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iphone 4s calendar alert issue

I tend to put 2 alerts on my calendar events, one for 1 day before and the second one for 1 hour before (or some other on the day of event). I have noticed that when I put in the first alert for 1 day before and then enter the second alert for 1 hour before and click done they have somehow been reversed, the first alert is now 1 hour before and the second alert is 1 day before. I have to click them again and change them to the proper order, this usually take about 3 tries to get them to stay as I want them. I can them save the event and all is good. I was at the Apple store and the staff duplicated this issue so I know I'm not the only one experiencing this nuissance. Has anyone else come across this? I do hope the upcoming update will fix it.

iPhone 4S, iOS 5

Posted on Nov 8, 2011 11:15 AM

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Posted on Dec 5, 2011 12:06 AM

I have the iOS update and this problem is still happening. I was looking for an answer to that problem today in the Support Community when I found what I think will help. There is a Default Alert Times setting. Go to Settings > Mail, Contact, Calendars > scroll to Calendars: Default Alert Times > There are 3 possible defaults (in iOS 5.0.1) Birthdays, Events and All-Day Events. I set my Events default to 1 hour and now when I create an appointment/event my First Alert is automatically 1 hour. I can then set my 2nd alert and it didn't reverse like you described above. I just did one test today, so I still have to monitor it for awhile. So in your case you should be able to set your default to 1 day and just enter your 2nd alert as desired whenever you create an appointment. Of course you change the 1st alert to whatever you want when you create your appointment. It seems to stop the reversal of the alerts though. I was glad to see that. We shouldn't have to do this, but it's better than nothing. Maybe they'll fix it someday. Hope this works for you.

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Dec 5, 2011 12:06 AM in response to sherunswest

I have the iOS update and this problem is still happening. I was looking for an answer to that problem today in the Support Community when I found what I think will help. There is a Default Alert Times setting. Go to Settings > Mail, Contact, Calendars > scroll to Calendars: Default Alert Times > There are 3 possible defaults (in iOS 5.0.1) Birthdays, Events and All-Day Events. I set my Events default to 1 hour and now when I create an appointment/event my First Alert is automatically 1 hour. I can then set my 2nd alert and it didn't reverse like you described above. I just did one test today, so I still have to monitor it for awhile. So in your case you should be able to set your default to 1 day and just enter your 2nd alert as desired whenever you create an appointment. Of course you change the 1st alert to whatever you want when you create your appointment. It seems to stop the reversal of the alerts though. I was glad to see that. We shouldn't have to do this, but it's better than nothing. Maybe they'll fix it someday. Hope this works for you.

Dec 11, 2011 4:34 PM in response to sherunswest

I have had the same problem since the ios update. I did as Glimpsis suggested, and set the default alert time. I always have two alerts however, so now, when I add the second alert, or enter two completely different alert times, it always reverts back to the default time, reversed. It takes two or three tries to get it to stick the way I want it. This is fantastically annoying, and I think, the first true bug I have ever experienced with any iPhone in four years. All I want for Christmas is a new update....

Dec 11, 2011 7:47 PM in response to Shidliwink

Since posting my suggestion to set a default alert time, I've found that it helps, but does not solve the problem. I have set a default 1st alert of 1 day and most of the time I just have to set my 2nd alert and the alerts aren't reversed. Sometimes I change the 1st alert and add a 2nd alert and they don't reverse either. However, at other times the alerts still reverse and the 1st alert becomes the 2nd alert. As I said in my first post I was monitoring to see if it solved the problem and it has not. The bug is there and it's a drag. Does anyone from apple ever read these comments? The Calendar app is disappointing. In addition to the alerts bug, you can't set an appointment to occur on a specific day of the week (like every 3rd Mon.) - Just by date, every week, every two weeks, ect. That's annoying too and needs to be fixed.

Jan 3, 2012 12:14 AM in response to dadpays

The problem exists with or without use of the default. When setting your alerts, it seems to help if you immediately go back into the calendar item and reset the alerts after saving the item. We shouldn't have to do this though. I've seen a lot of articles about Apple wanting the iPhone to catch on in business enterprises. How do they expect to do that if they can't deliver a fully functional calendar app? You can't create a recurring appointment that occurs on the same day every two weeks either. This is a sad calendar app.

Jan 3, 2012 3:46 PM in response to Cessna340

Still struggling with this bug, and like Cessna340 experienced, I find that alerts I have corrected tend to reverse again after a while. I am getting all kinds of perversions: reversals, doubles, spontaneous (alert times I have not manually entered--the iPhone chooses for me!) It is an ugly, ugly game. I am missing appointments because when the alerts are reversed, neither is triggered to go off. BTW, this is happening on my 3Gs, which I was perfectly happy with before this bug hopped a ride on iOS5. Today I restored my phone, and I think all it did was reverse ALL my alert times. With no offical response to this discussion, or emails, I am at my wits' end. I am going in for an appointment at the Genius bar. Anyone else had any luck getting help for this problem?

Jan 4, 2012 6:52 AM in response to Shidliwink

I went to the Apple store when I noticed this first happening (early November) and the guys at the Genius Bar hadn't seen this before and couldn't offer a solution. They thought maybe the update that was coming out shortly after I was in would solve but in the end it didn't. Not sure that if you go now they'll know any more. Perhaps they've seen the issue more and have some ideas to try and fix. I'm still baffled and missing alerts.

Feb 7, 2012 9:38 AM in response to sherunswest

Update since Genius visit:

1) Apple is working on an update

2) There is no awareness at Apple of this calendar alert issue as a bug, hence it is not being addressed/worked on

3) Solutions offered by Genius have not resolved this issue.


Solutions offered by Genius, in order of which to try first:

1) Delete calendar data from iPhone: Settings>iCloud>Calendars OFF and then restore data from iCloud: Calendars ON

2) Reset iPhone settings: Settings>General>Reset>Reset all settings

3) Restore to factory settings: Settings>General>Reset>Erase all content and settings, then restore data from iCloud and in-app backups.

4) Use another calendar app (seriously)


Of course, if the bug is actually part of the iOS software (could it be?) then no amount of erasing and restoring data will fix the issue. I completed the first two options with no change, and am not willing to do the third option because I am not interested in going through the process of backing up, then restoring all my third-party apps.


My solution: raise awareness of this issue with Apple, so that it can be worked on and fixed. I have reported it as a bug through Apple's feedback module: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html and I encourage-- no, ask-- you to do the same, if you are experiencing this issue. I provided a link to this forum topic to show the variety and detail of problems.


Are you sick of missing alerts, fiddling endlessly, coming up with workarounds, paying for unreliable software, and not being responded to? I am. It's time to rally!

iphone 4s calendar alert issue

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