Google Calendar is my go-to tool for keeping track of a very busy schedule. I use the service to note all of my writing deadlines, so it’s absolutely crucial that I stay on top of them — otherwise, I wind up behind, which could lead to a rather disastrous day or week. To stay on top of those calendar and task entries, I make sure Android is up to the task of notifying me.
One handy feature in Android is the ability to configure notifications for Calendar events and Tasks separately. That way you can set them such that they sound different alarms, vibrate, override Do Not Disturb or any combination. Because Calendar events have a much higher priority for me than Tasks, I tend to configure those notifications differently, so there’s no mistake about what’s what when an alarm sounds.
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So, how do you pull this off? I’m going to show you, with the help of a Pixel 6 Pro and Android 13.
What you’ll need to configure your calendar
The only things you’ll need are an Android device running an updated version of the operating system connected to your Google Calendar. That’s it: Let’s get to the configuration.
How to configure notifications for Calendar
This is where it gets a bit tricky because the location of the configuration is hiding in plain sight. To get to the configuration page, open the Google Calendar app and click the three horizontal line menu button on the top left of the page (Figure A).
Figure A
When the sidebar appears, scroll down to the bottom until you see Settings (Figure B).
Figure B
From the Settings page (Figure C), tap General.
Figure C
On the Settings page, scroll down until you see Calendar Notifications (Figure D).
Figure D
Tap Calendar Notifications and, on the resulting page (Figure E), configure the notifications exactly as you need them.
Figure E
Once you’ve configured the Calendar Notifications to meet your needs, go back to the General Settings page, tap Task Notifications and customize these options to your exact specifications.
I recommend setting these two notifications up differently so there’s no mistaking when a notification is for a Calendar event or a task.
And that’s all there is to configuring Calendar and Task notifications on Android. This may not be a deal breaker or maker for anyone, but it has certainly helped Android keep me apprised of must-meet deadlines, while at the same time, keeping me on top of my tasks.
Give this configuration a try and see if it doesn’t help out your overly busy day.
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