Can Google Calendar Do Recurring Reminders? Yes — Here's How

Yes, Google Calendar supports recurring reminders — but the feature works differently than most people expect, especially after Google merged its standalone Reminders feature into Google Tasks in 2023. Here's exactly how to set up a working recurring reminder in Google Calendar and when you need a dedicated SMS tool instead.

Google Calendar's Recurring Reminder Architecture

Google Calendar has three separate concepts that overlap confusingly:

1. Events: Calendar blocks with start/end times. Can have notifications (pop-up or email). Can recur.
2. Tasks: To-do items that appear on the calendar. Can have due dates and recur. Have their own notification system.
3. Reminders (deprecated): A standalone feature that was folded into Tasks in 2023. If you had old Reminders, they now appear as Tasks.

For most recurring reminder use cases, recurring Events with notifications are the most reliable approach. Here's how to set them up.

How to Set a Recurring Reminder in Google Calendar

Method 1: Recurring Event with Notification (Recommended)

1. Open Google Calendar (calendar.google.com or the app)
2. Click on the time slot you want the reminder to occur
3. Give it a title (this becomes the reminder text)
4. Click More options to expand
5. Click Does not repeat → choose recurrence:
   • Daily
   • Weekly on [day]
   • Monthly on [date]
   • Annually
   • Every weekday
   • Custom (every N days/weeks/months, on specific days)
6. Click Add notification → set to:
   • Notification: pop-up on your screen/phone
   • Email: goes to your Gmail (bypasses phone notification settings)
   • Set how far in advance: 0 minutes (at time), 10 minutes before, 1 day before, etc.
7. Click Save

The event and its notification will now repeat on the schedule you set.

Method 2: Recurring Task (for to-do items)

1. In Google Calendar, click the Tasks icon on the right sidebar
2. Click + Add a task
3. Click Edit details (pencil icon)
4. Set date and time
5. Under the date, choose Repeat: daily, weekly, monthly, or custom
6. Save

Tasks appear on your calendar and have a separate notification system — make sure Task notifications are enabled in your Google Calendar notification settings.

The Notification Problem with Google Calendar

Here's where Google Calendar recurring reminders often fail: notifications are only as reliable as your notification settings.

Common failure points:

• Phone in Do Not Disturb mode → notification silenced
• Google Calendar notifications disabled in phone settings → no alert
• Browser notifications blocked (desktop) → no pop-up
• Phone battery dead → no notification
• App force-closed by Android memory management → missed notification

For truly important recurring reminders — medications, critical deadlines, contract renewals — Google Calendar alone is a single point of failure.

Google Calendar Recurring Reminders vs. SMS Reminders

Feature	Google Calendar	YouGot (SMS)
Free	Yes	Free tier available
Recurring support	Yes	Yes
Works offline	Partial	Yes (SMS via carrier)
Bypasses DND mode	No	Often yes
Works on any phone	No (requires Google account)	Yes
Natural language input	No (form-based)	Yes
Email + SMS delivery	Email only	SMS, WhatsApp, email, push
Caregiver can set for others	No	Yes
Escalates if ignored	No	Yes (paid)

Try These Recurring Reminders via YouGot

For reminders that matter, set them in YouGot using plain English — no form filling:

• Remind me to back up my computer every Sunday at 8pm.
• Text me on the 1st of every month to review my budget.
• Remind me to water my plants every Wednesday and Saturday morning at 9am.
• Send me a reminder every Friday at 4pm to send my weekly update email.
• Remind me every 6 months on April 15 and October 15 to rotate my car tires.

Custom Recurrence: What Google Calendar Supports

Google Calendar's custom recurrence is genuinely flexible:

• Every N days (e.g., every 3 days)
• Every N weeks on specific days (e.g., every 2 weeks on Tuesday and Thursday)
• Every N months on a date (e.g., every 3 months on the 15th)
• Every N months on a weekday (e.g., the first Monday of every month)
• Every N years

To access custom recurrence:

1. Create/edit event → More options
2. Click recurrence dropdown → Custom
3. Set your pattern

This covers most scheduling needs. Where Google Calendar falls short is in reminder delivery reliability, not recurrence flexibility.

When to Use Google Calendar vs. SMS for Recurring Reminders

Use Google Calendar recurring events when:

• The reminder is low-stakes (weekly meeting, monthly book club)
• You check Google Calendar regularly and see events contextually
• You want the reminder tied to a calendar block others can see
• You're already in the Google ecosystem and want integrated scheduling

Use SMS recurring reminders (YouGot) when:

• Missing the reminder has real consequences (medication, contract renewal, bill payment)
• You need the reminder to reach someone who doesn't have a Google account
• Your phone is often on silent or DND
• You want the reminder to work even if your internet is down
• You want natural-language input rather than form-based scheduling

The smartest setup for important recurring items: Google Calendar event for the context + YouGot SMS reminder as the active alert. The calendar tells you what's happening; the SMS makes sure you actually act on it.

See YouGot's pricing for plan details. More comparison guides in the YouGot blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Google Calendar do recurring reminders?

Yes, Google Calendar supports recurring reminders, split across Events (with notifications) and Tasks (with recurrence). For reliable recurring reminders, create a recurring Event with a Notification or Email alert set to the desired advance time. For high-stakes reminders, supplement with SMS delivery via YouGot.

How do I set a recurring reminder in Google Calendar?

Create a new event → More options → click 'Does not repeat' to set recurrence (daily, weekly, monthly, custom) → Add notification (pop-up or email) → set advance time → Save. The event and notification repeat on your chosen schedule automatically.

What is the difference between Google Calendar events and reminders?

Google deprecated standalone Reminders in 2023, folding them into Google Tasks. Events are calendar blocks with notifications; Tasks are to-do items with due dates. For recurring reminders, creating a recurring Event with a notification is the most visible approach.

Why aren't my Google Calendar reminders showing up?

Common causes: Calendar notifications disabled on your phone, browser notifications blocked, Do Not Disturb silencing alerts, or a Task vs. Event notification mismatch. Email notifications bypass most of these issues. For persistent reliability, use SMS reminders as a backup.

Is Google Calendar enough for important recurring reminders?

For low-stakes recurring items, yes. For high-stakes items where missing the reminder has real consequences, supplement with SMS reminders via YouGot — a second delivery channel that doesn't depend on Google Calendar notification settings or your phone's internet connection.