Calendar not syncing? Why iCal is delayed and what to check

Why iCal is not instant

An iCal link does not push changes. The platform that imports it fetches the latest copy on its own schedule. A new booking therefore appears only after the source platform updates its export and the receiving platform next checks it.

Between those checks, both calendars can briefly show different dates. That window is built into how iCal works, which is why platforms ask you to watch for overlaps.

How often each platform updates

Each platform sets its own timing for calendars it imports, according to its help pages when this guide was checked.

Common causes of missing dates

If the expected time has passed and dates are still missing, work through these causes.

• The link is the public listing page, not the calendar export. Copy the export link from the calendar settings instead.
• The link belongs to a different listing. Each listing has its own calendar link.
• The link starts with webcal. Vrbo asks for links starting with https, so change webcal to https.
• The export was changed or reset on the source platform, so the old link no longer works. Copy the new link everywhere it is used.
• The dates are too far ahead. Vrbo shows imported events for the next 365 days, and Airbnb imports up to 2 years.
• The platform has an import limit. Vrbo allows up to five imported calendars per property.
• The dates were blocked by hand rather than booked. Some exports only include bookings, and Airbnb says nights blocked on another calendar may or may not be blocked on Airbnb.
• A platform's own export was imported back into itself, creating a loop. Vrbo warns this can cause payment issues for those dates.

When a platform cannot import at all

Some setups block calendar import entirely. Vrbo says you cannot import calendars if the property is managed through third-party property management software, and Booking.com only offers calendar sync to some properties. In those cases, manage availability in the connected software instead.

Why the check-out day still looks free

This is expected. iCal bookings block nights, so a stay from the 10th to the 13th blocks the nights of the 10th, 11th and 12th. The 13th stays available because a new guest can check in on the day another checks out.

A step-by-step check

Go through these in order. Most problems are found by the third step.

1. 1

   Check the last update time

   Look at when the receiving platform last updated the imported calendar. If it was recent, the booking may not have been in the export yet.

2. 2

   Refresh manually

   Use the platform's refresh option. Airbnb limits how often you can do this, so wait for the next automatic update if you hit the limit.

3. 3

   Re-copy the link

   Copy the export link again from the right listing's calendar settings and replace the old one.

4. 4

   Test with a future block

   Block one night well in the future on the source platform, wait for the next update and check it appears. Then remove the block.

5. 5

   Contact the platform's support

   If the test block never arrives, ask the source or receiving platform's support to check the calendar connection.

How SingleCal handles updates

SingleCal reads your Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com links to show guests one calendar. It checks each link about every 6 hours on Free and about every 15 minutes on Pro, and you can sync a link by hand once every 5 minutes.

Your dashboard shows when each link was last imported and whether it is working. If a calendar has not updated for a while, the calendar tells guests when availability was last confirmed, so they check your listing before booking.