Setting up alerts on Samsung Calendar
Samsung Calendar lets you set alerts for events so you get a notification before something happens. You can choose when the alert arrives—anywhere from 15 minutes before an event to two weeks ahead—and you can set multiple alerts for the same event if you want.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're creating a new event or adding an alert to an event that already exists. Both routes take less than a minute once you know where to look.
Key Takeaways
- Open Samsung Calendar, tap the event, and look for a Notifications or Reminders section to add or change alerts.
- You can set alerts at 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, or 2 weeks before an event, or turn alerts off entirely.
- Multiple alerts on one event are possible—for example, one at 1 day before and another at 15 minutes before.
- Alerts appear as notifications on your phone's lock screen and notification panel, even if Samsung Calendar is not open.
Adding an alert when you create a new event
Open Samsung Calendar and tap the plus button (usually at the bottom right) to create a new event. Fill in the event name, date, and time as normal. Scroll down in the event creation screen until you see a Notifications or Reminders section.
Tap that section and you'll see a dropdown menu with preset times: 15 minutes before, 30 minutes before, 1 hour before, 1 day before, 1 week before, or 2 weeks before. Select the time that works for you. If you want no alert at all, choose None. Once you've picked your alert time, finish creating the event by tapping Save or Done.
Adding or changing an alert on an existing event
Open Samsung Calendar and find the event you want to add or change an alert for. Tap the event once to open its details. Look for an Edit button (usually a pencil icon) and tap it to open the event in edit mode.
Scroll down to the Notifications or Reminders section. If there's already an alert set, you'll see it listed. Tap on it to change it to a different time, or tap the plus button next to it if you want to add a second alert. When you're done, save your changes by tapping Save or Done.
Setting multiple alerts for one event
Samsung Calendar allows you to stack alerts so you get notified more than once before an event. This is useful if you want a heads-up a day before, then another reminder 15 minutes before you need to leave.
When you're editing an event's notifications, look for a plus button or an "Add another notification" option. Tap it and choose a second alert time from the dropdown. You can add as many alerts as you need. Each one will fire at the time you set, even if you've already dismissed an earlier alert for the same event.
Where alerts show up on your phone
When an alert fires, it appears as a notification on your lock screen and in your phone's notification panel (the dropdown menu at the top of your screen). You don't need to have Samsung Calendar open for the alert to show—it will reach you even if you're using another app.
Tap the notification to open the event details in Samsung Calendar. If you swipe the notification away without tapping it, the alert is dismissed but the event stays in your calendar.
Turning off alerts or changing the default
If an event has an alert you no longer want, edit the event and change the notification setting to None. This removes the alert without deleting the event itself.
Samsung Calendar does not have a global default alert setting that applies to all new events automatically. Each event's alert must be set individually when you create it or edit it later. If you find yourself setting the same alert time for most events, you may want to choose that time first when creating a new event, since it will be remembered as your most recent choice.
Troubleshooting alerts that don't arrive
If you've set an alert but didn't see a notification, check that notifications are turned on for Samsung Calendar in your phone's settings. Go to Settings, then Apps, find Samsung Calendar, and tap Notifications. Make sure notifications are toggled on and that the notification importance is set to High or higher.
Also check that your phone's Do Not Disturb mode is not blocking notifications at the time the alert should have fired. If Do Not Disturb is on, it may silence alerts even though they're technically being sent. You can usually allow calendar notifications through Do Not Disturb by adding Samsung Calendar to your exceptions list in Settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set an alert for a time that's not in the preset list?
Samsung Calendar offers only the preset times: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks before an event. You cannot create a custom alert time like 45 minutes or 3 days before. If none of the presets fit your needs, choose the closest one or add multiple alerts to cover the times you want.
What happens if I set an alert for a time after the event has already started?
If you set an alert for 15 minutes before an event that starts in 10 minutes, the alert will fire when ready when you save the event, since the alert time has already passed. This is usually not what you want, so double-check the event time before saving.
Do alerts work for all-day events?
Yes. For all-day events, you can set alerts at 1 day before, 1 week before, or 2 weeks before. The alert will fire at the start of the day before the event (usually midnight or your phone's default morning time). Shorter alerts like 15 minutes do not make sense for all-day events, so they may not appear as options.
Will I get an alert if my phone is turned off?
No. Alerts only fire when your phone is powered on and has an active connection. If your phone is off at the time an alert is scheduled, you will not receive it. The event stays in your calendar, but the notification is lost.
Can I change the sound or vibration of calendar alerts?
That depends on your phone's notification settings, not Samsung Calendar itself. Go to Settings, Apps, Samsung Calendar, Notifications, and look for a Sound or Vibration option. You can usually choose a notification sound or turn vibration on or off from there.