Stop Gmail Auto-Creating Calendar Events

Gmail has a feature that automatically turns flight, hotel, restaurant, and event details from your emails into Google Calendar events. While handy for some, it can clutter your calendar with unwanted entries. This guide shows you how to disable this automatic event creation, both for future emails and for events already added.

What You’ll Need

• A Google account with access to Gmail and Google Calendar (web or mobile).
• If using a mobile device, the Gmail app and Google Calendar app installed.

Step-by-Step

1. Open Gmail in a web browser. Go to mail.google.com and sign in if needed.
2. Go to Settings. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner, then select See all settings.
3. Open the General tab. It should be the first tab at the top of the settings page.
4. Scroll to the “Events from Gmail” section. It’s usually near the bottom of the General tab, below “Signature” and above “Vacation responder”.
5. Select “Do not show events from Gmail in my calendar”. This option is a radio button. Click it to select it.
6. Save changes. Click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the page. A confirmation message may appear; click Save if prompted.
7. Remove existing events (optional). If you want to delete events already created, go to calendar.google.com. In the left sidebar, under “My calendars”, you’ll see a calendar named Events from Gmail. Uncheck the box to hide it, or hover over it, click the three-dot menu, and select Remove from list to permanently delete those events from your calendar (they won’t be re-added once the feature is off).

On mobile (Gmail app): Open the Gmail app, tap the menu (three horizontal lines) at the top left, scroll down to Settings, select your account, then scroll to Events from Gmail and tap Do not show events from Gmail. The change syncs across devices.

Common Mistakes

• Not saving changes: Forgetting to click “Save Changes” after selecting the option. The setting won’t apply until you save.
• Looking in the wrong settings: Some users look in Calendar settings instead of Gmail settings. The toggle is only in Gmail’s General tab.
• Expecting immediate removal of existing events: Disabling the feature stops new events, but old ones remain until you manually delete them.
• Using the mobile app and not syncing: If you change the setting on the mobile app, ensure your device is online and synced. The change may take a few minutes to reflect on other devices.

Tips

• Use a separate calendar for Gmail events: If you like the feature but want to control it, keep it on but uncheck the “Events from Gmail” calendar in Calendar’s sidebar to hide it. You can still see it when you want.
• Review before you disable: If you only get a few useful events (like flight confirmations), you might prefer to keep the feature and just delete the occasional unwanted event.
• Check your other calendars: If you use multiple Google accounts, repeat the steps for each account that has Gmail.
• Use the “Report as spam” trick: If a specific sender’s emails keep creating events, you can mark their emails as spam. Gmail won’t create events from spam, but this also affects your inbox.

Troubleshooting

Events still appear after disabling: First, confirm you saved the setting. Then, clear your browser cache and refresh Gmail. If events still show, they may be from a different source (e.g., a manual event or another calendar). Check the event’s calendar name in Calendar’s side panel.

Can’t find the “Events from Gmail” setting: If you don’t see it, your Gmail might be part of a work or school account where the admin has disabled this setting. In that case, you cannot change it yourself. Contact your administrator.

Setting reverts back: If the setting turns back on after a while, it could be due to a browser extension that resets settings, or you may have multiple profiles. Try incognito mode to test.

Mobile app doesn’t show the option: Make sure your Gmail app is updated to the latest version. The option is under Settings > your account > Events from Gmail. If it’s missing, the app may not support it on your device; use the web browser instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling this delete events already in my calendar?

No. Disabling only stops future events. To delete existing ones, you must remove them from the “Events from Gmail” calendar in Google Calendar.

Can I disable it for only certain types of events (e.g., flights but not restaurants)?

No, the setting is all or nothing. You cannot filter by event type.

Does this affect my Gmail inbox or email content?

No. It only stops the automatic creation of calendar events. Your emails remain unchanged.

Will this also stop event creation from Google Messages or other apps?

No, this setting only affects Gmail. Other apps that create calendar events (like Google Messages for travel reservations) have their own settings.

If I re-enable the feature later, will old emails create events?

No. Only new emails arriving after re-enabling will create events. Past emails won’t be retroactively processed.

Why did I see events from Gmail even though I never enabled it?

This feature is on by default for personal Google accounts. You may have noticed it only when an event was added. You can disable it as described above.

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