11. Tap on the menu button (three lines) in the top left corner to select which calendars you want to show or hide in Calendars 5.

If you prefer to not have your calendars in iOS for whatever reason, you can choose to have Calendars 5 sync with Google Calendar directly instead.

1. Launch Calendars 5 on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Select Google Calendar on the initial setup screen.

3. Tap Next.
4. You'll then be taken to the Google Account login page, where you input your credentials and grant access to Calendars 5.

5. All data will be pulled from Google's servers directly, and all changes are saved immediately.

When you need to add a new calendar, it's easy to do in Calendars 5.

1. Launch Calendars 5 on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the side menu button in the top left corner.

3. Scroll down and tap on Edit Calendars.
4. Click Add Calendar for an account (only works for local iCloud calendars or Google Calendar sync).

5. Give the calendar a name.
6. Select a color for the calendar.
7. Tap Save.

How to set up your calendar in Google Calendar

Google Calendar is my default calendar service, and it has been for many years. And while I prefer to just have my info stored in the iOS settings, sometimes you'll want to just work with Google's own app for your calendar needs. After all, what would work better for Google Calendar besides...Google Calendar? The app is fast, gives you all the information you need, syncs immediately with no delays, and has the same Google aesthetic from the web version. And it's pretty easy to get started.

Don't use Google Calendar? No problem! The app also works with iCloud, Exchange, and Yahoo! calendars. You'll need to get those set up in iOS Settings first.

Free - Download Now

1. Launch Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Go into Passwords & Accounts.
3. Tap Add Account.

4. Select your provider, then log in with your account credentials.
5. Once you give access and the account is verified, make sure that at least Calendars is selected (you can also turn on Mail, Contacts, and Notes if you want).

6. Repeat steps 3-5 for any additional accounts you need.
7. Launch the Google Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
8. If you have previously logged in to your Google Account on your device, the Google Calendar app picks up on it and shows you associated accounts—choose the ones you want to use.
9. If the account you want to use doesn't show up in the list, just tap on Add another account and then input your login credentials.

10. Tap Get Started once your accounts are in order.
11. Tap the side menu button in the top left corner.
12. Select the calendars you want to display or hide.

If you want to add an account later down the line to the Google Calendar app:

1. Launch Google Calendar on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the side menu button in the top left corner.

3. Scroll down and select Settings.
4. Scroll down and tap Manage Accounts.
5. Select Add another account.
   • You can also toggle existing accounts on or off, and also add calendars from iOS in this section.

You cannot create a new calendar in the Google Calendar app. If you need to add a new calendar to you account, you'll need to do it on the website.

How to set up your calendar in Timepage

Timepage by Moleskine is one of the most beautiful calendar apps, as it resembles something like an old-school paper planner (no surprise, since it's by Moleskine). While you do need a membership (there's a 7-day trial) to do things like add new events, viewing your schedule is free, and sometimes you'll just appreciate the gorgeous view. It also has Reminder integration, tells you when you should leave, lets you know about the forecast, and more.

Free with in-app purchases - Download Now

Like other calendar apps, Moleskine pulls data from the iOS Calendar data that you have.

1. Launch Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Go into Passwords & Accounts.
3. Tap Add Account.

4. Select your provider, then log in with your account credentials.
5. Once you give access and the account is verified, make sure that at least Calendars is selected (you can also turn on Mail, Contacts, and Notes if you want).

6. Repeat steps 3-5 for as many accounts as needed.
7. Launch Timepage on your iPhone or iPad.
   • On initial setup, it will ask you to create an account, but you can also skip this and do it later.
8. Swipe right-to-left to access the main menu.
9. Select Preferences.

10. Tap on Calendars.
11. Tap on Setup Calendars.
12. Choose the calendars that you want Timepage to display.

13. Tap on the back button.
14. Tap on Set Default to pick your default calendar to add events to (membership required).
15. Select your default calendar.

16. Tap back until you return to the main schedule view.

To get the most out of Timepage, you will need a membership. Fortunately, there is a 7-day trial to test out all of the features of Timepage before you decide. It's definitely one of the prettier calendar apps, and it has a good amount of functionality. If you find it useful, then it can be worth the subscription.

How to set up your calendar in Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is a powerful solution for those who want to manage both their email and schedule in a single app. This is great when you often get emails and event invites and need to double check your calendar before responding. It's one of Outlook's strengths, and easy to set up.

Free - Download Now

Before you start, you'll need to set up your email account with Outlook first. Once your account is set up, Outlook will automatically fetch your calendar that is associated with the account.

How to set up your email in Microsoft Outlook

1. Launch Outlook on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Select the Calendar view from the bottom toolbar.

3. All calendar events that are on your associated account's calendar will appear.
4. Tap on the view button to switch between Agenda, Day, 3-Day, or Month views.

5. Tap on the Create button to add a new event.

Manage your schedule like a boss

Otter+Pop Symmetry Series Case ($50 and up at OtterBox)

The Otter+Pop Symmetry Series case for your iPhone model is our favorite case. It comes with a built-in Popsocket that sits flush and works with wireless charging. Checking your schedule with one hand has never been easier or more doable.

Maxboost Screen Protector ($14 at Amazon)

Make sure you protect your iPhone screen while dealing with your hectic schedule! Maxboost's screen protector for the iPhone XS is made of tempered glass for maximum protection for your screen. It is super thin at only 0.25mm and has 99 percent touch accuracy. Plus, you get three in one pack.

Questions?

These are some of the better calendar apps out there, and they provide some great features that you won't find in Apple's own Calendar app. So give them a whirl and see what works best for you! If you have any questions about these, let us know in the comments.

Establishing relationships for your different contacts can be a great way to make getting in touch with your loved ones more human, especially when you go hands-free. For instance when using Siri, instead of saying "Call Kathryn," I can say "Call my mom," because I've previously established that Kathryn is my mother.

What's more, these contact relationships sync across iCloud to your iOS devices, so you only need to do this once for all of your devices to be updated on who's who to you.

• How to create a contact relationship using Siri
• How to manually add relationship data with the Contacts app

How to create a contact relationship using Siri

1. Activate Siri on your Mac, either from your Menu bar, Dock, or a keyboard shortcut.
2. Tell Siri who the contact is and your relationship to them in a single phrase, such as "Larry is my uncle."

3. Say "yes" or click on the Yes button when prompted by Siri.

And now your relationship should be set. Note that, while this works great for unique relationships, relatives that have similar titles can present a bit of a problem. For instance, if you have two sons, you'll need to assign them differently for Siri to differentiate between them. You can, of course, use labels such as "older son" or "baby brother" where you need to.

How to manually add relationship data with the Contacts app

1. Open the Contacts app from your Dock or Applications folder.
2. Click on your contact card.

3. Click the Edit button in bottom-right of your card.
4. Click the + button.

5. Hover over More Fields and click Related Name.
6. Enter the name of your contact.

7. Click on the relation field next to your contact's name. It might already have a relation like "parent" or "sibling" in place by default.
8. Click on the relationship you want Contact to establish between you and your contact.

9. Click Custom... on the relationship list if you want a custom label instead of any of the pre-defined labels.
10. Enter your custom label.

11. Click OK.
12. Click Done.

Great Mac accessories

Samson Meteor ($54 at Amazon)

If you want better audio when you're talking to Siri, Samson's Meteor is a great tiny microphone that's up to the task.

iDevices Switch ($28 at Amazon)

Get your smart home started with this HomeKit- and Alexa-compatible smart switch, perfect for any of your existing appliances.

Flexibits's popular Mac calendar app, Fantastical, is out with a new update! Version 2.5 includes the following updates:

• Meetup.com support
• New time proposals
• Multi-day events
• Mini Window in macOS split view
• Request responses
• Miscellaneous improvements

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCqtwv2hhyw

You can purchase a copy of Fantastical in the Mac App Store for $49.99. If you'd like to give it a trial run first, you can download a trial version over on the Flexibits site.

$49.99 - Download now

Meetup.com support

If you use Meetup for creating and scheduling — you guessed it — meet-ups, you'll be happy to hear Fantastical 2.5 supports Meetup accounts.

You can add your Meetup account by clicking Fantastical in the menu bar, choosing Preferences…, selecting the Accounts tab, clicking the Add account button (looks like a plus sign), selecting Meetup, and logging in with your account details.

New time proposals

Arguably the coolest new feature, Fantastical 2.5 adds support for new time proposals.

