Google Calendar expands event colors to 200 custom choices
Google says Calendar users can now pick from more event colors, with 24 defaults and custom RGB options rolling out across web, mobile and the API.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Google Calendar is adding many more ways to color-code events, giving users up to 200 custom event colors instead of the previous set of 11 presets. Google said the change applies to individual events across Calendar’s web and mobile apps, as well as the Calendar API.
The update gives Calendar users more room to separate work, personal and other appointments visually. Google said the expanded palette answers a long-running request from users who wanted more control over how events appear.
What is changing
Google said Calendar now includes 24 built-in color choices for events. Users on the web, and developers using the API, can create additional colors through a full RGB color picker.
The company said the expanded options allow each event to carry its own color, rather than forcing unrelated events to share one of a small number of preset labels. That could make busy calendars easier to read quickly, especially for people who use the same calendar for several types of commitments.
Google said the feature covers individual event colors. The announcement did not describe changes to broader calendar-level color settings.
Who gets it and when
Google said the rollout began June 17 for users on rapid release domains. A broader extended rollout is scheduled to begin June 29, though Google said it may take several weeks before the feature appears for all eligible users.
The update will be available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers and people using personal Google accounts, according to Google. The company said the feature will be turned on by default.
Google’s rapid release track is used by organizations that choose to receive some Workspace features earlier. The extended rollout means other eligible users may see the option later, depending on their account or organization settings.
Where custom colors work
Google said the expanded color options are supported in the native Calendar apps on the web and mobile. The Calendar API also supports the change, allowing custom event colors to be used through connected tools and integrations.
On the web and through the API, users can define colors with RGB values, according to Google. The company did not say in its announcement that the mobile apps include the same RGB picker, only that the expanded event colors apply across the native Calendar web and mobile apps and the API.
For people who rely on color coding to sort deadlines, meetings, family plans or other entries, the practical change is straightforward: Google Calendar now offers far more visual labels for individual events than it did under the old 11-color limit.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.