How to add calendar events in Android?

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I'm just getting up to speed on Android, and today in a project meeting someone said that Android has no native calendar app so users just use whatever calendar app they like.

Is this true, and if so how do I programmatically add an event to the user's calendar? Is there a common API they all share?

For what it's worth, we're probably targeting Android 2.x.

Chide answered 15/9, 2010 at 21:29 Comment(2)

You should probably accept oriharel's answer since he provides the code to accomplish your task. – Whodunit 20/2, 2017 at 2:52

@SumitSharma your link seems to no longer work -- and seems pretty suspect with the automatic install dialog. – Hilly 24/2, 2019 at 3:49

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how do I programmatically add an event to the user's calendar?

Which calendar?

Is there a common API they all share?

No, no more than there is a "common API they all share" for Windows calendar apps. There are some common data formats (e.g., iCalendar) and Internet protocols (e.g., CalDAV), but no common API. Some calendar apps don't even offer an API.

If there are specific calendar applications you wish to integrate with, contact their developers and determine if they offer an API. So, for example, the Calendar application from the Android open source project, that Mayra cites, offers no documented and supported APIs. Google has even explicitly told developers to not use the techniques outlined in the tutorial Mayra cites.

Another option is for you to add events to the Internet calendar in question. For example, the best way to add events to the Calendar application from the Android open source project is to add the event to the user's Google Calendar via the appropriate GData APIs.

UPDATE

Android 4.0 (API Level 14) added a CalendarContract ContentProvider.

Hispaniola answered 15/9, 2010 at 23:13 Comment(9)

We don't want to target a specific calendar - we just want to be able to add events to whatever calendar the user is using, just as a convenience to the user. Our app provides an interface to a website that organizes professional meetings and conferences. So if someone signs up for one it would be nice to pop it into their calendar. – Chide 15/9, 2010 at 23:26

I think that using the unofficial api is currently the best way to do that, even if Google discourages that. – Fossorial 15/9, 2010 at 23:51

@Peter Nelson: "We don't want to target a specific calendar - we just want to be able to add events to whatever calendar the user is using, just as a convenience to the user." -- you can't do that on Android any more than you can do that on Windows. On neither platform do you know "whatever calendar the user is using", and on neither platform is there a universal API for working with such a calendar application. – Hispaniola 15/9, 2010 at 23:55

I don't know why you keep comparing it to Windows - Everybody I know uses their phone to organize their schedules and appointments - I don't know anyone who does that on their PC - maybe it's a generational thing. But I get that Android can't do that. Thanks. – Chide 16/9, 2010 at 0:32

@Peter Nelson: I keep comparing it to Windows because people make the same assumptions. A lot of developers think they can "add events to whatever calendar the user is using" on Windows, because they think everyone uses Outlook, and hence there is only one "whatever calendar". – Hispaniola 16/9, 2010 at 0:40

@Hispaniola "Which calendar?" The main Android phone calendar, which any Android phone has. – Lyrism 25/5, 2011 at 18:41

@Yar: "The main Android phone calendar, which any Android phone has." -- except for all the Android devices that do not have that app. For example, many HTC devices do not have that app, but rather have their own calendar app, such as the HTC DROID Incredible six inches to my left. Device manufacturers are welcome to replace the calendar app -- or just about any other app -- with their own implementation. – Hispaniola 25/5, 2011 at 22:15

@Hispaniola "the Calendar application from the Android open source project, that Mayra cites". It seems Mayra deleted her comment? – Subjective 30/7, 2013 at 19:17

@Hispaniola I am trying to add event in the Google calendar through Calendar Contracts and my device version is greater than 14.But still my event gets disappeared from the calendar after some seconds.This is my issue link : #39568662 Please help me. – Knoxville 15/10, 2016 at 9:44

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Try this in your code:

Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();              
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_EDIT);
intent.setType("vnd.android.cursor.item/event");
intent.putExtra("beginTime", cal.getTimeInMillis());
intent.putExtra("allDay", true);
intent.putExtra("rrule", "FREQ=YEARLY");
intent.putExtra("endTime", cal.getTimeInMillis()+60*60*1000);
intent.putExtra("title", "A Test Event from android app");
startActivity(intent);

Cathleencathlene answered 2/12, 2010 at 14:43 Comment(16)

I like this solution a lot. Mainly because it pushes the user to select his/her own calendar (if he has more than one). – Shreeves 3/12, 2010 at 7:38

Thanks. Does this also work with sense? No funky nonsense with HTC overriding calendars, etc? – Limicolous 2/2, 2011 at 23:35

Using the code above, can I add a custom tone for the cal event notification? – Porphyria 24/11, 2011 at 21:7

Any idea why intent.putExtra("endTime", cal.getTimeInMillis()+5*60*60*1000); doesn't work (it always makes one hour events, so the example above works, but not for different endTimes) – Pretor 18/4, 2012 at 15:53

how to make this compatible for android 2.2? – Enforce 24/8, 2012 at 20:9

This is a great answer! Works on my app. One Question: Will this work on any device with a calendar app installed? – Kloster 9/12, 2012 at 22:55

