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ckeck Author

Level 1

0 points

Setting calendar colors on iPad - colors conflicting with iCal and Exchange

I'm having a very annoying issue with my new iPad (my only gripe so far). I use my calendar extensively on my computer and I'm hooked up to my companies Exchange account. I like keeping my calendars separate using different colors for my personal appts and my work meetings. As most users do, I have my personal calendar set to blue (for example), a misc calendar set to green and then my work calendar set to red.

Now, my Mac based calendars sync via MobileMe and back down to my iPhone and iPad just fine in the same colors, but on my iPad it makes my Exchange calendar blue as well, so my two main calendars are the same. I cannot find any setting anywhere on the iPad to fix this.

I DO NOT have this problem on my iPhone for some reason, it sets my Exchange calendar red as would be expected.

Does anyone have any clue how to fix this? I would greatly appreciate any insight!

iPad 32GB, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Apr 5, 2010 1:29 PM

53 replies

Jun 28, 2010 9:57 AM in response to ckeck

It looks like the Calendars app in iOS just cycles through the calendar colors as they are assigned. The tip where you import some Google calendar is unnecessary.

I was able to get my Exchange calendar to the color I wanted by going into the Exchange account settings and toggling off the Exchange calendars, allowing them to be deleted from the phone, and then toggling them back on. Each off/on cycle will bring them back as a different color -- repeat until you get to the color you want.

It's not a fix, but it's a relatively simple workaround.

limsilas

Level 1

10 points

Jun 28, 2010 10:00 AM in response to Tom Parker

if you guys don't mind using caldav instead of exchange, then calendar colors are respected perfectly from gcal.

Jun 28, 2010 12:29 PM in response to limsilas

limsilas wrote:
if you guys don't mind using caldav instead of exchange, then calendar colors are respected perfectly from gcal.

I suspect that for most people, like me, it's not a question of whether they mind using CalDAV. Exchange is where my work calendars are and where they'll have to stay.

Jul 6, 2010 10:15 PM in response to RodneyChinnington

What a pain... I followed RodneyChinnington's instructions and finally got my ipad and iphone setup with the same color calendars... Thanks Rodney.

Jul 7, 2010 4:17 AM in response to Deadthing

This worked for me like a charm:

As suggested before I turned off the exchange calendar in settings, then added another exchange calendar by subscribing to a shared one online ( http://icalshare.com/calendars/3960). This one got the color blue. After that, I turned the calendar sync for my other exchange account back on, and voila: this one now is colored red, just like on my iPhone.

Thanks a lot!

btw: Apple MobileMe Support totally incompetent on the matter! Told me that the MobileMe and Exchange services are incompatible towards each other and I should choose one only.

aartjan

Level 1

0 points

Aug 2, 2010 5:47 AM in response to gusneil

Go to me.com (if you have a me.com account) and from there change the calendar colours.
I don't know if this always works, as I am a beta tester of the new ical in me.com.

Aug 24, 2010 9:59 AM in response to Deadthing

This solution worked for me! However, I had multiple iCal calendars, so adding just one extra calendar changed the Exchange calendar to red... which was really similar to the color of my second iCal calendar! So, I turned off the Exchange calendar, added a second public calendar (http://...3691), and turned Exchange back on. Now its green, and all is well.

evdv

Level 1

0 points

Aug 31, 2010 2:18 PM in response to ckeck

I have the same problem since yesterday. When I synced mij iPad for the first time everything was fine. A red calender on both the iPhone as well as on my iPad.
However without any reason yesterday the calender turned blue on the iPad but is still orange on my iPhone.
The calendars that sync through mobile me are ok.
So there must be some way to influence the color, otherwise it would not be able to change itself?

PAA3

Level 1

0 points

Sep 17, 2010 8:08 AM in response to ckeck

Just change your home calendar on your mac to a different color that isnt picked by the msexchange setup. The next time you synch your iPad it will change the color.

Oct 2, 2010 10:26 AM in response to ckeck

Here's a solution for those having problems with their Google calendars. When you created your exchange account, you turned on the calendar sync option. Go back and turn it off. Then create a new account for just the calendars following these instructions.

http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?answer=151674

Now your google calendars on yout iPad should have the same colors as when you set them up in google.

Nov 2, 2010 7:53 AM in response to ckeck

I just fixed this problem on my ipad.

1. Go to settings
2. select mail, Contacts, Calendars
3. Scroll to the bottom of the list where yo will see "TIme Zone Support.
4. Select That
5. Make sure Time Zone support is on
6. Click below that on "Time Zone
7. Clear The space and type in your city or zip code.

That should fix your issue on your ipad.

Nov 2, 2010 9:53 AM in response to ckeck

Nov 22, 2010 3:52 PM in response to superhero1219

This works well for Google Calendars. I just turned off the calendars in Google Sync (via Microsoft Exchange) in Settings. (However, I left Google Sync on for Contacts and Mail.)

Then, I turned on CalDav for Calendar syncing with Google, and now the colors match what I have on my Mac's iCal application.

superhero1219 wrote:
Here's a solution for those having problems with their Google calendars. When you created your exchange account, you turned on the calendar sync option. Go back and turn it off. Then create a new account for just the calendars following these instructions.

http://www.google.com/support/mobile/bin/answer.py?answer=151674

Now your google calendars on yout iPad should have the same colors as when you set them up in google.

prc1nwl

Level 1

4 points

Nov 23, 2010 10:18 AM in response to ckeck

Ok I got my iPad on Friday and have been fustrated that I can't sync my calenders from Outlook 2010 with three seperate colours, I've just been left with a pale blue. I have three calender a work calender, my wifes and a generals one.

I have solved to problem in outlook by creating three seperate calender groups with one calender in each one. (right click and add new calender group)

Problem solved three calenders on my iPad and iphone 4 with three differnt colours.

Hope this helps some other out there.

boralao

Level 1

24 points

Dec 4, 2010 7:18 AM in response to Tom Parker

Excellent tip! It worked perfectly for the iPad. And I was able to get the different calendar colors I wanted immediately.

Setting calendar colors on iPad - colors conflicting with iCal and Exchange