Why Calendar Subscriptions Behave Differently on Android vs. iOS
Background
At Stanza, we generate webcal:// links for each calendar, personalized by user. A webcal:// link ensures that any changes made to a calendar automatically appear in the user's calendar app.
On iOS, tapping a webcal:// link automatically opens Apple Calendar and subscribes you with one tap.
On Android, the experience is less consistent — not because of the calendar provider, but because Android doesn’t natively recognize the webcal:// protocol.
Unlike Apple, which controls both the operating system and Calendar app, Android allows multiple calendar apps (Google Calendar, Samsung Calendar, Outlook, etc.), each with its own sync behavior. The operating system itself doesn’t know which app should handle a webcal:// link.
How Calendar Links Work on Android
Platform
Behavior when tapping a webcal:// link
iOS / macOS
Opens Apple Calendar → subscribes automatically.
Google Calendar (Android)
No native handling — link does nothing. You must subscribe via Google Calendar on the web.
Samsung Calendar
May download the .ics file but doesn’t stay subscribed.
Outlook (Android)
Doesn’t recognize webcal://; subscriptions must be added on Outlook web.
ICSx⁵ (third-party app)
Can subscribe and sync automatically, but requires manual installation.
How Other Platforms Handle It
Because of these Android limitations, nearly every major platform uses alternative link formats that work reliably across devices.
Example: Eventbrite
Eventbrite’s “Add to calendar” button detects your device:
On iPhone → uses
webcal://On Android → opens
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/r?cid=https://www.eventbrite.com/calendar/ical/1234567890
This link opens the calendar directly inside Google Calendar (web or app) and ensures the subscription syncs to your Android device.
Example: Facebook Events
Facebook uses a similar approach.
iOS users get
webcal://facebook.com/events/ical/...Android users get a Google Calendar URL:
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/r?cid=https://www.facebook.com/events/ical/upcoming/
This pattern guarantees compatibility without requiring extra apps or manual imports.
Manual Sync on Android (After Subscribing via Google Calendar)
When a user subscribes to a calendar using a Google Calendar web link (for example,
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/r?cid=...), the subscription is added to their Google account — but Android devices don’t always sync new calendars immediately. This can make it look like the calendar didn’t add, even though it did.
Why This Happens
Google Calendar sync on Android prioritizes frequently used calendars.
Newly subscribed calendars often need a manual refresh before showing up.
This is normal behavior across all Android devices, not a Stanza-specific issue.
Steps to Manually Sync a New Calendar
Open the Google Calendar app on your Android device.
Tap the menu icon (☰) → scroll to Settings.
Under your account, look for the new calendar.
If you don’t see it, tap the three-dot menu → Refresh.
Ensure that:
The new calendar is checked (visible).
“Sync” is turned on for that calendar.
If it still doesn’t appear, open Google Calendar on the web once more — this often forces Android to register the calendar and begin syncing.
Tip: The initial sync may take a few minutes, especially if your phone’s battery saver or background data restrictions are on.
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