iOS 13 calendar busy/free unavailable

Question

Level 1

26 points

iOS 13 calendar busy/free unavailable

Since the iOS 13 update, I can’t see nor set the Busy/Free option for events in my calendar.

My business uses a third party booking tool that integrates with my icloud calendar. Prior to iOS 13, I could mark appointments as Busy in the iOS calendar app. This would allow the thirty party integration to block off time so my clients couldn’t book an appointment with me at those times. I no longer have that option now and if possible, I would like to have it back. My business depends on it.

Kind regards,

D

iPhone XS

Posted on Oct 6, 2019 8:23 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

domienvde Author

Level 1

26 points

Dec 2, 2019 4:47 PM in response to jaygee13

I found a workaround: new calendars do show the busy/free setting, so the disappearance of this option is probably a bug. You can create a new calendar and then merge your existing calendar into the new one.

Once you have done that, you will probably have to check the synchronisation settings on your third party calendar tool, because the new calendar might not automatically sync up with the third party tool.

Solved my problem.

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Answer 2

Toddlet

Level 1

4 points

Oct 21, 2019 3:54 AM in response to domienvde

Same. Really annoying.

I have found though that ALL DAY events do NOT block the time out so are no essentially 'Time as Free'. The standard time/date blocks though are now 'Busy'.

The big frustration here is that most devs knew nothing of it and Apple's own support was confused too!

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Answer 3

Dec 10, 2019 2:19 PM in response to domienvde

Domienvde, I'm not as advanced as you are! I figured out how to create a new calendar, but cannot figure out how to merge the existing calendar into this one. Do you have a link for instructions on how to do this? Thank you!

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Answer 4

petra229

Level 1

9 points

Dec 11, 2019 2:05 PM in response to sheppard273

I‘d like to learn it, too.

But I‘m afraid, this won‘t solve the problems:

I’ve tried to export the data into a new calendar. Now EVERY entry is marked as busy ... that‘s not really a solution. Events of ALL DAY (like christmas or birthdays) don‘t block my whole day. And all my events were painstakingly cared for and maintained by Outlook (Windows). I do need it for business! BTW: Outlook is very serious about free/busy.

Oh Apple, quo vadis?

Tomorrow I try to import the calendar data via Outlook (Windows/iCloud) into a new created iOS calendar. Thank God, the Outlook data is not corrupted (at least since now) by any update via iCloud.

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Answer 5

Nov 15, 2019 10:24 AM in response to domienvde

Agreed, this change has had a significantly negative impact on how I interact with Apple’s calendar. A pretty big step backwards in productivity for what gain?

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