If you're running an Office 365 or Exchange calendar, Fantastical will integrate seamlessly with your calendar. If you're using a CalDAV calendar (iCloud, Google Calendar, etc.), Flexibits has worked out a way to bring this feature to those services, too!

Multi-day events

Fantastical already supports all day events that span multiple days in your calendar. Now, however, it also supports multi-day timed events. That means if you've got an event that starts at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday and ends at 4 p.m. on a Thursday, you'll be able to see those details in your Fantastical calendar.

To access this feature, click Fantastical in the menu bar, choose Preferences…, select the Appearance tab, and check the box next to Show multi-day events in all-day section.

Mini Window in macOS split view

If you use macOS's split view, you're really gonna dig this one! Fantastical 2.5 lets you drag its Mini Window into a split view.

Request responses

If you're using an Exchange calendar, you can add an option to request responses from your contacts.

Miscellaneous improvements

If you're one of those Mac users who likes to get a lot out of their Dock or menu bar, you'll be happy to hear Fantastical will now let you show the current calendar week number in the Dock icon or menu bar.

To access this feature, click Fantastical in the menu bar, choose Preferences…, select the Appearance tab, and click the dropdown menu next to either Menu bar icon shows: or App icon badge shows: and change it to Current Calendar Week.

Fantastical 2.5 also adds a few keyboard shortcuts for editing calendar events:

• If you hold down the Option (or Alt) ⌥ key while editing the start time of an event, it will leave the end time the same.
• If you select an event in the Day or Week view and press Control (or Ctrl) ⌃ + Option (or Alt) ⌥ + Up arrow or Down arrow, you can adjust the start time of an event.
• Selecting an event in the Day or Week view and pressing Control (or Ctrl) ⌃ + Shift ⇧ + Up arrow or Down arrow lets you adjust the end time of the event.

Thoughts?

Have you updated to Fantastical 2.5 yet? Thinking about getting Fantastical?

May 2, 2018: Actually enjoy keeping track of your contacts with Cardhop 1.1

Cardhop developer Flexibits announced today in a blog post that a new update is currently rolling out for Cardhop, bringing it to version 1.1. The update includes new features like smart groups, printing, and more, and will ideally making keeping track of all your contacts — friends, family, business colleagues, or otherwise — more efficient than ever before.

Here's the full list of cool new features Cardhop 1.1 offers, according to the company:

• Support for new languages: Cardhop now supports English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. Note that that does include full text parsing and localized address and phone formats, so you won't have to worry about finagling ways to adhere to those formats yourself.
• Smart groups: With Cardhop 1.1, you can now create dynamic smart groups that automatically update based on specific search criteria. So for instance, if you add multiple contacts from, say, your business, you can have them all grouped in one place by doing things like adding @tags to their descriptions. That way, if you work with someone you've also started playing D&D with, you can add tags for both of those things and will be able to find that contact in both "groups" without having to actually individually sort them into one group or the other.
• Template preferences: You can now alter contact templates to customize fields and labels for new contacts.
• Printing support: With the new update, you can print customized envelopes, labels, and lists of contacts without ever needing to leave the app. All you have to do is press Command + P while viewing a contact you'd like to send mail to, and Cardhop will print an envelope or label for you. Or, if you'd like a list of multiple contacts, you can just select more than one and then choose to print.
• Add Notes with Timestamp: This is a new option that allows you to quickly insert the current date and time into the notes of a contact, so you can keep track of when exactly you added relevant information.
• Suggestions: Typing into a related name field will now conjure up suggestions of other names in your contacts.

What is Cardhop?

Cardhop is a contact management application created by Flexibits, the developers behind popular calendar app Fantastical. It's essentially an alternative to the native contacts app on your Mac, and lives in your menu bar so it can be accessed any time you need it. It does all sorts of incredibly cool things that set it far above most other contact organization options, and is possibly the most flexible, intuitive, user-friendly way to keep track of the email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, Twitter handles, birthdays, and more of pretty much everyone you know. It also allows you to interact with contacts in a myriad of different ways directly from the app, so you don't have to go through all the hullabaloo of doing things like looking somebody up, copying their email address, and pasting it into whatever mail client you use.

For a more in-depth look at Cardhop, I'd definitely advise checking out our own Rene Ritchie's Cardhop will make you love contacts on the Mac. Dammit.

If you'd like to try it out for yourself, you can sign up for a free trial on the Flexibits website or purchase it on the Mac App Store for $19.99 by clicking the link below.

See Cardhop on the Mac App Store

Updated May 2018: Added info about Cardhop 1.1.

iCloud is a great service for syncing information across your Mac and iOS devices, including calendars and contacts. But things happen, and sometimes services fail. If you are ever worried about data loss, or just being unable to reach or update your iCloud calendars or contacts, you can back them up by downloading them to your Mac from iCloud.com.

Here's what you need to do to back up data from iCloud to your Mac.

• How to back up your Calendar data from iCloud
• How to back up your Contacts data from iCloud

How to back up your Calendar data from iCloud

1. Head to iCloud.com in your browser of choice.
2. Log in to your iCloud account.

3. Click Calendar.
4. Click the sharing icon next to the calendar that you want to back up.

5. Click the checkbox next to Public Calendar to make the calendar public.
6. Click Copy Link.

7. Paste the link into your browser's address bar, but don't hit Return or Enter. You might want to do this in a different tab from the one in which you're viewing your iCloud calendars.
8. Replace the webcal portion of the link with http.

9. Press Return or Enter on your keyboard. The calendar will now be downloaded to your Downloads folder.
10. Click Cancel if you don't want to add this calendar to the Calendar app on your Mac.
11. Open your iCloud Calendars tab.

12. Click the sharing icon next to the calendar that you shared.
13. Click the checkbox next to Public Calendar again if you want the calendar to be private once more.

You'll need to repeat this process for any other iCloud calendars that you want to back up.

How to back up your Contacts data from iCloud

1. Head to iCloud.com in your browser of choice.
2. Log in to your iCloud account.

3. Click Contacts.
4. Click on the Contact group that you want to back up.

5. Select all of the contacts you want to save. This can be accomplished either by holding down the Command key on your keyboard and click the contacts, or (especially if you want to select all of them) clicking on one contact, holding Shift, then clicking the bottom of the list of contacts you want to select.
6. Click the gear icon.

7. Click Export vCard.
8. Click Cancel if you don't want to import that vCard into Contacts on your Mac right away.

Questions

If you have any questions about backing up your Calendar and Contact data from iCloud, let us know in the comments.

I hate Flexibits. First, with Fantastical, those jerks made me enjoy using a calendar app so much I actually show up for meetings and appointments. Infuriating. Now, with Cardhop, Michael Simmons and Kent Sutherland have also made me enjoy using a contacts app. Sorta. Cardhop is by no means a traditional contacts app. It's more of a connection launcher. And that's what makes it magic.

Apple is often accused of "Sherlocking" indie apps by building them into the core OS. Some indies, like Flexibits, show how Apple can be Moriarty'd right back by fundamentally improving the built-in OS experience. That's what Fantastical did and that's what Cardhop does as well.

Cardhop lives in your menu bar and you can invoke it with whatever key combo you assign. (You can also detach it, move it, and even expand it full screen if you really want to.) Set up is super simple — just grant Cardhop permission to access the macOS contacts database, and you're good to go.

Once open, Cardhop presents you with a well-manicured list of recent contacts. Not a junk drawer of every partial, fragmented email address you've picked up or duped over the years, but a short, highly glanceable list of people you might actually want to contact next. If anyone has a birthday coming up, that's highlighted too.

Most of the time I don't even see the list, though. Because I'm already typing. That's what makes Cardhop so damn great. If you're familiar with Fantastical or some of the text-based launcher apps, including Spotlight, then you'll be familiar with power of typing in Cardhop. Otherwise, just start hitting the keys.

Type a name, get the contact. Type a fragment of the first and last name, get the contact. (I love that, because I'm too lazy to type full names.)

But you don't just type to search. You type to act as well. If I type "Ser Cal", I get Serenity Caldwell. If I type "Ser Cal artoo@imore.com", I add that email address to her contact. (I can even type "work" to specify the kind of email address I'm adding.) Same if I type a date for her birthday. If I type "Call Ser Cal" it'll place a phone call to Serenity using call relay or BT pairing, your choice.

In addition to Call, you can also just type Copy, Directions, Email, FaceTime, FaceTime Audio, Large Type, Message, Skype, Telegram, Twitter, URL, and VoIP, and get access to all of those actions as well.

Copy is brilliant because it removes the tedium of extracting and sharing a contact out of a typical database page.

