Calendar Widget Not Updating on Android: How to Fix It
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A calendar widget that does not update has two common causes. Either the phone has not synced the calendar, or the system stopped the widget app from running in the background. Check the sync first, then the battery settings.
Work through the steps in order. Stop when the widget shows the right events.
Step 1: Tap the refresh button
If your widget has a toolbar with a refresh button, tap it. Super Agenda has this button next to the add-event and settings buttons. Wait a few seconds.
If the widget shows the right events now, the widget was only late. Go to step 4 to stop it from happening again. If nothing changes, the problem is likely the calendar data.
Step 2: Check that the event is on the phone
A widget that reads the phone calendar cannot show an event the phone does not have. Open your calendar app and find the event.
Event is there: go to step 4.
Event is not there: go to step 3.
Your calendar, on your home screen. Super Agenda is a free, very customizable agenda widget for Android. No account, no ads.
Get Super Agenda on Google Play
Step 3: Fix the account sync
These steps come from Google's Calendar Help. Menu names can vary by phone and Android version.
Check the connection. Make sure mobile data or Wi-Fi is on and airplane mode is off.
Check the calendar sync. In the Google Calendar app, open Menu, then Settings. Select the calendar that misses events. If you do not see it, tap Show more. Make sure Sync is on. Sync appears only for calendars you created, not for your primary calendar.
Check the account sync. Open Settings and tap Passwords, passkeys & accounts. On some phones, tap About phone, then Google Account. Pick your Google account, tap Account sync, and make sure Calendar is on.
Refresh by hand. In the Calendar app, open Menu, then Refresh.
For Outlook, iCloud, or Exchange calendars, each service has its own sync steps. Read How to Show Outlook, iCloud and Exchange Events in an Android Widget.
Step 4: Check the battery limits
A phone can limit what an app does in the background. Android has three levels for each app. These names come from the Android developer documentation.
Unrestricted — What it means: The app may do all background work. It can use more battery..
Optimized — What it means: The default. The system adjusts background work based on how you use the app..
Restricted — What it means: The app cannot run in the background..
On a Pixel, Google describes this path: Settings, Apps, See all apps, pick the app, App battery usage, Allow background usage. Samsung and other brands add their own battery tools with different names, so look for a battery or "sleeping apps" section in Settings.
Be careful with Unrestricted. Google warns that an app with battery optimization off can run more while you do not use it, which can use more battery than needed. Try Optimized first. Use Unrestricted only if the widget still falls behind.
How Super Agenda works:
It refreshes itself when the calendar changes and at midnight.
Its background work runs only while a widget is on the home screen.
If you removed every Super Agenda widget, nothing runs. Add the widget again.
Step 5: Add the widget again
If the data is right and the battery is fine, remove the widget and add it again. Touch and hold the widget, drag it to Remove, then add it from the Widgets list. Removing a widget does not uninstall the app. Restart the phone if the problem stays.
Step 6: Clear the Calendar app storage (last resort)
Google lists this as the last step. Open Settings, tap Apps, See all apps, Calendar, then Storage & cache, Clear storage, and Delete. Restart the phone. This can delete data that is not yet synced, so try it only after the other steps fail.
Quick diagnosis
Event missing in the calendar app too — Likely cause: Sync is off. Fix: Step 3.
Event is in the calendar app, not in the widget — Likely cause: Calendar not selected, or widget is late. Fix: Check the widget calendar choice, then step 1.
Widget is correct after a refresh, old after a few hours — Likely cause: Background limits. Fix: Step 4.
Widget is gone from the home screen — Likely cause: Background work stops without a widget. Fix: Add the widget again (step 5).
FAQ
Why does my widget update only when I open the calendar app?
The phone may be late to sync the calendar in the background. Check Account sync and the battery setting of your calendar app.
When does Super Agenda refresh?
It refreshes itself when the calendar changes and at midnight. Background work runs only while a widget is on the home screen.
Will turning on Unrestricted fix it?
It can help if the system stops the app. It can also use more battery, so try Optimized first.
Is the refresh button the same in every widget?
No. Super Agenda has a refresh button in its toolbar. Other widgets have their own controls.
Does clearing the Calendar storage delete my events?
Synced events come back after the next sync. Events that never synced can be lost. That is why this is the last step.
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Super Agenda is not affiliated with Google.