How do I add a family wall to my Google Calendar?

The easiest way to add a shared family calendar to your Google Calendar is to create a new calendar specifically for family events, then share that calendar with family members. This allows everyone to view and contribute to a single, centralized schedule. Here's how:

Creating a Family Calendar

1. Open Google Calendar on a web browser (calendar.google.com).
2. On the left side of the page, find the "Other calendars" section.
3. Click the "+" button next to "Other calendars" and select "Create new calendar".
4. Give your calendar a name, such as "Family Calendar" or "Smith Family Events."
5. Add a description (optional), such as "Shared family events, appointments, and reminders."
6. Click "Create calendar."

Sharing the Family Calendar

1. Go back to the main Google Calendar interface.
2. In the "My calendars" section on the left, find the calendar you just created (e.g., "Family Calendar").
3. Hover over the calendar name and click the three dots (Options).
4. Select "Settings and sharing."
5. Scroll down to the "Share with specific people or groups" section.
6. Click "Add people and groups."
7. Enter the email addresses of the family members you want to share the calendar with.
8. Use the "Permissions" dropdown to choose the appropriate permission level:
   • "See only free/busy (hide details)": Allows family members to see when you're busy but not the specifics of the event.
   • "See all event details": Allows family members to see all event information.
   • "Make changes to events": Allows family members to create, edit, and delete events. This is typically the best option for a family calendar.
   • "Make changes AND manage sharing": Allows family members to do everything, including sharing the calendar with others and changing permissions. Use this with caution.
9. Click "Send."

Accepting the Shared Calendar Invitation

Each family member you shared the calendar with will receive an email invitation. They need to:

1. Open the email invitation.
2. Click the "Add to Calendar" button. This will add the family calendar to their Google Calendar view.

Using the Family Calendar

Now, when anyone in the family creates a new event, they can select the "Family Calendar" from the calendar dropdown to add the event to the shared schedule. Everyone with access will see the event.

Alternative Method - Adding via URL (Less Common):

While less intuitive for initial setup and ongoing management, you could generate a public URL for the calendar and share that:

1. In "Settings and sharing" for the calendar, look for the "Access permissions for events" section.
2. Check the box next to "Make available to public." WARNING: This makes the calendar publicly visible. Use with caution.
3. Once enabled, copy the "Public address in iCal format" URL.
4. Share this URL with family members.
5. They can then add the calendar by going to Google Calendar -> Other Calendars "+" -> From URL and pasting the URL. However, changes made by family members will not be reflected in the shared calendar since it's only a one-way sync. Therefore, this method is not recommended. It's best used for calendars you want to display but not collaborate on.

Therefore, the first method, involving sharing the calendar with specific people and granting appropriate permissions, is the recommended way to create a family wall on Google Calendar.