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CalDAV Calendar: What is it and its Purpose?

  Amit Patra
Written By Amit Patra
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Modified On November 27th, 2025
Reading Time 6 Min Read

In today’s fast-paced digital world, we heavily rely on calendar applications to manage and maintain meetings, deadlines, reminders, and daily tasks. But when you need your schedule to stay synchronized across multiple devices, like a computer, phone, or tablet, this is where the CalDAV Calendar role comes in. If you want to know what is CalDAV calendar and why many organizations depend on it. This guide will give you a clear and practical understanding.

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What is CalDAV Calendar?

To know the meaning of CalDAV calendar, it is important to know that CalDAV stands for Calendaring Extensions to WebDAV. It is an internet standard that allows users to access and manage their data stored on a server. Using CalDAV, you can sync events, schedules, and reminders across devices such as Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and Linux. Instead of storing events locally on one application, CalDAV keeps everything on a server so that any changes, like adding or updating an event, appear automatically on all connected devices. This is helpful for professionals, teams, and organizations that need shared scheduling.

How Does CalDAV Work?

Understanding and knowing what is CalDAV Calendar also includes how it functions. CalDAV uses the ICS format to store event data and the WebDAV protocol to export it between the device and server, which means:

  • The calendar events remain stable across the platforms
  • Data can be shared between multiple users
  • Real-time scheduling becomes smooth and effective

Google Calendar, Yahoo Calendar, FastMail, iCould, and NextCloud are some of the popular services that support CalDAV.

How to Set Up & Use CalDAV Calendar?

After learning what is CalDAV calendar, the next step is to know how to use it. The setup depends on the platforms, so below are the most common methods.

Method 1: Add CalDAV Calendar on Windows

If you manage your schedules directly from the desktop, Windows makes it possible to

combine CalDAV without third-party applications. This allows you to access and modify your calendar even when working offline, and the changes will update across your devices once you’re online. Follow the steps below to easily set up CalDAV on Windows.

  1. Open the Calendar app on Windows
  2. Click Settings > Manage accounts > Add Accounts
  3. Choose Advanced Setup and select Internet Email
  4. Enter your CalDAV email credentials
  5. In the server settings, enter the CalDAV server address given by your service
  6. Save the configuration details
  7. Allow Windows to sync

Method 2: Use CalDAV Calendar on Android

Android devices do not have native CalDAV support built into the default Calendar app, but syncing CalDAV accounts is completely possible with the help of supported third-party applications. This allows you to view, edit, and add calendar events on your smartphones, and the updates will instantly reflect everywhere your CalDAV account is connected. Below are the steps to set up a CalDAV calendar on Android:

  1. Download DAVx⁵ from the Play Store
  2. Open the app and choose the Add CalDAV Account
  3. Enter the login and CalDAV base URL
  4. Allows permission and completes the sync
  5. Choose which calendar folders you want to view on your device

Method 3: Set Up CalDAV Calendar on Mac/ iPhone (iOS)

Apple devices come with built-in support for CalDAV, which means you can connect is linked to your Mac or iPhone; every event you add, delete, or update will sync across all connected devices automatically. This ensures effortless scheduling while managing your work meetings and others. The simple steps to set up CalDAV on macOS and iOS are given below.

  1. Go to settings > Calendar > Accounts
  2. Tap on the Add Account > Other
  3. Select Add CalDAV Account
  4. Enter username, password, and server address
  5. Tap next to complete this process

Why Do Users Convert CalDAV to ICS For Data Portability?

After knowing and understanding what is CalDAV calendar, users often need to export and share calendar data. The most universal format for sharing individual ICS files. The reasons are:

  • Easy migration between platforms of the calendar
  • Backup of important events
  • Sharing with team members or clients
  • Importing into MS Outlook, Excel, or other apps

Convert CalDAV to ICS Through Specialized Solution

To make calendar data usable across platforms, the safest method is to convert CalDAV information into individual ICS files. The SysTools ICS Converter Software gives an automated and error-free solution for this task.

Quick Steps to Use This Tool

  1. Download and install the above-mentioned software
  2. Click on Add file button and import your ICS file
  3. Check the calendar details before export
  4. Select the desired export file format
  5. Browse and select the destination folder
  6. Click on the export button to begin the process

Key Features of This Automated Utility

  • It converts exported CalDAV ICS calendar files into multiple formats, such as ICS to CSV, PDF, PST, HTML, and more for wider usability.
  • This tool manages complete CalDAV event attributes, including title, time, description, location, attendees, reminders, and recurrence, while converting.
  • Also supports bulk conversion of CalDAV ICS files to save time when handling large or multi-user calendars.
  • Allows users to create offline and shareable calendar copies without depending on the CalDAV server.
  • It enables smooth calendar migration from CalDAV to applications like Outlook, Thunderbird, Excel, etc.
  • It also ensures 100% data safety by preventing modification, duplication, or loss of any CalDAV calendar information during the conversion process.
Conclusion

You now clearly understand what is CalDAV calendar, how it works, and how to use it across Windows, Android, Mac, and iPhone. CalDAV plays an important role in modern scheduling by enabling real-time syncing of events across devices and users. When users need mobility and data portability, converting CalDAV or ICS files becomes essential.