Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Busy or Free.
What does Busy or Free do?
Apple Calendar doesn't let you change the busy/free status of all-day events — the 'Show As' selector is simply missing. Busy or Free scans your iCloud calendars, finds all-day events, and lets you toggle them between Busy and Free. The changes sync through iCloud to all your devices and scheduling tools.
Why are my all-day events showing as busy?
When you create an all-day event in Apple Calendar, it can default to 'Busy' — and there's no UI to change it. This is a known limitation that's been reported on Apple Support forums since 2019. Scheduling tools like Calendly and Motion read this status and block your entire day, even for events like birthdays or vacation reminders that shouldn't affect your availability.
Will this work with Calendly, Motion, SavvyCal, etc.?
Yes. Busy or Free changes the underlying CalDAV property (TRANSP) that all standards-compliant scheduling tools read. Once you set an event to 'Free,' any tool that checks your iCloud calendar availability — including Calendly, Motion, SavvyCal, Cal.com, Reclaim, and others — will see that time as available.
Does this work with Google Calendar or Outlook?
Busy or Free works with calendars accessible through Apple's EventKit framework — primarily iCloud (CalDAV) calendars. If you have a Google or Exchange calendar synced to your iPhone or Mac through the system Calendar app, it may appear in the app as well. However, the app is designed and tested primarily for iCloud calendars.
Is my calendar data sent anywhere?
No. All calendar processing happens entirely on your device using Apple's EventKit framework. No data is collected, transmitted, or stored on any server. We don't have analytics, tracking, or any third-party SDKs. See our privacy policy for full details.
What do I get for free vs. the subscription?
The free version lets you scan one calendar with a 7-day date range — enough to verify the app works for you. The $1.99/year subscription unlocks unlimited calendars, any date range, and unlimited scans and saves.
How do I cancel my subscription?
Subscriptions are managed through Apple. On your iPhone: Settings > Your Name > Subscriptions > Busy or Free > Cancel. On Mac: App Store > Account > Subscriptions > Manage. You'll continue to have access until the end of your current billing period.
The app isn't showing my calendars
Make sure you've granted Busy or Free full calendar access. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Calendars and confirm Busy or Free is enabled. If your calendar is from a non-iCloud source (Google, Exchange), try toggling 'Hide non-iCloud calendars' off in the calendar picker. If the issue persists, contact us.
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