Using BusyCal with Apple Calendar
BusyCal now supports direct syncing with Apple Calendar in read-only mode for those instances where adding your account directly to BusyCal is not feasible.
This capability is present in BusyCal version 2024.1.2 (macOS) or later. For BusyCal on iOS, please ensure your application is updated to version 4.5.8 or higher.
This feature is not recommended for regular use. It is intended as a workaround for users who are unable to add their work or enterprise accounts directly to BusyCal. Be advised that using this feature introduces significant restrictions, such as read-only access to events and no ability to respond to meeting invites.
How to Sync with Apple Calendar
Follow these steps to enable synchronization between BusyCal and Apple Calendar:
- Navigate to BusyCal > Settings > Accounts.
- Click the "+" button to add a new account.
- Choose Apple Calendar from the options and click Done.
Why Not Use Apple’s EventKit or Built-in SDKs?
Apple provides developers with an API called EventKit to access calendar data.
However, EventKit is extremely limited and does not support many of BusyCal’s advanced features, such as:
- ✅ Scheduling meetings, managing attendees and related steps
- ✅ Custom durations
- ✅ Attachments & conference call integration
- ✅ Custom alarms
- ✅ Time-blocking across calendars
- ✅ Smart Filters & Saved Searches
- ✅ Travel time and time-to-leave alerts
- ✅ Tags, custom metadata, and private fields
- ✅ Custom views, weather, and location-based features
- And much, much, much more. Far too many to list here.
Using EventKit would severely limit the flexibility and functionality that makes BusyCal unique. It's like building a full-featured web browser like Chrome instead of just wrapping around Apple’s WebKit view—power and customization matter!
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