Samsung Calendar app interferes with Google Calendar notifications

[DaveZiffer]

My A54 phone comes with a pre-installed default "Calendar" app that originally fooled me into thinking that it was Google Calendar (considering that Google Calendar is generally the default calendar on Android devices). Samsung's Calendar fooled me because somehow it has access to the Google Calendar data, and so it displays info that I had entered into (the real) Google Calendar using my PC. I finally realized that Samsung's Calendar was not the "real thing" when it occurred to me that Google Calendar has a new "Schedule" view that Samsung's Calendar doesn't support.

My response was to install Google Calendar on my phone, but upon doing this I suddenly had two copies of every event notification - one from Samsung Calendar and another from Google Calendar. So I tried uninstalling Samsung's Calendar but this is not allowed, so instead I disabled Samsung's Calendar. Well that fixed the problem, because NOW I RECEIVE NO EVENT NOTIFICATIONS AT ALL. I know that Samsung's Calendar is messing me up because I also have both a PC and a non-Samsung Android tablet, both of which run Google Calendar, and those devices display my notifications just fine.

So obviously Samsung's Calendar is interfering with Google Calendar's notifications; disabling Samsung Calendar apparently disables Google Calendar's notifications. This is very disturbing. I have two choices, apparently: receive two copies of each of my Google Calendar notifications, or receive none. This is completely unacceptable.

When I bought my Samsung phones (in October 2023) I thought I was just buying a phone, but apparently Samsung has a different conception. My Samsung A54s apparently also come with a Samsung Wallet that is intended to displace Google Wallet. There's also a Google messaging app (which in the A54 comes pre-installed but on the A03s doesn't) that is duplicated by what seems to be a Samsung messaging app. And then there's the Calendar. Oh yes and there's a pre-installed Samsung News app. I wonder what that's about? Samsung apparently wants to select what I read. I'm glad that Samsung News is not not forced upon me in the same way that Samsung Calendar is.

I didn't buy a Samsung phone to be forced into using Samsung's Calendar or any other Samsung apps. The whole point of using Google Calendar is that it's universally available on all devices, allowing me to share Calendar data with people who use Google Calendar on PCs, Macs, non-Samsung Android tablets and non-Samsung phones. I have no idea what the implications of my using Samsung's Calendar on just my Samsung phones are, and I doubt that Samsung's software engineers do either. On some future day when Samsung has totally displaced Google's Calendar on all devices, including non-Samsung devices, then maybe I'll take a look at it. Till then, please don't shove it down my throat.

It seems to me that Samsung has some sort of grand plan to displace Google in the Android app marketplace. Good luck with that. Google owns Android, which means Google has the power to bump off Samsung any time it wants. It's time that Samsung top management realizes this, stops trying to take over the Android app world, and returns its attention to making PHONES rather than irritating its phone customers with all this complexity and frustration.

[DaveZiffer]

And now some Google update also wrecked notifications on my A03s. Notifications for all events that had been set by default when I created the events were wiped out. I tried adding notifications back to those events, and Calendar does not preserve my edits, so I cannot even forcibly add notifications to calendar events. Unbelievable. It's now as though notifications don't even exist, even though the UI pretends that you can set them. Whoever is in charge of Google Calendar needs to be replaced ASAP.

[realaud]

Samsung calendar is not interfering with Google's calendar notifications.  The two reside symbiotically on your phone.  If you are using Google calendar,  it syncs with Samsung calendar.  If you do not want notifications from Samsung calendar turn them off and turn on notifications from Google calendar.  You can also unsync Samsung Calendar. That way no events you put in Google calendar will be added to Samsung calendar and any interference you think is happening will not happen.

I have been using Google calendar exclusively for 20+ years and never had a conflict with any other phone calendar app. There is no reason you should not be able to add notifications back to any event.  You would add them back on the calendar you want to use.

[RunWild000]

I am getting the same issue and it's pissing me off no end. I disable Samsung calendar notifications and I get no notification at all from Google, even though the Google notications are on. I don't know which is at fault but I am leaning toward Samsung doing the hijacking. GRRRRRR!!!!!! FIX THIS!!!!!! By the way, this was not happening until a recent update - again, I don't know which is at fault

[DaveZiffer]

After an update of Google Calendar on both devices, my most recent problem with this went away & I am receiving Calendar notifications again. If you have an update pending, try applying it. Google is now regularly introducing problems in both Calendar and Maps with its continuous updates. Continuous Updates = Continuously Broken.

[Noscere]

I have a fix for this problem! I too have been recieving multiple notifocation toasts when calendar events alert me at the preset alarm time.

Samsung calendar, and Google calendar.

Well. As it happens, when I turned off the tick box next to my Google name in the left side bar, all my calendar events disappeared! I NEVER use Google calendar, yet because I am.signed in with Google, those are added to my Google calendar.

It's actually VERY easy to fix this, because of this - in Google Calendar, open the side bar and settings at the bottom. Then click General.

Now all you do is go to "Notifications" and click Calendar Notifications. Turn off! You'll still get those Google notifications, from the Samsung calendar! I left the others turned on, as I think my tasks might not be linked. We shall see.

 

 

[sandyterry]

Can anyone tell me how to save all the events on either My Calendar or Samsung Calendar (because I don't know which is stock on my phone) when I have to reset my phone? I'm getting a new phone in a couple of days, and I'm fearful I'm going to lose the calendar events again (third time). I am syncing the calendar with Google, Android and Microsoft but cannot find a backup for this calendar when I need it.

[DaveZiffer]

If you're using Google Calendar, your events should simply appear on your new phone after you establish your Google account on it, presumably during setup.

[sandyterry]

I guess I should have said I very much prefer the stock calendar to Google. Google is not as cleanly formatted as the Samsung calendar and is easier to use. I am syncing the stock calendar with Google, even manually, but it doesn't completely back up. I can't believe I'm the only one who loses all my calendar events at times on a Samsung phone.

[realaud]

If you transfer your old device to your new device with Smart Switch, all your apps, settings, calendars and should carry over.  Since your Samsung Calendar syncs with Google your events are stored in the Google cloud.  I believe your Samsung calendar's events are in the Samsung Cloud.  If you don't use Smart Switch, you can just restore your backup to your new phone.