Google removes SMS notifications from Google Calendar

Martin Brinkmann
Nov 19, 2018
Google
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Google customers who use the SMS functionality of Google Calendar will have it replaced with notifications or emails in January 2019.

Google published information about the change on the official G suites Update blog on the Googleblog website.

Starting on January 7, 2019, SMS notifications from Google Calendar will no longer be available.

Google provides no explanation for the change, only that Calendar supports in-app notifications and that users who like to receive notifications from the app can use that functionality instead.

Google customers who have set up SMS notifications on Google Calendar will have those changed to notifications or emails. Customers who have Calendar open in a web browser or use the Google Calendar application for Google's Android operating system or Apple's iOS operating system will get event notifications by the browser or app on the device instead.

Since Calendar offers in-app notifications, you can still get notified, regardless of your device or connection.

Customers who set up SMS notifications for "new events, changed events, canceled events, or event responses" will receive emails with notifications about those events instead.

Google plans to turn off SMS notifications on January 7, 2019. The Google Calendar API developer page on Google's website notes that any API call using the SMS method type will be ignored starting on January 7, 2019.

google calendar email notification

SMS notifications were only available to paying G Suite customers. Customers had to add a phone number under Settings on the Google Calendar website and verify the phone number before they could make use of the functionality. Google did not charge customers for SMS notifications but standard text message rates applied.

G Suite customers can turn off SMS notifications for all Calendars by deleting the phone number under Settings > Mobile Setup.

Google stopped support for SMS notifications for free Google Calendar customers on June 27, 2015.

The change affects all users who have set up SMS notifications for one or all calendars on Google Calendar. While notifications won't go away, they come in the form of in-app, in-browser, or email notifications after January 7, 2019.

Now You: Do you prefer in-app, email, or SMS notifications?

Summary
Google removes SMS notifications from Google Calendar
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Google removes SMS notifications from Google Calendar
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Google customers who use the SMS functionality of Google Calendar will have it replaced with notifications or emails in January 2019.
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Comments

  1. Dave said on December 24, 2019 at 7:02 am
    Reply

    You can still use a service like rezque to send sms text reminders for your appointments. There’s a good tutorial here on how to do it: https://rezque.com/google-calendar-text-reminders

  2. Angela said on July 16, 2019 at 12:26 am
    Reply

    I have multiple calendars in my Google calendar app – personal, work, my husband’s, etc. – being able to configure SMS notifications for my work calendar SEPARATELY from the others helped me cut through notification fatigue.

    If I could set push notifications for my work calendar only (rather than all calendars connected to my app) then I’d be happy. As is, I am still trying to figure out the best way to get my work calendar front and center regardless of my DND or other settings.

  3. Daylen Teets said on June 27, 2019 at 9:36 pm
    Reply

    I’m not too happy about the SMS notifications being removed. Now, thanks to this change, I have to look at my google calendar so I can see what is on the agenda for that day. Google, Please readd the text messsaging back for all google calendar users?

  4. Bob said on April 19, 2019 at 4:28 pm
    Reply

    SMS is the perfect solution for reminders. Google just did this to try and drag you farther into their world of endless apps and extensions weather you want to or not.

  5. Dawn Becker said on April 9, 2019 at 6:08 pm
    Reply

    I have missed so many appointments since they removed the SMS notifications. I have to train myself to look at my calendar every day now. And then I have to watch the clock like a hawk. Those reminders were great.

  6. Rosy said on November 28, 2018 at 4:21 pm
    Reply

    I am a traveling teacher….between two or three buildings each day. SMS notification was a godsend. I will now have to change everything back to Apple’s calendar app. I cannot have the browser, let alone the calendar app open when I am driving around. It is now worthless to me. Unfortunately the school district uses Google Ed. Suite, so I cannot totally switch over. What a pain! Why does google keep doing these kinds of things? I still miss my igoogle portal page :-(

    1. dzad said on January 29, 2019 at 5:11 pm
      Reply

      so stupid, i have been missing so many meetings bc they took away sms

  7. Jonathan Turkle said on November 27, 2018 at 12:06 am
    Reply

    I always used the SMS notifications as they were the only calendar reminder notifications that cut through the clutter and helped me keep on track with my appointments.

  8. Derek Bell said on November 23, 2018 at 4:37 am
    Reply

    Like many folk I’m steadily moving away from Google. I use DuckDuckGo for search and my own PostOffice for emails now. Probably will just let my Google account lapse as well.

    The last 20 years have been good Google and I have enjoyed your services. However, time to move on as you get old, crouchy and just part of machine

  9. michaels said on November 21, 2018 at 7:58 pm
    Reply

    I think it will still be possible to send sms emails when an email is received.

  10. AlyM said on November 20, 2018 at 7:35 pm
    Reply

    I am going to miss this. It was great for when my apps wouldn’t work…. which on the iPhone is ALL the time.

  11. Dave said on November 20, 2018 at 4:16 pm
    Reply

    I wasn’t even aware of the sms notifications. Have always used in app.

    I can see the advantage of sms though, one could scroll through past notifications to see ones that they had dismissed, perhaps to silence it but without paying enough attention, instead of opening the calander.

  12. asd said on November 20, 2018 at 3:34 pm
    Reply

    SMS notification was completely removed for me years ago!

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on November 20, 2018 at 3:36 pm
      Reply

      Yes, it was removed for non G Suite users years ago.

      1. asd said on November 22, 2018 at 1:25 pm
        Reply

        Been using G Suite for the past 5 years, never had the option for SMS notifications.

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