@oriharel, Can you please explain this code , I had put this code but on running I'm getting application crash error...??. I had already given read and write calendar in the manifest file – Valentine 10/12, 2012 at 8:18

I want to start my app from calendar event, please help me how can I add a uri scheme to calendar event – Ranitta 1/4, 2013 at 8:1

You should use .setData(CalendarContract.Events.CONTENT_URI) instead of setType, because with setType(string) it will crash on some devices! – Colner 2/10, 2013 at 20:5

how do you also add location? @Cathleencathlene – Evanston 2/7, 2014 at 16:17

@Pretor try 5L * 60L * 60L * 1000L – Sampler 22/3, 2015 at 9:4

Full tutorial here: code.tutsplus.com/tutorials/… It's better to use constants for avoiding typos ;) – Kopeck 2/4, 2015 at 19:25

It works but it is very confusing for it's user when the user doesn't have a calendar account. Google wants to synchronize data online. – Operation 2/6, 2015 at 19:40

Your code tells your app to send data to another (calendar) app which then uses that data to add new calendar event. Your app does not write nor read calendar data, so you don't need any permissions in the manifest. – Symer 5/10, 2015 at 13:38

The hardcoded strings can be replaced by constants e.g: use CalendarContract.EXTRA_EVENT_BEGIN_TIME instead of "beginTime" and CalendarContract.Events.TITLE instead of "title". – Massimiliano 19/7, 2017 at 9:5

permissions are not necessary – Torrent 25/8, 2017 at 17:47

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Use this API in your code.. It will help u to insert event, event with reminder and event with meeting can be enabled... This api works for platform 2.1 and above Those who uses less then 2.1 instead of content://com.android.calendar/events use content://calendar/events

 public static long pushAppointmentsToCalender(Activity curActivity, String title, String addInfo, String place, int status, long startDate, boolean needReminder, boolean needMailService) {
    /***************** Event: note(without alert) *******************/

    String eventUriString = "content://com.android.calendar/events";
    ContentValues eventValues = new ContentValues();

    eventValues.put("calendar_id", 1); // id, We need to choose from
                                        // our mobile for primary
                                        // its 1
    eventValues.put("title", title);
    eventValues.put("description", addInfo);
    eventValues.put("eventLocation", place);

    long endDate = startDate + 1000 * 60 * 60; // For next 1hr

    eventValues.put("dtstart", startDate);
    eventValues.put("dtend", endDate);

    // values.put("allDay", 1); //If it is bithday alarm or such
    // kind (which should remind me for whole day) 0 for false, 1
    // for true
    eventValues.put("eventStatus", status); // This information is
    // sufficient for most
    // entries tentative (0),
    // confirmed (1) or canceled
    // (2):
    eventValues.put("eventTimezone", "UTC/GMT +2:00");
   /*Comment below visibility and transparency  column to avoid java.lang.IllegalArgumentException column visibility is invalid error */

    /*eventValues.put("visibility", 3); // visibility to default (0),
                                        // confidential (1), private
                                        // (2), or public (3):
    eventValues.put("transparency", 0); // You can control whether
                                        // an event consumes time
                                        // opaque (0) or transparent
                                        // (1).
      */
    eventValues.put("hasAlarm", 1); // 0 for false, 1 for true

    Uri eventUri = curActivity.getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().insert(Uri.parse(eventUriString), eventValues);
    long eventID = Long.parseLong(eventUri.getLastPathSegment());

    if (needReminder) {
        /***************** Event: Reminder(with alert) Adding reminder to event *******************/

        String reminderUriString = "content://com.android.calendar/reminders";

        ContentValues reminderValues = new ContentValues();

        reminderValues.put("event_id", eventID);
        reminderValues.put("minutes", 5); // Default value of the
                                            // system. Minutes is a
                                            // integer
        reminderValues.put("method", 1); // Alert Methods: Default(0),
                                            // Alert(1), Email(2),
                                            // SMS(3)

        Uri reminderUri = curActivity.getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().insert(Uri.parse(reminderUriString), reminderValues);
    }

    /***************** Event: Meeting(without alert) Adding Attendies to the meeting *******************/

    if (needMailService) {
        String attendeuesesUriString = "content://com.android.calendar/attendees";

        /********
         * To add multiple attendees need to insert ContentValues multiple
         * times
         ***********/
        ContentValues attendeesValues = new ContentValues();

        attendeesValues.put("event_id", eventID);
        attendeesValues.put("attendeeName", "xxxxx"); // Attendees name
        attendeesValues.put("attendeeEmail", "[email protected]");// Attendee
                                                                            // E
                                                                            // mail
                                                                            // id
        attendeesValues.put("attendeeRelationship", 0); // Relationship_Attendee(1),
                                                        // Relationship_None(0),
                                                        // Organizer(2),
                                                        // Performer(3),
                                                        // Speaker(4)
        attendeesValues.put("attendeeType", 0); // None(0), Optional(1),
                                                // Required(2), Resource(3)
        attendeesValues.put("attendeeStatus", 0); // NOne(0), Accepted(1),
                                                    // Decline(2),
                                                    // Invited(3),
                                                    // Tentative(4)

