How to Connect your External Calendars to Jam
Bringing your existing calendars into Jam is one of the best ways to get your whole family’s schedule in one place. Jam offers two ways to connect external calendars: Import and Sync. Understanding the difference helps you choose the best option for your family.
Import vs. Sync: What’s the Difference?
Import brings your external calendar events into Jam as editable copies. Once imported, you can:
- Edit event details (times, titles, locations)
- Assign events to specific family members
- Add To Dos, reminders, and notes to events
- Use Jam as your family’s single source of truth for scheduling
Imported events are a one-time copy — they won’t automatically update if the original calendar changes.
Sync connects your external calendar to Jam with live updates.
Synced events update in Jam automatically when changes are made in the original calendar. However, synced events are read-only inside Jam — you cannot edit them, add family members, or modify details directly. Any edits need to be made in the original calendar (Google, Apple, Outlook, etc.).
After the initial connection, Jam checks synced calendars for updates approximately once every hour to keep everything current.
Which Should I Choose?
|
|
Import | Sync |
|---|---|---|
| Events editable | Yes | No (read-only) |
| Auto-updates from original | No | Yes |
| Assign family members | Yes | No |
| Best for | Making Jam your main calendar | Viewing external events alongside Jam |
We recommend importing your personal calendars into Jam so it becomes the central hub for your family’s schedule.
How to Connect
- Open the Jam app.
- Tap your Profile Icon (top right).
- Select Manage Account.
- Tap Calendars or Connected Calendars.
- Choose your calendar provider (Google, Apple, Outlook, etc.).
- Select whether you’d like to Import or Sync.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to authorize access.
Important: When setting up your external calendar, make sure to choose the correct option (Import or Sync) based on how you want to use those events in Jam. If you want to be able to edit events and assign them to family members, choose Import.
Supported Calendar Providers
- Google Calendar
- Apple Calendar (iCloud)
- Outlook / Microsoft 365
- Public calendars (TeamSnap, GameChanger, school calendars, and more via URL)
Note: Yahoo calendar accounts cannot currently be connected directly to Jam. If you use Yahoo, consider exporting your Yahoo calendar and importing it via another method.