How to Set Up Calendar Integrations in Doodle for Streamlined Scheduling

If you spend more time figuring out when to meet than actually meeting, you’re not alone. Setting up calendar integrations in Doodle can take a lot of that pain away—if you do it right. This guide is for anyone who’s tired of double-bookings, endless email threads, or just wants to cut down on pointless scheduling hassle.

Let’s cut through the fluff and get your calendars talking to Doodle the smart way.

Why Connect Your Calendar to Doodle?

Before we dive in, let’s get real: connecting your calendar to Doodle won’t magically fix all your scheduling woes. But it will do a few things that are genuinely helpful:

  • Spot double-bookings before they happen
  • Auto-block times you’re busy so people don’t pick those slots
  • Add meetings to your calendar instantly so nothing slips through

If you’re juggling multiple calendars (work, personal, side projects), integrations help keep your sanity—if you set them up right and know what to expect.

Step 1: Choose the Calendar(s) You Actually Use

Doodle integrates with most popular calendars:

  • Google Calendar (Gmail, Google Workspace)
  • Microsoft Outlook/Office 365 (work or school accounts)
  • Apple Calendar (macOS/iOS, with some gotchas—details below)

Don’t bother connecting every calendar you have. More isn’t better; it’s confusing. Pick the calendar where you actually track your time. If you have a work and a personal calendar, connect both only if you want Doodle to consider both when showing your availability.

Pro tip:
If you use a shared calendar (like a team calendar), check if you have permission to add/edit events. Doodle can only “see” calendars you have access to.

Step 2: Connect Your Calendar to Doodle

Here’s how it works for each major provider. These steps assume you already have a Doodle account—if not, sign up (it’s fast).

For Google Calendar

  1. Log in to Doodle.
  2. Click your profile picture (top right) and go to Account settings.
  3. Find the Calendar Connection section and select Connect next to Google.
  4. A pop-up will ask for permission. Grant access to the calendar(s) you want Doodle to read/write.
  5. Pick which calendar(s) Doodle should use for availability and adding events.

Things to watch out for: - If you have multiple Google accounts, make sure you’re connecting the right one.
- Doodle needs “edit” access to add meetings to your calendar.

For Microsoft Outlook/Office 365

  1. In Doodle, go to Account settings.
  2. Click Connect next to Outlook.
  3. Sign in with your Microsoft account (work or personal).
  4. Approve the permissions.
  5. Choose which calendar(s) Doodle should access.

Heads up:
If your company has strict security or Single Sign-On (SSO) rules, you may hit roadblocks. Sometimes IT will need to approve the integration.

For Apple Calendar (iCloud)

This one’s trickier. Apple doesn’t play as nicely with third-party apps as Google or Microsoft do.

  1. In Doodle, go to Account settings and look for Apple/iCloud integration.
  2. Doodle may ask for an “app-specific password.”
  3. Log in to appleid.apple.com, generate an app-specific password, and paste it into Doodle.
  4. Select the calendars you want to share.

What’s the catch?
Sync is sometimes one-way (read-only) from Apple to Doodle, not both ways. If Doodle can’t add meetings back to your Apple Calendar, you’ll need to add them yourself. Also, changes can be delayed—don’t expect instant updates.

Step 3: Set Up Availability Right (Or Don’t Bother)

Connecting your calendar is only half the battle. You need to make sure Doodle is using it to show the right times.

  • Choose which calendars count for availability.
    If you’ve got a family calendar with your partner, but don’t want Doodle to block off “Pick up milk” as busy, don’t include that calendar in your availability settings.

  • Decide if Doodle should add events automatically.
    For most people, it’s best to let Doodle add meetings straight to your calendar. But if you hate clutter, you can have Doodle not add events until you confirm.

  • Set up default meeting durations and buffers.
    If you always want 15 minutes between meetings, tweak this in your Doodle settings. Saves you from back-to-back Zoom fatigue.

Pro tip:
Test your setup with a dummy meeting. Invite yourself or a friend and see if the event shows up, the time is blocked, and nothing goes wonky.

Step 4: Handling Multiple Calendars (Without Losing Your Mind)

If your life looks like a patchwork of Google, Outlook, and Apple calendars, here’s what actually works:

  • Connect only the calendars you actively use for scheduling.
    Don’t sync ancient calendars or archives—Doodle will just get confused, and so will you.

  • Prioritize your main work calendar.
    If your boss books meetings there, make that your “source of truth.”

  • If you must sync more than one, label them clearly.
    In Doodle, pick which ones count for availability and which ones just display events.

  • Remember: integrating more calendars = more chances for sync bugs.
    If you start missing meetings or getting double-booked, disconnect unused calendars and see if things improve.

Step 5: Troubleshooting the Usual Headaches

Even when you do everything right, calendar integrations can break. Here’s what to check before pulling your hair out:

  • Events not showing up?
  • Refresh Doodle and your calendar app.
  • Check if you granted Doodle enough permissions.

  • Make sure you’re looking at the right calendar.

  • Double-bookings still happening?

  • Sometimes Doodle only sees “busy” events, not “tentative” or “private” ones. Mark important blocks as “busy” in your calendar.

  • Invites not landing in your calendar?

  • If your email and calendar accounts are different, Doodle can get confused. Double-check which email address you’re using.

  • Apple Calendar not syncing?

  • This is common. Try revoking and re-adding the app-specific password.
  • Remember, updates may take a while to show up.

Pro tip:
If you’re hitting a wall, disconnect and reconnect your calendar. Sometimes that’s all it takes. If not, check Doodle’s help docs or contact support—but don’t expect miracles from support tickets.

What to Ignore (and What’s Worth Your Time)

  • Ignore “integrations” you’ll never use.
    Doodle offers connections to things like Slack or Zoom. If you don’t use them, don’t bother setting them up just because you can.

  • Don’t overcomplicate it.
    The more calendars and integrations you add, the greater the risk something breaks. Start simple.

  • Don’t expect Doodle to fix broken calendars.
    If your base calendars are a mess, Doodle can’t do much. Clean up your main calendar first.

Keep It Simple and Iterate

Calendar integrations are supposed to make life easier, not harder. Start with your primary calendar. Test it out. If it works, then consider adding more bells and whistles. If it doesn’t, strip things back and try again.

You don’t need to be a productivity guru to get value out of Doodle. Just focus on what actually helps you avoid calendar chaos—and ditch the rest.