When you put it all together something profound happens. In traditional computer workflows, you think about a person, figure out how you want to contact them, open the app that will contact them in that way, then find their contact within that app. It's circuitous and leaves you open to multiple distraction and friction points. With Cardhop, you think about the person, hit the hotkey, start typing their name and how you want to contact them, and you're on your way.

It's so powerful that, once you get used to it, you'll never want to go back to the built-in Contact app again. And that's what makes a great indie app truly great.

Cardhop will eventually run you $19.99 but you can grab it on sale now for $14.99.

See Cardhop on the Mac App Store

Some folks don't have the entire Apple ecosystem. iPad is arguably one of the most popular tablets around (if not the most popular), but many iPad users don't use iPhone — they're on Android, and that's OK. I run Android, but I use an iPad for mobile gaming and reading digital comics.

Syncing between the two platforms isn't inherent, but you can sync Reminders and lists with certain apps. That way the whole family can stay on the same page, no matter which operating system each person prefers.

• How to sync reminders and calendars between iPad and Android
• How to add events and reminders to Google Calendar for iPhone and iPad

How to sync reminders and calendars between iPad and Android

Use the Google Calendar app. It's absolutely the best way to sync reminders and calendars across both platforms. When you use Google Assistant on your Android phone, the reminder is automatically added to the Reminders calendar in Google Calendar. Even if you don't have Assistant, using Google Calendar for reminders is the perfect way to see all of your to-dos, whether they be simple, menial things or upcoming events.

Download the Google Calendar app for iOS, sign in with your Google account, and boom – reminders and events are automatically synced.

The unfortunate aspect of this process is the lack of support for Siri if you're going the other way. If you have an Android tablet and want to sync reminders from iPhone, you won't be able to sync your reminders from the Reminders app. You could sync over your Calendar app events by subscribing to your calendar's URL in Google Calendar, but that's not always best, since events can take up to 24 hours to show up in your Google Calendar.

Apple does let you sync Reminders with other accounts, but your options are pretty much everything but Google (who'da thunk?!).

If you want to sync reminders and calendars between iOS and Android, just use the Google Calendar app for everything. All you have to do is sign in and it's all there. You may have to mess with your sync settings, but that's about it. That's the price we pay for walking in both worlds. C'est la vie.

There are other Android apps that help with syncing, but many are quite hit and miss and some of the more popular ones, like SmoothSync, haven't been updated in years.

How to add events and reminders to Google Calendar

How to add events and reminders to Google Calendar for iPhone and iPad

Adding events and reminders to Google Calendar is pretty much the same as adding them to any other calendar app.

1. Launch Google Calendar from your Home screen.
2. Tap the switch next to an account if you already use Google accounts on your iPhone or iPad. Otherwise, tap Add a Google account and sign in.
3. Tap Get Started. Google Calendar will load all existing events for that account.

4. Tap the add button in the bottom right corner of your screen. It's the red + button.
5. Tap Reminder or Event.
6. Tap the green area below the X to enter a title and tap Done.
7. Tap the date to scroll and change it. You can set the time as well or tap the switch to make it an all-day event.

You can then add a location to your event or reminder, as well as notifications, and you can change its color, and add notes and attachments.

Need something more intensive?

If you think you need something a little more robust than Google Calendar, then you might want to check out some third-party apps, like:

• Evernote — Free, w/ IAPs — iOS, Android
• Microsoft OneNote — Free — iOS, Android

Questions?

Sound off in the comments below.

If This Than That, also known as IFTTT, a service that connects to other apps and services in order to help them work together, has added support for two more iOS-specific applets: Calendar and the App Store. With the new applets available with these integrations, you could, for instance, add an event to your iOS calendar using your Amazon Echo, or get notified when an app gets an update.

From IFTTT:

There are already a number of suggested applets, but of course part of the magic of IFTTT is making your own. You will need to have the IFTTT app in order to activate these applets, but there's no update necessary to take advantage of Calendar and App Store support, as it's been added behind the scenes. The service previously added support for the Reminders, Photos, and Contacts apps on iPhone and iPad as well.

If you don't have it already, you can grab IFTTT from the App Store now.

• Free - Download Now

Updated March 2017 with additional steps for un-syncing calendars.

If you accepted an invitation from someone to share a Google calendar but aren't seeing it on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac; it could be due to your Google Sync settings. Google turns sync off by default for new calendars, particularly shared ones. It's frustrating, and it's why you can't immediately see them on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac even when you can see them online. Luckily it's also simple to fix — once you know how!

How to get shared Google Calendars to show up on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

1. Launch Safari or any other web browser on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
2. Go to calendar.google.com/calendar/syncselect.
3. Sign in if you aren't already.
4. Under Shared Calendars, tick the boxes for the calendars you want to see on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

It can take a few minutes for the calendars to appear. If they don't appear right away, close the Calendar app and reopen it.

How to stop a calendar from syncing across your devices

If you have a shared Google calendar that you only need access to every once in a while, so you don't want it on your iPhone, you can un-sync it. I share a practice space calendar with about a dozen people, which takes up pretty much all the space on my calendar app. Un-syncing it from Google's calendars makes my schedule look a lot less daunting.

1. Launch Safari or any other web browser on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
2. Go to google.com/calendar/syncselect.
3. Sign in if you aren't already.
4. Untick the box for any calendar you don't want to sync with your iPhone or iPad's Calendar app.
5. Click Save to save the settings.

From now on, those calendars won't even appear as an option for you to add to the built-in Calendar app (or even any third-party app that supports Google Calendar).

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about syncing shared Google Calendars with the built-in iPhone and iPad Calendar app? Put them in the comments and we'll help you out.

Allyson Kazmucha contributed to an earlier version of this article.

My first smartphone was the iPhone 5. After some frustration, I switched to Android for a bit, and then came back for the iPhone 7. One thing I truly loved about Android was its Google Apps experience. The Gmail app for Android is intuitive, laid out nicely, and ultimately easy and convenient.

Returning to iOS with much of my data tied up in Google Drive, I downloaded the Gmail app and immediately felt cold, alone, and like Bambi watching his mother being shot (OK, that might be a bit dramatic).

The Gmail app for iPhone just wasn't a good time. Until now!

Everyone loves a comeback

OK, the Gmail app never really went anywhere, but my iPhone-using friends with Google accounts weren't using it. That's because it felt stilted and far less intuitive than its native counterpart. I mean, come on — swiping to delete might be its best feature! The lack of features was, to put it lightly, lame.

Remember Space Jam, when all the Looney Tunes get together and "spit shine" that gym until it's gorgeous? That's what Google did in the latest Gmail app update. It's a Google app, on an iPhone, that actually feels like a Google app, and I love it.

Hey, ma, look what I can do!

The latest update doesn't just come with a facelift; the iOS Gmail app has a few new tricks up its sleeve.

There's nothing more annoying than having to select emails, one by one, and then tapping to delete, or selecting them all and tapping to delete. Just like in the Mail app, you can now swipe to either archive or delete email (you can change the action in the account's settings within the app).

Searching was a major pain in the ass before, too. Now you can search much faster, and live search options will populate as you type, so if you're in the mood for productivity, the Gmail app now saves you time when you're looking for old email.

A collective sigh of relief swept over Googledom when Google introduced the Undo Send feature for desktop. You can now do it in the iOS app, so if you've sent an email riddled with typos, or you accidentally called the boss Mom, you can quickly undo sending the email and no one will know. (I mean, you'll know, and you'll have to live with that for the rest of your life. But no one else will know. Well, Google might. But no one else.)

Google plays nice

Is this a gesture of good faith by Google toward iPhone users? Who knows? Either way, it's a smart move on Google's part, especially if it actually want folks using its apps.

Will this sway anyone at this point? Perhaps not. I set up Outlook a while back and getting into a new email app can be a bit tedious. That being said, the Gmail app recognizes the Google accounts on your iPhone and has them ready to go when you launch the app, so it wouldn't be all that difficult.

I think that the best thing this update has going for it is that it makes it that much easier for Android users to transition to iPhone, which might make them want to stick around a little longer. To be fair, Google's apps are great to use — on Android devices. Making them more Google-y for iOS is a smart move.

Maybe it was everyone saying that the Pixel is Google's iPhone!

Calendar gets some love too!

Google didn't just overhaul the Gmail app; it added some shiny new features to Calendar to make things more Google-y as well!

You now have Month view and week view in landscape. How you have a calendar app with no month view, I don't know, but Google finally added it. Rejoice and enjoy.

