ON IPHONE
Show, hide and fix
birthdays in iPhone Calendar.
The Calendar app can show your contacts’ birthdays. Here is how to switch them on or off, deal with duplicates and change the default alert.
GIFT IDEAS
Art supplies, pottery class, museum membership.
- Art
- Pottery
- Museums
THE SHORT ANSWER
The Birthdays calendar, explained
Calendar can include birthdays from Contacts. They come from your contact cards, so fixing a birthday means fixing the contact.
This page covers the upkeep. To set birthdays up from scratch, see birthday reminders on iPhone.
ON IPHONE
Show or hide birthdays
- 1
Open Calendars
Open the Calendar app and tap Calendars.
- 2
Select or clear the birthdays option
Select it to show birthdays from Contacts, or clear it to hide them. Depending on your version of iOS, the option is called Birthdays or Holidays and Birthdays, with your country’s name.
- 3
Tap Done
Your calendar view updates. Hiding the calendar does not change your contacts.
ON IPHONE
Fix duplicate birthdays
If one person shows several birthday events, you may have more than one contact card for them. Apple suggests checking Contacts:
- Open Contacts and search for the person’s name.
- If several results are the same person, open them and manage, delete or consolidate the duplicate cards.
ON IPHONE
Change the default alert for birthdays
Calendar has a default alert you can set for birthdays. Open the Calendar settings, choose Default Alert Times, tap Birthdays and pick an option. In newer versions of iOS the Calendar settings are under Apps in the Settings app.
ON IPHONE
Changes can take time
Birthdays reach Calendar from Contacts through iCloud, so a change can take a while to show up, sometimes until the next day.
ON IPHONE
When an app helps
If you want a countdown, several reminders for each birthday and a place for gift ideas, Birthday Reminder adds those. It can import the same birthdays from Contacts or Calendar.
QUESTIONS
iPhone birthdays calendar: questions
Why are birthdays missing from Calendar?
Check that the birthdays option is selected under Calendars, and that the birthday is saved on the contact.
How do I remove birthdays from Calendar?
Clear the birthdays option under Calendars to hide them, or remove the birthday from the person’s contact card.
Why do I see a birthday twice?
You probably have two contact cards for the same person. Search their name in Contacts and consolidate or delete the duplicate.
Does hiding the Birthdays calendar delete anything?
No. It only changes what Calendar shows. The birthdays stay on your contacts.
See also: birthday reminders on iPhone and birthday notifications.
More birthday guides
Gift ideas tracker
Save gift ideas for each person, with an optional price and link.
Read the guide →Free birthday reminder app
See what the free plan includes and what Premium adds.
Read the guide →Birthday tracker app
Track every birthday on your phone, without a spreadsheet or printable.
Read the guide →Best birthday reminder app
A checklist for choosing the right birthday reminder app.
Read the guide →Birthday countdown app
Count down to every birthday in days, hours, minutes and seconds.
Read the guide →Birthday reminders on iPhone
Set up birthdays in Contacts and Calendar, and see what an app adds.
Read the guide →ON IPHONE
Add countdowns and gift ideas
Download Birthday Reminder for iPhone and import your contacts’ birthdays.