by John Calian |
Link to this article
Topics:
Calendar |
GMail |
iPhone
Through some trial and error, I have figured out a few things when it comes to syncing my iPhone with Google Calendars:
- There is a difference between regular gmail and gmail for domains
- Use Exchange for Gmail, not just 'Gmail' when adding to iPhone
- There is no 'one button' magic to make it all work
- You have to use a 'secret' method to add additional calendars
There is a difference between regular gmail and gmail for domains
For regular Gmail users, you can setup Exhange service for Gmail on your iPhone quite easily. Simply fill out hte screen on your phone and you are good to go. However, for Gmail users who use 'Apps', ie they have their own domain name using Google services, there is one step you have to take first: enable this service for your mobile phone.
- From the Dashboard of your Google Apps account, click on 'Mobile'
- Check the box to Enable this service
You will then follow the normal procedure
Use Exchange for Gmail, not just 'Gmail' when adding to iPhone
When setting up your Gmail account on your phone, in the Settings app, under Email, Choose 'Microsoft Exhange' rather than 'Gmail' to setup your Gmail account
You simply get better functionality and features. For instance, you get better PUSH functionality, where all your folders (Sent, All Mail) can be selected to be kept up to date, rather then fetching them whenever you want to see an updated view.
For full instructions on adding Gmail (or Google Apps Gmail) to your iPhone, take a look here.
Tips from Google before you start
1. Google Sync is only supported on iPhone OS versions 3.0 and above. You can check your current version by going to Settings > General > About > Version.
2. Perform a sync with iTunes to ensure that Contacts and Calendars from your iPhone are backed up to your computer. Learn more about backing up your Contacts and Calendars.
3. If your business, school, or organization uses Google Apps, your administrator will first need to enable Google Sync before you can take advantage of this feature.
2. Perform a sync with iTunes to ensure that Contacts and Calendars from your iPhone are backed up to your computer. Learn more about backing up your Contacts and Calendars.
3. If your business, school, or organization uses Google Apps, your administrator will first need to enable Google Sync before you can take advantage of this feature.
There is no 'one button' magic to make it all work
It took some searching and trial/error to get everything working correctly. Remember to search for your problems when setting all this up in Google, you are certainly going to find others with your same exact problem.
You have to use a 'secret' method to add additional calendars
So, you have added Gmail to your iPhone, you go to the Calendar app, and you only see the default Calendar! But, what about the calendar you created for family events, sporting events, or calendars you imported? Well, there are 'secret' steps to take to add these to your iPhone:
Regular Gmail, follow the steps below:
- Open the Safari browser on your device and go to http://m.google.com/sync.
- Sign in with your account and select your device from the list of devices you've set up for Google Sync.
- Bookmark this page so you can return to it easily.
Gmail for Domains, follow these steps:
- Open the Safari browser on your phone and go to http://m.google.com
- Click on Google Apps user? at the bottom of the screen.
- Enter your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com).
- Click the Sync icon in your domain area (this section has a green background).
- Sign in if required.
- Select your device to configure Calendars.
You can find these at Google's site here.