Spotlight search support is now a thing! You can search for Google Calendar events, reminders, and more!

The iOS Google Calendar app now supports alternate calendars, so anyone looking for dates on non-Gregorian calendars can find what they want.

Are Google and Apple buddy buddy now?

No, presumably not, but Google sprucing up its apps to function like they're supposed to is a boon to those coming from Android or those who just like the look and feel of Google apps. Is it a bit late in the game to attract new users to these apps? Probably, but as folks constantly switch teams, this is a positive step for Google, and a wonderful change for anyone on iOS looking for a decent email app and having to use Google Calendar.

Your thoughts?

Do you use the Gmail app now? Will you make the switch now that it's awesome? Do you use Google Calendar? Let us know in the comments below!

The Productivity Pack is back, allowing you to subscribe to popular productivity apps and services on the iPhone and iPad for a discounted price. This year's bundle includes the likes of Pocket, Wunderlist, LastPass, UberConference, and more for $69.99.

Here's what you get with The Productivity Pack:

• One-year subscription to Pocket Premium
• One-year subscription to Wunderlist Pro
• One-year subscription to LastPass Premium
• One-year subscription to UberConference Business
• One-year subscription to Do Business
• One-year subscription to Quip Business
• Twelve-week digital subscription to The New York Times

The combined value of all the services listed above is around $500, and the asking price at $69.99 represents savings of 85%. The deal is valid until April 22, so if you're interested, best act fast.

The Productivity Pack

Microsoft is rolling out a new and major update for its Outlook email and calendar app for the iPhone and iPad. The app will incorporate a number of design features that are a part of the Sunrise calendar app that Microsoft acquired a number of months ago.

Microsoft says:

Microsoft adds that nearly 30 million people are now using some form of Outlook on their tablets or smartphones. In addition, Engadget reports that the Sunrise calendar app will eventually be discontinued by Microsoft, but only after all of its main features have been incorporated into Outlook.

• Free - Download now

Source: Microsoft, Engadget

I went out to dinner with my family a couple of nights ago and, when we got to discussing plans for the summer, I needed to check a couple dates. Since I've come to rely on my Apple Watch for any brief but important interaction, I immediately lifted my wrist, tapped into the Calendar app, went Month View, and then—out of iPhone-honed instinct—scrolled down to go to the next month and... nothing but a rubber band bounce-back of nope.

The Apple Watch shipped with a Month Views in Calendar but only for the current month. I knew this, I know this, and yet every so often I go there without even thinking about it, expecting it to be there, only to be denied. Then I have to pull out my iPhone—yes, like an animal.

I've seen it happen with friends and acquaintances as well, and each time it does the conversation momentarily diverts to how great it would be if we could see more months than just the current one.

watchOS, the Apple Watch's operating system, seems to support the kind of behavior I'm expecting—plenty of apps let you swipe through sequential screens. The feature also seems in keeping with the Apple Watch's focus on quick, easily digestible information.

"Can we do Disney the second weekend in August?" "I'll check!" Lift. Tap. Swipe. "The first is a Saturday, so... the 8th or the 15th?" "Let's do the 15th!"

You can ask Siri questions that will get you information about upcoming months, but it's not the same as a high-level visualization of the entire month. It's not the same as seeing a traditional calendar.

One of the big new features for watchOS 2 is Time Travel for Complications. It'd be great if Apple also gave us "time travel" for Month View in Calendar, and let us see, recall, and schedule going backwards and forwards.

We've filed this as a feature enhancement request with Apple's bug reporter: rdar://21642763

If you use the default Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad, you can quickly and easily manage any events you were invited to, no matter how you RSVP'd the first time around. If you decide later you need to change your mind, you can quickly access an entire list of all the events you were invited to by following these steps:

How to manage all shared calendar events on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on Inbox in the bottom right hand corner.
3. Tap on Replied in the top navigation.
4. You'll see an entire list of shared events. Tap on any of them to view more details or tap on any action button to change your reply quickly.

Google Calendar has finally come to iPhone by way of a native app. And not only can it sync your Google calendars, it can also grab your local calendars, including iCloud and Exchange. Use Gmail? Google Calendar can even import events right from your email automagically. There's no denying Google's got some fancy tricks up its sleeve. That doesn't mean there isn't still work to be done.

The good

• Bright and bold interface
• Accesses and syncs with local calendars in just a few taps
• Lots of calendar views to suit any workflow
• Notifications for events

The bad

• No way to drag events to quickly move them
• Manually editing events is clunky and slow
• No swipe gestures to return to previous screen, a bummer on the 6 Plus for sure
• Gmail event detection doesn't work with Google apps currently
• A lot of wasted space in list view
• No Today View widget
• Natural language support for event creation is subpar

The first thing you notice about Google Calendar is the bold interface. If you like colorful, you'll enjoy it. Google automatically detects certain event types and puts graphics behind them, which is a nice touch, even if it doesn't have a productive purpose. As nice and eye catching as the main schedule view is, it wastes a lot of space that could be used to show more events at a glance. It's not a huge peeve, but for anyone who has a busy calendar, it could result in a lot of scrolling.

Google Calendar can automatically pull in all your local calendars and stay in sync. It's worth noting though that Google can only help you fill in event details for things added to your Google calendars. If you are entering an event in iCloud or Exchange or any other calendar type, you're on your own. That's okay though because in my short time using Google Calendar, the natural language support leaves a lot to be desired. I had trouble typing times or days and getting Google to understand it. If it isn't something that Google Maps or your contacts can feed in, you're more than likely going to have issues.

Google make good choices in terms of the different calendar view options offered. Tapping the three dots in the upper right hand corner lets you toggle between schedule (a basic list view), day, and three day. This is also where you go to access search. The three day view is one of my favorites. Scroll sideways and up and down to view events in the grid. The only addition I'd really like to see Google add is the ability to quickly drag events around to reschedule them. It's a feature that the default Calendar app offers and one I desperately wish would come to many other calendar apps, not just Google Calendar.

The bottom line

Google Calendar is off to a good start but it isn't making me switch away from Fantastical 2 any time soon. Gmail detection for events is awesome but doesn't work for Google Apps, which makes the feature useless for a lot of people (I know, security issues, sigh). The schedule view feels like a lot of unnecessary scrolling. Gesture based navigation desperately needs to be added, as anyone using an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus will quickly realize. I've also become accustomed to using calendar apps that offer Today view widgets in Notification Center. I was disappointed to see that Google didn't offer anything.

If you've been using Google Calendar on your iPhone, what do you think of it so far? What features would you like to see Google add in a future update? Let me know in the comments! And if you haven't tried it yet, you can pick it up for free at the link below.

• Free - Download Now

By default, the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad won't show events you haven't confirmed on your calendar view. If you don't like this behavior and would like to see all events — declined or not — in all calendar views on your iPhone or iPad, all you've got to do is change a setting. Here's how!

When you choose to show declined events in the Calendar app, you won't actually receive notifications for them. You'll simply see them in your Calendar app. You'll only ever receive notifications if you change your RSVP to either maybe or attending.

How to see shared events you previously declined in Calendar for iOS

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on Calendars in the bottom navigation.
3. Turn On the option for Show Declined Events, it's all the way at the bottom.
4. Tap Done at the top right.

There's no longer an excuse to get mixed up between lists for work and lists for home and personal stuff. Separate said content into folders and you're good to go. It's easy to create folders too, just drag-and-drop lists onto one another. As well as implementing the above new functionality, the Wunderlist team has also launched a brand new design for the iPhone, Mac and Android.

The redesign introduces colorful pictograms and making it easier to navigate around the apps themselves. But there's more should you be rocking an iPhone.

Coming first to the smartphone, Wunderlist offers a quick add feature with language detection. This will enable you to quickly tap a blue circle once the app is fired up, choosing either to create a list or add a to-do entry. If you're hitting a deadline, Wunderlist will understand such commands like "Finish presentation by Sunday at 8pm." This feature will also roll out to other platforms.

• Free – Download Now

Have a lot of appointments and meetings to juggle? Would it make your life a little easier to be able to easily see how long it will take you to get from one place to another? Apple's Calendar can use location information to figure out just that, and best of all, it's easy!

How to get travel times with Calendar for iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the event you'd like to calculate a travel time for or create a new one.
3. Tap on Edit at the top right.
4. Tap on Travel Time.
5. Turn On travel time.
6. Tap on Starting Location and tell Calendar your starting location either by entering an address or the name of a place or business.
7. Tap on Based on location for either driving or walking directions.
8. Tap on Edit Event at the top.
9. Tap Done.
10. Look for travel time under the date area.