        Uri attendeuesesUri = curActivity.getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().insert(Uri.parse(attendeuesesUriString), attendeesValues);
    }

    return eventID;

}

Kelda answered 25/4, 2012 at 6:12 Comment(13)

this code is not working for me can anybody please provide me the proper solution for same issue? – Cadmar 11/1, 2013 at 10:36

01-11 16:06:01.928: E/AndroidRuntime(24027): java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Event values must include an eventTimezone – Cadmar 11/1, 2013 at 10:36

I added event.put("eventTimezone", "UTC/GMT +2:00") and eliminated event.put("visibility", 3) and event.put("transparency", 0) and it works well – Jamal 25/9, 2013 at 10:11

Maybe get timezone error. I add this and its works eventValues.put("eventTimezone", TimeZone.getDefault().getID()); – Parrish 6/4, 2015 at 14:3

I am getting android.database.sqlite.SQLiteException at line

Uri reminderUri = curActivity.getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().insert(Uri.parse(reminderUriString), reminderValues);

– Jobyna 31/3, 2016 at 15:2

This code not working for me. It always return eventId but calander app not showing that event to calendar. Please help me. – Reina 4/7, 2016 at 16:46

@Kelda awesome code! Thanks for that. In addition, to delete an event, one could do: String eventUriString = "content://com.android.calendar/events/" + eventId; int rowsDeleted = MainActivity.this.getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().delete(Uri.parse(eventUriString), null, null); – Overtop 25/10, 2016 at 18:20

I am also getting eventId but calander app not showing that event in calendar. – Amoretto 2/1, 2017 at 11:32

My data goes into birthday instead of events. any solution for that? @Amitabha Biswas – Blaubok 25/5, 2017 at 7:47

Solved the problem #44175199 – Blaubok 25/5, 2017 at 10:37

but one when i set values.put("rrule", "FREQ=DAILY"); and set endDate, its not working. event set for all days not till the end date. @AmitabhaBiswas – Blaubok 25/5, 2017 at 10:39

values.put(CalendarContract.Reminders.CALENDAR_ID, 1); values.put(CalendarContract.Reminders.TITLE, "Routine Everyday1"); values.put(CalendarContract.Reminders.DTSTART, millisecondsTimesEveryday); values.put(CalendarContract.Reminders.HAS_ALARM, true); values.put("rrule", "FREQ=DAILY"); //UNTIL=1924885800000 values.put(CalendarContract.Reminders.DTEND, EndtimeInMilliseconds); @AmitabhaBiswas – Blaubok 25/5, 2017 at 10:44

Thanks a lot for this code! Is there any column value I can add to auto generate a video meeting link with the calendar event using the CalendarProvider? – Slavery 17/8, 2020 at 1:36

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i used the code below, it solves my problem to add event in default device calendar in ICS and also on version less that ICS

    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 14) {
        Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_INSERT)
        .setData(Events.CONTENT_URI)
        .putExtra(CalendarContract.EXTRA_EVENT_BEGIN_TIME, beginTime.getTimeInMillis())
        .putExtra(CalendarContract.EXTRA_EVENT_END_TIME, endTime.getTimeInMillis())
        .putExtra(Events.TITLE, "Yoga")
        .putExtra(Events.DESCRIPTION, "Group class")
        .putExtra(Events.EVENT_LOCATION, "The gym")
        .putExtra(Events.AVAILABILITY, Events.AVAILABILITY_BUSY)
        .putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, "[email protected],[email protected]");
         startActivity(intent);
}

    else {
        Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();              
        Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_EDIT);
        intent.setType("vnd.android.cursor.item/event");
        intent.putExtra("beginTime", cal.getTimeInMillis());
        intent.putExtra("allDay", true);
        intent.putExtra("rrule", "FREQ=YEARLY");
        intent.putExtra("endTime", cal.getTimeInMillis()+60*60*1000);
        intent.putExtra("title", "A Test Event from android app");
        startActivity(intent);
        }

Hope it would help.....

Equiangular answered 1/6, 2013 at 10:36 Comment(3)

about the Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 14, how can I add a default reminder for 60 min and how can I get the Id of the reminder? Thanks – Yuletide 2/7, 2013 at 13:17

Hi, I was wondering if its possible to modify the screen that shows the editable calendar fields (like change how some of the views look)? – Sosthena 8/8, 2013 at 16:10

@user1950599 Definitely not. Intent starts an Activity from another application and the only interaction with it is the data you send via the intent. – Infirmary 18/1, 2015 at 13:56

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As of Android version 4.0 official APIs and intents are available to interact with the available calendar providers.

Debase answered 9/1, 2012 at 18:45 Comment(3)

Really usefull comment, can't Stress this one enough :) – Landside 21/2, 2012 at 10:40

Perhaps you can provide some code to go along with the link-only answer? – Whodunit 20/2, 2017 at 2:53

no calendar event color different scheme over there? – Fantan 9/2, 2022 at 8:9