GUIDE

How to See Birthdays in the iPhone Calendar

Birthdays saved on your contacts show up in the Calendar app in a calendar called Birthdays. Open Calendar, tap Calendars at the bottom and turn on Birthdays. If a birthday is missing, add it to the person’s contact first. For alerts, set a default alert time for birthdays in Calendar settings.

Updated October 2026

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Turn on the Birthdays calendar

Open the Calendar app.
Tap Calendars at the bottom of the screen.
Make sure Birthdays is checked, then tap Done.

Get an alert for birthdays

Open Settings, tap Apps, then Calendar.
Tap Default Alert Times, then Birthdays.
Choose when you want to be alerted, for example one day before.

Why some birthdays are missing

The birthday isn’t saved on the contact. Open the contact, tap Edit and add it.
The date is saved in the Notes field or as another date instead of the birthday field.
Contacts from some accounts, such as Google, don’t always appear in the Birthdays calendar.

The easier way with Starrise Contacts

A birthday reminder app reads the birthdays from your contacts and lists them for you. Starrise Contacts is free and shows all upcoming birthdays and anniversaries in one list, with a reminder at the exact time you choose. See the birthday reminder app.

Upcoming birthdays in a widget on your Home Screen.
Ask Siri whose birthday is next.
With Pro, name days as well.

Sources

Steps checked in October 2026 against Apple’s iPhone User Guide.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I show birthdays in my iPhone calendar?

Open Calendar, tap Calendars at the bottom and turn on Birthdays. Birthdays saved on your contacts then appear automatically.

Can I add a birthday directly in the Calendar app?

The Birthdays calendar is filled from your contacts, so add the birthday to the person’s contact. You can also create a yearly event, but it won’t be linked to the contact.

Why are Google contacts’ birthdays not in my calendar?

Birthdays from some accounts, such as Google, don’t always show up in the Birthdays calendar. A birthday app such as Starrise Contacts reads them straight from your contacts.

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Try Starrise Contacts for free

Starrise Contacts works on the contacts already on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. No account, nothing to import. Free to download, with an optional Pro subscription.