The Calendar app on the iPhone and iPad supports alternate calendars, including Chinese, Hebrew, and Islamic. By default, in America, it's set to U.S. format. However, you can easily change it to any of the other formats. Here's how!

How to enable Chinese, Hebrew, or Islamic formats in Calendar for iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
3. Tap on Alternate Calendars under the Calendars section.
4. Tap on any one of the supported alternate calendars you'd like to use instead of the standard format.
5. Your Calendar app should now reflect those changes.

The Calendar app on your iPhone and iPad not only lets you create and view events and appointments, but it lets you store all sorts of other important details as well. From conference call dial-in numbers to Google Hangout URLs, the link and notes field in the Calendar app can come in very handy!

How to add links and notes to calendar events on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the plus sign in the upper right hand corner to add an event like you'd normally do.
3. Scroll towards the bottom and you should see a URL and Notes field.
4. Fill them in accordingly with any info you need to add.
5. Tap Add at the top right to save your event.
6. You can now tap on URLs and view notes attached to the event, as can anyone you share the event with.

How to view links and notes in calendar events on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the event that has a URL or notes attached.
3. The URL will load automatically in Safari or the appropriate app.

If you happen to be in the market for a high-powered contact management app, then you might want to take a look at the newly-released BusyContacts. The app, by BusyMac, makers of the much-loved BusyCal calendar app, brings smart filters, customizable views, integration with the aforementioned BusyCal and more.

We'll let BusyMac founder John Chaffee tell you all about what's in the new BusyContacts:

• Customizable Views — View contacts in a single-column Card View or multi-column List View.
• Tags — Tags can be used for grouping, filtering and coloring contacts.
• Smart Filters — Smart Filters are a powerful tool for filtering contacts, creating saved searches, and even applying custom view settings in the List View.
• BusyCal integration — BusyContacts integrates with BusyCal by linking contacts to events in your calendar, providing flexible CRM capabilities for tracking past and future activities.
• Activity List — The Activity List displays activities associated with the selected contact including calendar events, emails, messages, and recent social network posts.
• Social network integration — BusyContacts syncs with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, combining contact information from each of these sources into a unified contact view.
• Syncing — BusyContacts syncs with the built-in Contacts app on OS X and iOS through all leading cloud services including iCloud, Google, Exchange, and other CardDAV servers.
• Sharing — BusyContacts allows you to share address books with read-only or read/write privileges through Exchange, Fruux, LAN, and other CardDAV servers.

BusyContacts certainly does seem to be one of the most powerful and flexible contacts apps out there, but getting in on the action will come at a price. Specifically, $49.99, though current BusyCal owners can get it at a reduced rate of $29.99, or you can buy both together for $79.98. If you're not sure if that's the kind of coin you want to spend to manage your contacts, you can check out the free 30-day trial to take it for a spin first.

Source: BusyMac

Some calendars are a necessary evil, even if we don't necessarily want them cluttering up our Calendar app. Perfect examples of these are shared work calendars that contain lots of pertinent information, but you may not need to see that information all day, every day. That's where hiding calendars comes in handy: You can tuck away calendars you don't need often and quickly toggle them back on when you do. Here's how!

Hiding calendars is different from deleting calendars: You'll still receive any notifications you have set up, you just won't see that calendar unless you unhide it. It makes this trick a great solution for super-busy calendars that cast a shadow over everything else.

How to hide a calendar in the iPhone and iPad Calendar app

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on Calendars at the bottom.
3. Tick Off the calendar you want to hide.
4. Tap Done at the top left.
5. The calendar should now be hidden. To unhide it, just perform the same steps again.

The built-in Calendar app on your iPhone and iPad has a few extra add-on features that you can enable if you choose. Week numbers is one of them and lets you easily view what week number of the year it currently is and what week any date falls on, which is much easier than counting weeks manually!

How to turn on week numbers in Calendar for iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
3. Turn On the option for Week Numbers, which can be found under the Calendars subsection.

iOS has let us copy, paste, and print for quite some time now, but iOS 8 shook things up, allowing developers to build action extensions right into their apps that make them more useful and intuitive than ever. With action extensions, you no longer have to copy a password from your favorite password management app or use an in-app browser; instead, you can call it up via the Share sheet whenever you need it. You can also perform translations on the fly, thanks to apps like Bing Search, or even add a delivery to your favorite tracking app with just a tap. Read on for some of our favorite apps that support action extensions!

Workflow

Workflow automation has come to iOS and oh, how glorious it is. Ever wanted a task like saving photos from Safari to Dropbox to be simpler? With Workflow, pretty much everything can be simpler. From saving photos to creating GIFs in a few taps, Workflow lets you create any number of actions that you can trigger right within the Share sheet.

• $4.99 - Download Now

Bing Search

The Bing Search app is just what it sounds like — an easy way to access Bing Search. As an action extension, however, it's much more than that. Once enabled, you can use Bing to translate any webpage to your native language. That means if you ever stumble across a website that you can't read, just pull up the Share sheet and tap on the Bing translate button. Voila, you're done! It doesn't get much easier than that.

• Free - Download Now

1Password

1Password is a password management app that not only securely stores all your passwords, logins, and other kinds of credentials, but also can help you generate safer and stronger passwords. As an action extension, 1Password lets you quickly autofill that information into just about any form. When you find something you need to fill, just tap the Share button and select 1Password. It pulls your stored data right from the app, letting you easily access the password or information you need. 1Password can be downloaded for free but required a $9.99 in-app purchase to unlock premium features.

• Free with IAP - Download Now
• 1Password for Mac - $49.99 - Download Now

Dashlane

Dashlane is a password management app similar to 1Password: The main difference between the two is that while 1Password has a higher up-front cost for the entire suite, Dashlane offers subscriptions to fit your needs. Aside from storing your passwords and logins, Dashlane can also help you generate super-strong passwords. In terms of action extensions, Dashlane is available anywhere and can be triggered from any Share sheet for all your password and autofill needs.

• Free with IAP - Download Now
• Dashlane for Mac - Free with IAP - Download Now

LastPass

If I'm including Dashlane and 1Password, I can't leave LastPass out. Aside from having an action extension that autofills passwords and logins, LastPass can be used with other kinds of useful services such as Google Authenticator, password sharing between families, and much more. For anyone that needs more than just your run-of-the-mill password manager, LastPass is a great choice.

• Free with IAP - Download Now
• LastPass for Mac - Free - Download Now

PDF Converter

PDF Converter by Readdle lets you quickly convert just about anything into a PDF document, and with action extensions, you don't even have to launch the app. Instead, call it up via the Share button and convert any Safari page — or content from another app — into a PDF that you can then send off to anyone you'd like.

• $2.99 - Download Now

Deliveries

Anyone who needs to track a lot of packages knows the value of having an all-in-one place to do everything. Deliveries is not only awesome at tracking every kind of package imaginable, it also includes a Today widget so that you can track everything at a glance and an action extension so you can quickly add tracking numbers right from Safari without having to copy, paste, or even launch the Deliveries app.

• $4.99 - Download Now

Pocket Informant

Pocket Informant is one of the most feature-packed calendar and reminder apps you can find. The premium version can even sync directly with Google, Toodledo, and Evernote. And its action extension lets you send things directly to Pocket Informant right from the web or within apps that are supported. Creating tasks and reminders just got a heck of a lot easier.

• Free with IAP - Download Now

Things

Things is a task and project management app that's available for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You can add tasks to Things and sort them later, create individual projects to manage, and much more. With action extensions, you can send items from Safari or other apps directly to Things, no app opening necessary.

• $9.99 - Download Now
• Things for iPad - $19.99 - Download Now
• Things for Mac- $49.99 - Download Now

Zip-It

Zip files and the iPhone have rarely played nice together. With Zip-It, not only is it easy to view the contents of compressed archives, you can do it in as little as two taps thanks to action extensions. View a zip file in Safari and open it right through the Zip-It extension. The Zip-It app also lets you password-protect zipped files, view contents without actually opening them, and store things in iCloud Drive.

• $2.99 - Download Now
• Zip-It for iPad - $2.99 - Download Now

View Source

View Source is an app and action extension that lets you view the source code of any web site. Just call up the extension in Safari and tap it. You'll instantly be shown the source code. You can also view assets and stylesheets, and copy them right to your own photo library. View Source has lots of other useful features within the app for simple source code browsing.

