Without a calendar to keep track of events, some folks would be absolutely lost. While there are a lot of different calendar applications on the App Store, Apple includes a “basic” app on every iPhone.
It’s likely that you already know how to do basic things like add events. However, we’re going to take a look at some of the lesser-known tips and tricks for your calendar needs.
Copy Events Across calendars
There are some issues with Apple’s Calendar app, as there is some limited functionality.
Once such “issue” arises when you try to copy or duplicate events with different calendar presets.
However, there is a workaround for those who want to copy events using the iOS Calendar App on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
Duplicate or Copy An Event Within Apple’s Calendar App
Open the Calendar App on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod
Tap an event you want to duplicate
Select the Edit Button to open up the Edit Details
Copy the event title by selecting all and then copying it
Go back to the calendar view
Tap the “+” icon in the top right-hand corner to start a New Event
Paste the previous event title into the Title Entry
After you enter the title, look for that same titled event to pop-up just below the title
Tap that pop-up
All of the information transfers to the new event you are trying to create
Change the Date
Review the rest of the event details and make any desired changes, like changing the designated Calendar, adding or removing invitees, repeating meeting settings, updating alerts, and so forth
Once done, press Add
Take a look at your calendar and verify that event copied to your new date
iOS Calendar App automatically sends your invitees’ email invitations to the new event!
Currently, the Calendar App supports email invites only, not iMessage or text message
Invitees receive an email asking them to RSVP. When they Accept or Decline, you receive a notification
View current invitation responses by tapping the event’s name in your calendar
Changing the Scheduled Meeting Time Settings By The Minutes
Whenever you create a new event, you are normally given the option for 5-minute intervals.
However, there is a little easter egg that lets you easily switch between 5-minute and single minute intervals.
Here are the steps you need to take to see minute by minute options:
Open the Calendar app
For a new Event, tap the “+” icon in the top right-hand corner and enter meeting info
For an already scheduled event, tap the event itself and press Edit to show details
Select either Starts or Ends
Double tap on the selection to change from 5 minutes to 1-minute intervals
Before
After
To switch back, double tap it again to see the 5-minute intervals
This may not be the best way to schedule events, but if you need a reminder a specific moment, then you can use Calendar.
How Do You Send a Calendar Invite via iMessage?
After you have created an event, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll want to send some invitations. Well, unless you are planning to sit around by yourself for the duration of the party.
You can go through and send email invitations through the Calendar application. But, that’s not very productive and can get rather annoying if your friends don’t check their emails.
Unfortunately, if you are “limited” to Apple’s Calendar app, then you will be stuck using the email method.
However, if you have a third-party app like Fantastical then you can actually send event invitations via iMessage!
This feature comes with the help of the new drag-and-drop feature added with iOS 11 and above.
If you’re an owner of Fantastical, then you’ll follow these steps:
Open Fantastical
Find the event you want to share
Press and hold on the event and drag out of the standard view
While holding the event, go home and open iMessage
Drop the event into the message body
If you are frustrated with Apple’s Calendar app, here are a few of our favorite alternatives:
How to Work With different Calendar Views on Your Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is arguably one of Apple’s greatest products since the iPhone. The company has taken the smartwatch market by storm, holding a commanding market lead.
Being able to glance down at your wrist to get all of the information you need without pulling your phone out is amazing.
However, when it comes to the actual Calendar app, there is a tip that you may not have known about.
The default view in the calendar app is all fine and dandy, but did you know there are three different display modes?
Change Your Apple Watch’s Calendar Display Mode!
Open the Calendar app on your Apple Watch
Force touch on the default view
Select which view you want to be displayed, from List, Day, or Today!
Many Apple Watch users don’t know about this, despite owning the smartwatch for quite some time.
Luckily, Apple has some tips and tricks for the Apple Watch that we are still discovering.
How to Sync Facebook Birthdays with your iPhone Calendar
Facebook has been in the headlines for a lot of the wrong reasons as of late. There are still folks who use Facebook religiously and want to keep track of all of the various events.
Press the refresh page button in the URL search bar or tap the share button at the bottom and select Request Desktop Site
Once the page has loaded in desktop mode, you’ll need to pinch and zoom to find the proper links
In the bottom right-hand corner, look for a box that says: “You can add your events to Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar or Apple Calendar”
Below that, there will be two links: Upcoming Events and Birthdays
When clicking these, a dialog box appears letting you know “this website is trying to show you a calendar invite. Do you want to allow this?” Tap Allow to move forward
The message might also ask if you want to add them to your calendar
Choose either Add All or select each event and add one-by-one
After this has been completed, it takes your phone a few moments, but the events appear
Conclusion
These are just some lesser-known tips and tricks for using the Calendar on your iPhone.
If you have some more tips and tricks, you would like to see covered, sound off in the comments below!
