Google fixes Calendar app issue preventing iOS users from adding events

For weeks, iOS users of the Google Calendar app have been dealing with a baffling bug that’s made it surprisingly tricky to do the one thing a calendar app should do best — add events. While the issue may not sound like the end of the world, for many, it’s been a chaotic disruption to their carefully planned lives.

According to reports, the “+” button, which lets you add new events to Google Calendar, simply refused to cooperate. The app still displayed existing events and allowed editing, but creating something new? Forget it. Some users found themselves restarting the app or switching to Apple Calendar in desperation. For those who rely on Google Calendar as their organizational lifeline, this hiccup felt like a tech tragedy.

The glitch seemed to pop up after users updated their iPhones to iOS 18.1.1. The timing wasn’t subtle. Multiple complaints mentioned that everything had been working smoothly until the update hit. Even after reinstalling the app, rebooting devices, or updating Google Calendar itself, the bug persisted. And for those who use the app in “Schedule” view, things were particularly dicey. The “+” button would work exactly once before giving up again — forcing users to close and reopen the app each time they wanted to schedule something new.

Recently, a Google Calendar product expert chimed in to say that the issue should now be resolved with app versions 25.0 and beyond. If you’re still stuck, they suggested submitting feedback through the app with the hashtag #cantcreate.

However, one user threw a wrench into the optimism by pointing out that their iPad, running Google Calendar version 25.1, is still acting up. Oddly, their iPhone — running the exact same version — works just fine. So, is this bug playing favorites with devices? Or is there something quirky about iPads that’s keeping the problem alive?

If you’re still struggling with this issue, first check that your Google Calendar app is up to date. Versions 25.0 and above are supposed to have the fix baked in. If updating doesn’t solve it, follow Google’s advice and submit feedback with the hashtag #cantcreate.

In the meantime, users have found some clever workarounds. For example, switching to “Day” view instead of “Schedule” mode seems to keep the “+” button functional, at least for now. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than force-quitting the app every time you need to add an event.