Workaround for missing Sync Calendar option for a Google Account on an Android phone

Got a Samsung Captivate Galaxy S phone running Android 2.1. Calendar Sync works with the initial Google account it was setup with, but not with additional ones.

The phone was initially setup to sync with a Google Account, which we shall call account1 here. The following sync options are available in "Settings" > "Accounts and Sync":

  • Sync Contacts
  • Sync Gmail
  • Sync Calendar

All of them sync without problems.

Needed to sync calendar with another Google account, let's call it account2.

Able to add account2 in "Settings" > "Accounts and Sync" but the calendar sync option is missing, only the following are available:

  • Sync Contacts
  • Sync Gmail

The calendar in account2 has lots of events and I'm able to sync Calendar on a different Android phone (Droid2 running 2.2) without any issues.

I've added and re-added account2 on the Samsung phone several times. Nothing. Also restarted the phone after re-adding this Google account. Still no Calendar Sync option. Some posts online suggest resetting phone to factory defaults, which erases all customizations, so this was going to be the measure of last resort.

Finally came across a workaround. It was to share the calendar in account2 with account1.

Login to Google with account2. In Google Calendar settings (https://www.google.com/calendar/ > "Settings" > "Calendar Settings" > "Calendars" > click on calendar > "Share this Calendar"). Shared with account1 with "Make changes to events" permission. Accepted the calendar invite in account1. Now calendar from account2 shows up as a calendar in account1.

Sync Calendar option was already enabled and working for account1 on the Samsung phone. Opened up the calendar app and see more events. Promising.. Now, when I click on the context menu button inside the calendar app, click "Settings" > "Calendars", both account1 and account2 are in the list. Yay. Meanwhile, under general phone settings > "Accounts and Sync", only account1 is listed. So not a fix, but a workaround.

5 Comments

  • 1. Dennis Bankov replies at 16th January 2012, 6:06 pm :

    This is fantastic. I have been researching this over an hour. I even tried to remove my 2nd google account, then had different bug that didn’t want me to reinstall the 2nd google account. Finally got that fixed by using a You Tube fix.

    I still wish I could figure out how to get my wife’s calendar sync option available. I guess that is just the programmer in me.

    Thanks again!!!

  • 2. johnnyK replies at 3rd October 2012, 3:58 am :

    Thank for sharing this. But my droid does not even show account1 sync calender option. No luck for me. Cheers John.

  • 3. johnnyK replies at 14th November 2012, 3:54 am :

    This worked for me on an Android with ICS and no sync calendar option in …settings…accounts&sync…[accountname]

    1. You need root access (superuser)
    2. Open a file manager and go to \system\app\
    … You get a warning, are you sure? Yes!
    3. Execute calendar.apk and calendarprovider.apk
    ?? Do you want to install this app? Yes!
    … Android gives a warning, install anyway
    4. Restart your Android

    Et voila.

  • 4. Bevor replies at 31st December 2012, 11:24 am :

    Had the same problem. Works on Android 2.1, thanks.

  • 5. Reuben Pereira replies at 21st May 2015, 6:55 pm :

    Thanks johnny you save me a lot of time from reflashing my rom all I needed was the calendar.apk file

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