Here’s a quick tutorial: how to customize your Google Calendar background!
Google Calendar is my #1 recommendation for free apps to help families stay organized and have a single source of truth. But it does make it a little more enticing if your calendar looks beautiful.
Note that this will only work on Chrome on your desktop, and not on your iPhone.
This whole tutorial will take less than 2 minutes, so let’s jump in!
How to add a custom Google Calendar background
Okay, so to add your background, you’re going to add a Google Chrome extension. Don’t worry, it is free and you can add it in just a few clicks.
The extension you want is called Custom Calendar Background.
Click “Add to Chrome” to install and then click “add extension.”
Now from your Chrome bar, click on the icon for your extension in the navigation bar, click the 3-dot menu, and click “Options.” This will bring up the settings for your custom calendar background.
This Chrome extension does not support uploading files, so you will need to have an image URL on hand for your desired background. Unsplash is a great source of free stock photos. I’ve also collected a few options for you below. Once you find the photo you want, left-click on it, select “Open Image in New Tab”, and then copy the URL of that new tab and paste it in the Custom Calendar Background. Voila! Your background awaits.
Free Google Calendar backgrounds
I went ahead and collected a few Google Calendar background image options for you from Unsplash! Feel free to use the URLs below rather than navigating to Unsplash.
More ways upgrade your Google Calendar
While we’re in your Google Calendar, let’s make a few more upgrades!
If you have a list of many events that you want to add to your Google Calendar, such as a school calendar or sports schedule, you can quickly add them with a bulk upload. As a mom, I swear by this tip!
Then, make sure you have the commute/travel time blocked out in your calendar so you don’t overschedule yourself and your family. It’s not quite as seamless as the bulk upload, but it is possible.
Plus, make sure your calendar has these 27 dates and events to add every year (…and they don’t include the default holidays that are already there 😉.)