• $0.99 - Download Now

Your Favorites?

If you've been enjoying action extensions as much as we have, let us know your favorites in the comments!

Calendar subscriptions let you stay up to date on everything from your team schedule to national holidays to network programming. The iPhone and iPad let you subscribe to any calendar that provides a compatible URL. As long as you have the link for the subscription, you're good to go.

How to add calendar subscriptions to your iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
3. Tap on Add Account... under the Mail section.

4. Tap on Other.
5. Tap on Add Subscribed Calendar under the Other section.
6. Enter or copy in the server location of the calendar. This is typically a web address that ends in .ics.

7. Enter any username, password, or SSL info you need to. Most times you don't have to with public subscriptions.
8. Tap the Next button.
9. Tap the Save button.

That's it, the subscribed Calendar will now show up in the Calendar app.

The Calendar app for iPhone and iPad offers several different ways to view your events and appointments. If you have a busy day ahead of you, list or day view may be best. If you're trying to get a good idea of what your next several weeks are going to be like, month view on the iPad lets you view everything in a glance. However, there are slight differences in how Calendars for iPhone and Calendars for iPad function, so you'll want to know how to use both.

How to switch calendar views on your iPhone

The built-in Calendar app for iPhone gives you quite a few choices when it comes to viewing your information. The most general time frame is year, followed by month, then day, and finally, individual event view. You can also toggle a convenient list view as well to see a stream of all your events, or view it underneath the default month view.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone.
2. By default, you'll normally see a month view.
3. Tap on the list button in the top navigation to combine month view with a summary view underneath it. Any day you tap on will then show all the events for that day underneath it.
4. Tap the month in the upper left to pan out to year view.
5. Alternately, from month view, you can also tap any day on the calendar to view a day view. Keep in mind that in order for day view to work, you need to have the list option turned off in month view.
6. Lastly, tap the list button in the top of day view in order to view a scrollable endless stream of all of your events.

How to switch Calendar views on your iPad

The iPad has similar options to the iPhone but also gives you a year view in landscape mode.

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPad.
2. By default, your calendar is most likely on month view. Tap any of the view tabs along the top to toggle between day, week, month, and year views.
3. Tap on any event title to view details on an event.
4. Turn your iPad to change from portrait to landscape mode. In landscape mode, you can view more on one screen when in week view and you also get access to year view.

The Calendar app for iPhone and iPad provides a great way to keep track of all your appointments and events. While it's faster to use Siri to create basic events, if you need more precise control, or if you want to edit existing event details, you can also do it the old fashioned way -- by tapping your way through options inside the Calendar app itself.

• How to manually create a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad
• How to manually edit a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad
• How to manually delete a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad

How to manually create a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the plus sign in the upper right hand corner.
3. This is the new event creation screen. At the bare minimum you'll want to give your entry a title as well as a date and time.
4. You can also enter an exact address under Location if you'd like.
5. Next, choose if you want the event to be an all day event. Turn this option off if the event has a specific time. You'll then see dates and times you can edit and change.
6. If you're event repeats, you can customize it to do so under Repeat.
7. Tap on Invitees if you'd like to share a calendar event with someone else.
8. Next choose an alert and second alert if you'd like to be notified of an event.
9. If you have multiple calendars set up on your iPhone or iPad, tap on Calendar in order to add an event to a specific one.
10. Lastly, enter in any pertinent URLs or notes you need to.
11. Tap Done in the upper right hand corner in order to save your entry.

How to manually edit a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the entry you'd like to edit in order to view its information.
3. Tap on Edit in the upper right hand corner.
4. Edit anything you need to and then tap Done in the upper right hand corner to save your changes.

How to manually delete a calendar event on your iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the entry you'd like to edit in order to view its information.
3. Tap on Edit in the upper right hand corner.
4. Tap on Delete Event — it's all the way at the bottom.
5. Tap on Delete Event one more time when it pops up in order to confirm the delete.

When you're creating an event or appointment in the iPhone or iPad Calendar app, you might want to add other people to it, and alert them about it. That's where invitations come in. If you're using a calendar service that supports it, like Apple's iCloud service or Microsoft's Exchange, all you need are the email addresses for the people you want to invite.

• How to share an event on your iPhone and iPad
• How to accept an event invitation on your iPhone and iPad

How to share an event on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Either create a new event or tap an existing event that you'd like to share.
3. Tap on the Edit button in the upper right hand corner.
4. Tap on Invitees.
5. Add all the email addresses of the people you'd like to share the event with.
6. Repeat the process for each person you'd like to invite.
7. Tap Invitees in the top left when you're done in order to return to the previous screen.
8. Tap the Done button in the upper right hand corner.

How to accept an event invitation on iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the Inbox button in the lower right hand corner.
3. Tap Accept to add the event to your calendar. Tap Decline or Maybe to refuse the invitation or wait so you can decide later.

That's all there is to it. Do you use calendar invites regular with friends and family to stay on top of appointments and events that involve multiple people? How has it worked out for you so far? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

If you need to quickly change the time of an event or appointment in your iPhone or iPad's Calendar, the today view gives you an incredibly easy way of doing so by dragging and dropping instead of entering into edit mode for each event you need to change. Unfortunately, the Calendar app doesn't make the option very obvious. But once you know where it's at, we're pretty sure you'll prefer it over editing individual events when it comes time to plan your day.

How to move a calendar event or appointment on iPhone or iPad by dragging and dropping

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Toggle list view off at the top if it isn't already.
3. Tap on the day you need to switch things around for.
4. Press and hold on the event you need to change the time for. It will change to a darker color.
5. Drag the event to the time you need to move it to and release it when it's at the correct time.

The Calendar app on the iPhone and iPad can keep track of all your events and appointments, all in one place. But it doesn't have to keep them all in the same calendar. If you prefer to keep your work life and personal life separate, or to have a specific calendar for kids activities, or a special vacation, or for anything else, you can easily do so. Since each calendar gets its own color, and you have the ability to hide or show individual calendars, it's a great way to stay organized and stay sane at the same time. Additional calendars are easy to setup, and if you ever stop needing them, they're easy to delete as well.

• How to create calendars on your iPhone and iPad
• How to delete calendars on your iPhone and iPad

How to create calendars on your iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendars app from your Home screen.
2. Tap on Calendars at the bottom.
3. Tap on Edit at the top.

4. Tap on Add Calendar...
5. Give the new calendar a name and a color to represent it.
6. Tap Done in the upper right hand corner.

That's it! Your new calendar is now available for you to start adding events to! When creating a new appointment, meeting, or other kind of entry, just choose your new calendar under the calendar section.

How to delete calendars on your iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendars app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on Calendars at the bottom.
3. Tap on Edit at the top.

4. Tap on the calendar you'd like to delete.
5. Tap on Delete Calendar. It's located all the way at the bottom.
6. Tap Delete Calendar one more time on the popup that appears.

The calendar should now disappear as will all the events that were in it. Keep in mind that sometimes subscribed calendars and CalDAV subscriptions need to be deleted a different way through the Settings app. So if you don't see a delete button and that's what you're trying to delete, try through the Settings app just like you did to add the subscription.

If you use Apple's free iCloud service, and you've added calendars to better organize your events, you may want to make one public or share it completely. For example, if you manage a club or league, and want other members to be able to view it as well, but not edit it like they could a shared calendar, a public calendar is the way to go. If you're planning a trip or maintaining a work schedule, and want other people to be able to not only view, but add and edit events, then a shared calendar is the way to go.

• How to make an iCloud calendar public on your iPhone or iPad
• How to share an iCloud calendar on your iPhone or iPad

How to make an iCloud calendar public on your iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the Calendars button on the bottom navigation.
3. Tap on the Info button to the right of the calendar that you'd like to make public.
4. Scroll down and turn On the option for Public Calendar.
5. Tap on Share Link... to share the calendar with others.

That calendar will now be shared publicly on Apple's calendar site. Anyone and everyone who knows where to look will be able to see it, but not edit it. If at any time you decide you don't want to share that calendar any longer, repeat the same as above, just turn the public calendar option to off.

How to share an iCloud calendar on your iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the Calendars button in the bottom navigation.
3. Tap on the Info button next to the calendar you'd like to share.
4. Tap on the Add Person... option under the Shared With section.
5. Add the people you'd like to share the calendar with and tap Add.
6. Tap Done in the upper right hand corner.

