Sharing Your Family Calendar with the Magic Mirror: A Guide to Troubleshooting and Success
As a modern family, we all have busy schedules and multiple commitments to keep track of. That’s why I invested in a “Magic Mirror” that displays our family calendar, allowing everyone to stay informed about upcoming events and appointments. Initially, I planned to forward relevant appointments to the shared calendar, but as we entered a new semester/work year, this became cumbersome due to the sheer volume of entries. Instead, I decided to share the calendar with everyone in the family and give them full “edit” permissions. However, not all iPhones were displaying the calendar, which led to some troubleshooting. In this blog post, I’ll share my experience and the simple fix that resolved the issue.
Why Some iPhones Didn’t Display the Calendar
After inviting family members to the shared calendar, I noticed that only two out of five iPhones were displaying the calendar. This was frustrating, as I had expected all devices to show the same information. After some investigation, I discovered that the issue stemmed from Google Sync settings. It turns out that Google (for some reason) turns off sync by default for new calendars, especially shared ones. This resulted in only some devices receiving the calendar invites and displaying the calendar.
The Simple Fix: Enable Google Sync for Shared Calendars
Don’t worry; the solution is straightforward! To enable Google Sync for shared calendars, follow these steps:
1. Open your Google Calendar app on your iPhone or Android device.
2. Tap on the three horizontal lines in the top left corner to access the menu.
3. Select “Settings” from the menu.
4. Scroll down and toggle on “Google Sync.”
5. If prompted, sign in with your Google account.
6. Once you’ve enabled Google Sync, you should see your shared calendar updates on all devices connected to the same account.
A Word of Caution: Make Sure All Devices Are Connected to the Same Google Account
To ensure that everyone can access and view the shared calendar, make sure that all family members have their devices connected to the same Google account. This is crucial because if you’re using different accounts, some devices may not receive the calendar invites or updates. So, take a moment to verify that everyone is signed in with the same Google account on their iPhones or Android devices.
Benefits of Shared Calendars and the Magic Mirror
Now that we have our shared calendar up and running, here are some benefits we’ve experienced:
1. Increased visibility: Everyone can see upcoming events and appointments, reducing confusion and missed commitments.
2. Easy collaboration: Family members can easily add events to the calendar, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
3. Less work for me: Instead of manually forwarding appointments to each family member’s device, I only need to update the shared calendar once.
4. Improved communication: The Magic Mirror displays the calendar in a central location, encouraging open conversation about schedules and plans.
Conclusion: A Smooth and Successful Family Scheduling Experience
With these simple steps, you can enable Google Sync for shared calendars and enjoy a seamless family scheduling experience with your Magic Mirror. By sharing the calendar with full “edit” permissions, everyone can easily add events, and the Magic Mirror will display the updated information in real-time. Remember to verify that all devices are connected to the same Google account to avoid any syncing issues. With this system in place, we’ve streamlined our family scheduling, reducing confusion and missed appointments. So, go ahead and give it a try – your busy family schedule will thank you!