Home / iOS5 Update Calendar Events Duplicated (Easy Fix)

iOS5 Update Calendar Events Duplicated (Easy Fix)

October 12, 2011 By 27 Comments

Just downloaded the latest iOS from Apple, and everything seemed to have gone smoothly except for the fact that the calendar on my phone had a duplicate of all events.

I checked my phone sync settings on iTunes and noticed that I had the “Sync iCal Calendars” box selected.

Since iOS5 is now using iCloud to sync calendar events between all of your devices, apparently it’s no longer necessary to have this box selected.

Your calendars are being synced with iCloud over the air. You can also choose to sync calendars with this computer. This may result in duplicated data showing on your device.

Remove Duplicates

So all you’ve got to do is this:

  1. Plug in your iPhone
  2. Open iTunes
  3. Click on your phone under “Devices”
  4. Click the “Info” Tab
  5. Uncheck the “Sync iCal Calendars” box.
  6. If I remember correctly, it asked if I wanted to remove all of the events from my iPhone calendar. Yes.
  7. Sync again, and now your iPhone should show the proper events in your calendar. i.e. one of each, as opposed to the duplication.

Enjoy your iOs 5. I know I am.

Not sure how we ever survived without the notification center and other notification improvements.

Filed Under: Apple & Mac
  • Autocollectibles

    Unfortunately it caused all of my events in Outlook 2011 to become duplicates too. That’s the calendar I normally sync from (to iCal)

    • Morpethian

      I’m also having difficulties with Outlook for Mac since installing IOS 5. None of my appointments will sync across to iCal on my Mac or my iPhone, or vice versa – nightmare. Any suggestions?

  • Tamara Dufour

    This didn’t work for me…any other suggestion…it’s driving me crazy!!

  • Jasmine

    I had the same problem. Here is how I solved it:
    1. Open your calendar on your iMac.
    2. Click the “calendars” icon in the upper left hand corner of the calendar.
    3. You will notice iCloud and On My Mac settings. Decide which you will go with.
    4. Uncheck all the events in one the two options.
    5. Your calendar will no longer be duplicated.

    • Angnjam

      when I click on the calendar link of calendar it doesn’t give me an iCloud or On My Mac settings. I opened calenders and looked at the top bar where iCal File Edit Calendar, etc are listed. Is that where you are talking about?

  • Pfanzio

    I solved with the solution described in this article (thanks) and also had to uncheck the local calendars in the upper top left tab in iCal.
    This might be useful as well:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4000

  • Tamara Dufour

    I have tried all of these and more…still duplicates…..grrr…when I open ical I don’t’ have the option of iCloud or my mac settings….only iCloud….

    • OBC

      Same here.

      I un-synced calendars, then re-synced. That didn’t work.

      I unsubscribed from iCloud. Then un-synced and re-synced. That didn’t work.

      Seems this is an iOS 5 issue, not just an iCloud issue.

  • Rabidgood

    Thanks, this was a big help. I see there are now warnings in the info section of iTunes warning of duplicates.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000560872406 Letty Kovich

    Try this, click on calendar icon on iphone main screen. Look at top left of the application and click on “calendars”. Calendars should pop up and allow you to edit the calendars you would like to appear. In my case, I had icloud and from my pc selected. Once I deselected icloud, all of my duplicates went away.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Bentley/629708730 Michael Bentley

    None of this applies to me, either. MacBook Pro w/OS 10.6.8 and iPhone 4 w/iOS 5. Unchecked the iCloud options on the phone so it’s only displaying cal entries from my laptop. BUT – when I do a clean sync using the “Replace information on this phone” option in iTunes, I STILL get duplicate (and triplicate) events on my iPhone, including things that I’ve previously deleted from iCal on my laptop. My events in iCal are exactly the way I set them up. The events on the iPhone are messed up. If anyone has a clue, please let me know.

    • OBC

      Have you figured this out? I’m in the same situation. It’s incredibly frustrating. At the point where I have more than triplicates for some entries… 7, 8, 9 copies!

      • Moorboy3

        I too have this. Some events have 20 or more entries – and growing. I don’t have iCloud enabled.

  • Baohouse

    Genius; worked like a charm. Thanks!

  • Margaret

    Yay! Thank for the tip!

  • Monic

    Yee buddy!!! Worked!

  • Egerszegi

    This tip worked for me too. Thanks!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/harrison.j.crowe Harrison J. Crowe

    Would this also work for Notes? I keep getting duplicates there. I’m not certain as to which duders to check or uncheck.

  • JD

    THANKS!!!

  • stella

    thank you so much-this has worked for me with Outlook and iphone 4.

  • Robert Stack

    Found the fix after two hours. Setup iCloud and sync your calendar at least once. Open iTunes and then goto… your device…info tab and then under your calendar uncheck… sync calendar with outlook. on your iphone goto calendar then calendars button at top left….only check the iCloud Calendar with the purple dot. click done, and that’s it!!!!

    • Arcilla7

      Then are you supposed to go back into itunes and reselect sync w/ outlook calendar?

    • Arcilla7

      Then are you supposed to go back into itunes and reselect sync w/ outlook calendar?

    • Arcilla7

      Then are you supposed to go back into itunes and reselect sync w/ outlook calendar?

    • Arcilla7

      Then are you supposed to go back into itunes and reselect sync w/ outlook calendar?

  • Adsneal

    Thanks, this took a few tries but it worked. Thanks for your help.

  • Adsneal

    Utah, thanks again, I forgot to tell you that the genius at the apple store told me this was a glitch and there was no fix for this. He also said he had duplicate and triplicate entries in his phone calendar. Wish I had gone here first.