The calendar will now be shared with everyone who's iCloud account you've added. They'll simply receive a calendar notification asking them to accept your invite. Once they do they'll be able to view events and edit them. Remember, calendar sharing currently only works with iCloud calendars. Both you, and the person you want to share the calendar with, have to be using iCloud.

Thanks to Fantastical 2 for iPad I can now rapidly enter and find appointments and events on all my Apple devices, all the time. Flexibits' hyper-efficient, natural-language parsing calendar app first shipped for the Mac in May of 2011. Fantastical for iPhone landed in November of 2012. Now it's April of 2014, three years post-Mac, a year-and-a-half post-iPhone, and because of Michael Simmons and Kent Sutherland, I can't even use the default iPad calendar as an excuse to avoid time management anymore. I'm now a fully organized person. And yeah, I still love to hate them for that.

Fantastical 2 for iPad will be immediately familiar to anyone and everyone who's ever used the iPhone version. It has the same iOS 7-style look and the same spot-on iOS 7 physics. It has a similar multi-pane layout though instead of two regions — day ticker and list — it has three. The more expansive layout consists of the day ticker on the top, the list view on the left side, and, new to Fantastical 2 for iPad, the month grid on the right side. That highlights how Flexibits has chosen to paint on the bigger canvas. And yes, Flexibits manages to not only keep the amazing bi-directional scrolling of the iPhone version, horizontal and vertical tied perfectly together, but expand it to include the second, less frequently timed vertical scroll that still feels properly timed and weighted. Phenomenal piece of work, that, and it really sells the experience.

On Fantastical for iPhone you had to pull the day ticker down to get the month grid. Now it's there all the time. So what happens if you pull down on the day ticker on Fantastical 2 for iPad? You get the week view that's only available on the iPhone by rotating to landscape mode. (The iPad version is, wisely, identical in portrait and landscape.) Keep pulling and the week view goes full screen.

To get back, unlike repeating the pull down gesture on iPhone, you push up. It's something I thought I'd wanted on the iPhone version but now I'm not sure. It feels more natural but is also a little trickier and it can collide with the Control Center gesture if you're not careful.

Speaking of gestures, Fantastical 2 for iPad takes a cue from Apple and provides greater gesture support on the big screen than it does on the smaller iPhone screen. You can swipe from the left bezel to pull in the reminders list and the right bezel to pull in the search panel. To get around potential discoverability problems, Fantastical also provides checkmark and magnifying glass buttons to trigger the panels, and hints to introduce the gestures.

There are also buttons to open the settings panel and to add events and reminders. Settings offers all the usual options and toggles for the light theme, weekend highlights, time zones, calendars, events, and reminders, as well as the ability to open links in 1Password for iPad, and to switch on notifications.

Adding events and reminders uses the same great natural language text entry system Fantastical for Mac and iPhone have made famous. Just toggle to switch between events and reminders, and tap if you want to set all the details right away.

If all of that sounds quick and easy that's because it is. Like Fantastical for Mac and Fantastical for iPhone, Fantastical 2 for iPad is simply the most efficient way to get things into and out of my calendar that I've found to date. The Mac is what I use when I want to enter a lot of stuff because you still can't beat the power of the keyboard. The iPhone is what I use when I need to add something or find something on the go. So where does the iPad fit in? That's the biggest question I had when I first began beta-testing the app. And the answer should have been obvious — it fits in precisely where the iPad fits in. Right in between.

Now, when I'm reading comics or books, watching movies or TV shows, getting some light work done on a plane or at a coffee shop, I can handle calendaring just as well as I can on the Mac or iPhone. The circle is finally complete.

There will be people for whom Fantastical 2 for iPad isn't the ideal solution. Some with very light, occasional usage will be content with Apple's own Calendar app. Others might simply prefer a different approach, a cheaper approach, or something more server-centric. For those who just want to get in, get out, and get stuff done, I strongly recommend Fantastical 2 for iPad.

Fantastical 2 for iPad is now available on the App Store at the introductory price of $9.99. It'll go up to its regular $14.99 price point when the sale ends. It's not a universal app, so if you already own Fantastical for iPhone you'll have to buy it again for iPad. Since Apple doesn't allow upgrade pricing, and adding a second interface via in-app purchase can be tricky, Flexibits has chosen to go with a second, stand-alone app for iPad. It's less convenient but it's the reality most indie developers have to face. For an app I'll be using every day, potentially all day, that's fine with me. I'm far more concerned about the long term viability and sustainability of a product I depend on than the fractions of a penny it'll cost me to use over time. It's obvious a ton of time and a ton of care went into making Fantastical 2 for iPad and it's going to take more of the same to keep pushing it forward. I wish more developers would price their software to last. I've lost too many apps to insolvency or buyout to wish for anything less.

• $9.99 on sale - Download now

Macworld|iWorld 2014 is fast receding into the rear view mirror. Before it gets too distant I thought I'd gather my thoughts and look back on this year's event. Thirty years on, is Macworld|iWorld an event still worth attending?

I talked with a few people last week who complained bitterly about the small show floor. Look, folks, if that's all you're coming for, you're wasting your time. Macworld Expo, as the show was called in another life, was once a veritable Turkish bazaar of vendors hawking goods, offering show specials that enabled Mac users looking for bargains to walk away with bags stuffed with goodies, meeting hundreds of vendors along the way and getting exposure to dozens upon dozens of new products they'd never seen before.

Those days are long behind us. The people pining for it may as well be waiting for the return of the Egyptian pharaohs. It simply isn't going to happen. The Internet has made it easier to find information about products and to get good deals on them.

That's not a good reason to come to Macworld|iWorld. However, good reasons abound. To that end, the event's conferences and workshops have taken more of a central role. That isn't for everyone. It requires a larger commitment: it's a bigger up front cost and a bigger risk if you're stuck with a dud speaker. Fortunately that doesn't happen too much at Macworld|iWorld.

Whether you're a creative professional, a hobbyist or an IT pro, chances are there was something on the conference track that would have appealed to you: developing photo and video workflows from mobile to desktop, for example, or how best to use iCloud Keychain; best production techniques for Logic Pro X; power user Apple Mail tips. There were also meet up opportunities for like-minded showgoers, whether your interest was music, cryptocurrency, education or business consulting.

MacIT: The show's new center

Far and away the most robust track for this year's Macworld|iWorld is MacIT, which gathers information technology specialists from around the world to talk and to learn about how best to leverage Apple technology in the enterprise. When I last went to Macworld three years ago, MacIT was just picking up speed. Now it's full-bore and central to the Macworld|iWorld experience – a three-day event that incorporates its own conference track entirely distinct from the other Macworld conferences.

Despite its name, MacIT isn't just about Macs – there were lots of sessions focusing on using iOS devices in enterprise and education, as well. MacIT ran Wednesday through Friday at this year's event, with practical sessions on managing Apple IDs, using technology like Apple's Device Enrollment and Volume Purchase Programs, using iOS 7 in education, Macs and medicine and much more. If you're responsible for taking care of Macs or iOS devices in business, you have a strong reason to participate when Macworld|iWorld comes back around next year.

Neat gear on display

The exhibit hall floor is different than it was years ago, but that doesn't mean it wasn't worth looking over. Vendors large and small graced the floor. iPhone case vendors deserve their props. Among the standouts were FLIR Systems, with their FLIR ONE case. The case adds night vision to your iPhone 5/5s via a thermal camera.

Moshi's new Sensecover protects your iPhone's screen while showing you time and date through a window; a conductive strip on the cover lets you unlock the phone and talk without having to open it.

The IN1Case is a new TSA-compliant iPhone case that's equipped like a Swiss Army Knife, complete with scissors, screwdrivers, pens and more.

iPhone case vendors only made up a portion of the show floor – there were lots of other cool pieces of gear on hand.

Drobo showed off its new third-generation network storage device, a four-bay system that enables you to store data on your network including Time Machine backups. Drobo claims the new system is up to three times faster than before, has enhancements for Time Machine, and will be available for $349 in late April. You can order it in a DIY configuration with no drives installed; a fully-populated 16 terabyte Drobo will cost $1,449.

There's so much emphasis on standing while working these days – standing desks are all the rage – and companies like Ergotron and Ergotech Group showed off their systems for getting your desktop or laptop Mac off the desk so you can stand up, and Kickstarter-funded iSkelter showed off their new SlatePro Personal TechDesk, made of compressed bamboo, complete with cutouts for iPad, iPhone and vent holes, available in standing and sitting versions.