You can also start a new event and then set a start and end time, then start typing a few words of a meeting name that you previously used and you should see some options pop-up of previous meetings that had the same title or contained words. Tap on the meeting you want to duplicate and all the information transfers over into your new event!
Heres how I duplicate an iOS Calendar App event when using my iPad or iPhone
Find the event on your calendar that you want to copy
Open the event and press Edit
Change the Repeat setting to Every Day
Change the End Repeat to the very next day (so the event only repeats once)
Press Done to duplicated that event to the next day at the same time
Now, open that second event (the one you just created using the Repeat feature) and choose Edit
Change its Repeat setting to Never
Press Done
From the pop-up message, choose to Save for Future Events
DO NOT choose Save for this event only!
Open that first event again
Press Edit and change its Repeat setting to Never
Press Done
From the pop-up message, choose to Save for Future Events
Open that second event again and update its Date and Time and any other meeting information to what you want
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.
Sometime in the last few operating system upgrades Apple has introduced the ability to easily duplicate calendar events. Simply long press (don’t tap) the event in the calendar and choose “Duplicate” from the pop up menu. This works on iOS and iPadOS 16.5; not sure in which version this capability first appeared.
The Copy Function within I Calendar has changed along with the reduction in Keyboard effeciency that came along with that keyboard change in late 2019/early 2020. Now the long press turns the entire text red and does nothing. So the release highlight must be done and reattempted. The second or third time finally the ‘Select All’ function will appear.
Why the highlight without function appears I do not know.
Still can’t duplicate an event in the pitiful, pathetic embarrassment known as the iOS Calendar app. Thank God for Android!
Still can’t generate an event, reminder or task from within the pitiful, pathetic embarrassment known as the iOS Contacts app.
BUT, we’ve got a bunch of emoji’s!!!!
Apple. You are truly an embarrassment! Thank God for Android!!!
We updated the steps with additional screenshots. Try copying and pasting the previous event title and then see if a pop-up appears with your previous meeting data. If so, tap on that to auto-fill your new meeting.
You can also start a new event, set the start/finish times, and then start typing the first few letters/words of the previous meeting you want to replicate. You should see a pop-up of that previous meeting (or meetings), tap one of these options to auto-fill your information into the new meeting.
Sadly the copy calendar event doesn’t work, the only thing it manages to copy is the title which you’ve copied manually anyway, the time etc. You have to manually reenter meaning this is not copying the event at all. Very poor apple, must try harder.
Dave Hawkins says
Sometime in the last few operating system upgrades Apple has introduced the ability to easily duplicate calendar events. Simply long press (don’t tap) the event in the calendar and choose “Duplicate” from the pop up menu. This works on iOS and iPadOS 16.5; not sure in which version this capability first appeared.
Becca says
Thank you so much this was a great help!
Mark P says
The Copy Function within I Calendar has changed along with the reduction in Keyboard effeciency that came along with that keyboard change in late 2019/early 2020. Now the long press turns the entire text red and does nothing. So the release highlight must be done and reattempted. The second or third time finally the ‘Select All’ function will appear.
Why the highlight without function appears I do not know.
Robert Smith says
Still can’t duplicate an event in the pitiful, pathetic embarrassment known as the iOS Calendar app. Thank God for Android!
Still can’t generate an event, reminder or task from within the pitiful, pathetic embarrassment known as the iOS Contacts app.
BUT, we’ve got a bunch of emoji’s!!!!
Apple. You are truly an embarrassment! Thank God for Android!!!
Lizzard G says
Create a new event and set the desired start date and time.
Start typing the name of the previous event you want to copy in the TITLE field.
A pop-up or drop down menu of previous meetings containing the letters or words of the event appears.
Select the event you want to copy
That meetings data(including title, alerts, invitations should auto- fill into your new event, but the start time and date you earlier selected!
Not simple or intuitive. But possible!
Jarod Christensen says
Copying the event title doesn’t copy the entire event, only the title.
You have to enter times all over again.
You may as well just do the whole thing over again?
I have a 4/4 work roster which of course changes by one day each swing.
I did what you was in your tip and it only copied the title, even after select all was selected?
Kind Regards,
Jarod
SK says
Hi Jarod,
We updated the steps with additional screenshots. Try copying and pasting the previous event title and then see if a pop-up appears with your previous meeting data. If so, tap on that to auto-fill your new meeting.
You can also start a new event, set the start/finish times, and then start typing the first few letters/words of the previous meeting you want to replicate. You should see a pop-up of that previous meeting (or meetings), tap one of these options to auto-fill your information into the new meeting.
Kyle Serrecchia says
I followed this step for step and it didn’t work as you said.
I click the previous event that pops up and only the title loads in.
I still have to put the time in manually.
It takes more time than just making a whole new event all over.
Bill Thein says
Sadly the copy calendar event doesn’t work, the only thing it manages to copy is the title which you’ve copied manually anyway, the time etc. You have to manually reenter meaning this is not copying the event at all. Very poor apple, must try harder.