Appalooza: A treasure trove of hidden gems

Some vendors opted to exhibit in a turnkey kiosk space on the show floor called Appalooza. A bit like speed-dating for expogoers, this area condensed more than four dozen exhibitors into a single section of the show floor. Despite the number of vendors, it was well-spaced, with room for attendees to sit down and relax as they made your way among the booths.

It was there that I found CityHour, an iOS app that leverages LinkedIn's prodigious database of resumes to help you connect with like-minded business people. Are you a graphic designer looking for freelance work or an iOS developer looking for their next contract? Find out if anyone within a 50 mile radius is interested in meeting with you in the next two hours. Make the most of an overnight layover in a new city or a free afternoon out of the office.

PhatWare showed off WritePro, a $9.99 word processor/note taking app with handwriting recognition and sync support for Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud, and more. WritePro documents are standard HTML files, so you can view them just about anywhere you have access to a web browser.

EverWeb hopes to fill the gap left by Apple's dear departed iWeb app – a web site creator for people who don't want to bother with code. Unlike template-based web page creation tools, EverWeb employs a drag-and-drop system that's reminiscent of Softpress's Freeway app. What's more, EverWeb sells a hosted service that makes it easier to publish your site.

BusyMac created a lot of buzz on the show floor when it introduced BusyContacts, an OS X app designed as a replacement for Apple's own Contacts app. It syncs with the existing Contacts database on iOS and OS X but features customizable views, tags, smart filters, social network integration, and more – including integration with BusyCal. You'll see it this summer, initially as a public beta.

Social events too

In previous years, the event's organizers have held a "Blast" party that has variously featured bands or DJs. This year the Blast party was sadly missing from Macworld|iWorld's itinerary. I don't know if it'll ever return, but that doesn't mean nothing happened after dark.

There were still parties: social networking app TAPPD had a launch party; Cult of Mac, DiskAid and MacUpdate teamed together for their own CultCast Live party a few blocks away; SCOTTEVEST sponsored a happy hour at a local tapas bar; and The Mac Observer, BackBeat Media and their sponsors held Cirque Du Mac, a blowout party with live music courtesy of the Macworld All-Star Band, now in its 11th year.

What's more, on any given evening after the show, you could find Macworld attendees, exhibitors and speakers rubbing elbows in the lounges of local hotels and at bars and restaurants near the Moscone Center. It's obviously not a mandatory part of the event, but it's good fun and a great opportunity to talk with people away from the show – assuming the music isn't too loud to hear them.

Bottom line: Is it worth coming to Macworld|iWorld?

Macworld Expo got started 30 years ago, when the Macintosh first launched. The show has gone through many iterations since then, and I don't pretend that its current incarnation makes everyone happy. It doesn't, and it won't. Long time attendees may crave the bombast and scale of past shows, but I don't see that happening again.

Apple is now the most profitable company in the world, but it's become so by changing itself from a specialty computer company to a consumer electronics maker. You'd assume with all those new Apple customers, Macworld|iWorld's promoters must be doing something wrong if the show is shrinking instead of growing.

But as Apple's customer base has grown, Apple's customer has changed. Most people who use Apple products are content to just use them – not to be part of a community of users. That doesn't mean a community doesn't exist. It just means that the community has gotten more specialized.

Macworld|iWorld remains a fixture of the community. The crowds may be smaller, the announcements more subdued, but at its core, Macworld|iWorld is about and for the people who make the trip – the attendees, the exhibitors, and the speakers.

Whether Macworld|iWorld is worth it to you to attend is an entirely different question. As much as I love to go, I don't expect many people can personally justify the expense of the trip, especially those who live outside of the Bay Area where the event is held. I think there's a strong case to make if you're in IT and support Apple products, however.

For me, every time I go to Macworld|iWorld, I renew friendships and acquaintances, see new things I didn't know about and make new friends and colleagues. That's something that I can't replace or duplicate anywhere else. And that's why I hope Macworld|iWorld keeps happening for another 30 years.

UpTo is a new kind of calendar for iOS that combines your personal and business schedules together in an incredibly unique way. Need to remember that board meeting tomorrow but also don't want to forget to check in on baseball scores? No problem. UpTo can keep you on task while letting you check in on personal things that are still important to you, when you have time.

All of us have lives outside of our jobs. Unfortunately, most calendar apps are set up to manage work, not play. Unless of course you take special care to import the things that are important to you. Even then, hiding and unhiding items gets messy. Luckily, this is exactly the kind of problem UpTo aims to solve.

For starters, UpTo has a catalog of thousands of public calendars you can browse and subscribe to. These calendars cover everything from sports to TV shows, movies, concerts, and much more. Find the activities you like and subscribe to the things that interest you. As for your regular calendars that you use every day, UpTo automatically imports those. Currently UpTo supports iCloud, Google Calendar, Exchange, and a few others. Some events in the UpTo public calendar section even show statistics or in-depth information on events. For example, a baseball game may have a list of starters as well as links to more information from the MLB.

To keep your calendar from becoming cluttered or unproductive, UpTo works as a series of layers. By default only your personal calendars are shown while all the "non-work" items are hidden. In order to view them, simply place your fingers on the screen in a pinch gesture and pull the calendar apart to reveal all your subscribed to calendars. Here you'll see any upcoming events for public calendars you've subscribed to. Alternatively, you can tap the layers button in the bottom menu to toggle public calendars on or off. You can also choose to move some of your created calendars from the front or back layer in settings, which makes layers completely user customizable.

Not only does UpTo do a great job of combining work and play calendars into one app, the interface and design are well done and easy to navigate. Simply pull down on the week view to reveal a month view. Underneath that your list view still remains in tact. You can also view your inbox from the main calendar view. The overall design is reminiscent of popular calendar app Fantastical. Unfortunately it can't combine your calendar and reminders into one app the way Fantastical can. So if that's essential for you, UpTo won't be the best choice.

The good

• Tons of public calendars to choose from, all with lots of great information
• Great interface that's easy to read and navigate
• Push notifications for events
• Layers view lets you hide personal stuff when you need to and bring it back in just a swipe or tap
• You can share calendars with friends in just a few taps
• You can move any calendar, personal or public, to the front or back layer of UpTo

The bad

• No reminders integration

The bottom line

If you're looking for an iPhone and iPad calendar app that does a great job of combining work and play, look no further than UpTo. It's simple enough that anyone can pick up and start using it but customizable enough that power users can get their fix too.

• Free - Download Now

While most of us consider Sunday as the official start of the week, there are lots of reasons some people would want the Calendar app to show differently. Whether you work a different schedule or just want to group your weekends together, the Calendar app can be changed to reflect whatever you'd like. Here's how:

How to change the default start day of the week in the iPhone and iPad calendar

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
3. Under the Calendars section, tap on Start Week On.
4. Here you can change the day of the week your calendar starts on.

That's it. Now just relaunch the iOS Calendar app to see the changes. The start of the week will now reflect the day you chose.

Do you change the start days of the week in your Calendar app to reflect your work schedule? Why or why not?

Fantastical 2, one of our favorite alternative Calendar apps for iPhone, has just been updated to version 2.0.2 and even though it's a point release that contains bug fixes, it also contains a few new features as well. Among them are new app icon badge options and better handling for location matching and search results when using geofences.

Concerning the app icon badge, Fantastical 2 now gives you another configuration to choose from. Choose the new All Overdue Reminders option if you'd like Fantastical 2 to behave the same way the default Reminders app does.

If you use geofences, you should hopefully get better search results with the 2.0.2 update as well. Other improvements in the update include tweaking the invitees section so it doesn't appear so small on the iPhone, particularly the smaller screened models.

For those of you that already purchased Fantastical 2, the update is free. If you haven't tried Fantastical 2 yet, you can hit the link to purchase it. You won't be sorry you did.

• $2.99 - Download Now

If you use the Calendar app in Mac OS X, you already know how to add, delete, and manage events manually by now. What most people don't know is that the Calendar app in OS X supports natural language input, which makes adding events much quicker. Here's how to use it:

1. Launch the Calendar app from the desktop of your Mac.
2. In the upper left hand corner, click on the + sign to trigger the Quick Event entry box.
3. Type something like Lunch with Heather at noon or Meeting with Rene tomorrow at 5pm.
4. Hit the enter/return key on your keyboard.
5. Your calendar will now auto-create the entry for you. If it's correct, you're done. If you want to add more details, just do so as you normally would.

That's all there is to it. While the OS X Calendar doesn't support natural language as well as other alternatives such as Fantastical for Mac does, it's certainly something and does make entering events slightly more convenient.