Stop unknown Google Calendar invitations appearing automatically

A calendar can become a delivery surface for fake invoices, investment pitches and bogus security warnings. Deleting one invitation does not change how the next one arrives. Google Calendar lets you automatically add invitations from everyone, only known senders, or only after you respond by email. The choice also affects what pending invitations other people with access to your calendar may see. Set the rule deliberately, then report specific spam rather than treating the event description as an instruction.

Before you start​

Use Calendar on a computer with the intended Google Account. Identify legitimate event sources such as coworkers, family and booking services before changing the rule. Do not add an unknown sender to Contacts merely to make one invitation appear. On a work or school account, the administrator may restrict the available settings.

Do it step by step​

1. Open Google Calendar, Settings, General, Event settings, then Add invitations to my calendar. Read the current option before changing it so you can explain why an old event appeared.
2. Select Only if the sender is known when you want contacts, organization members and previous interactions added automatically, or When I respond to the invitation in email when you want the strictest manual gate. Check which of these fits legitimate bookings you receive.
3. If the new option presents Let others see all invitations, consider turning it off. Someone who can see or edit your events might otherwise discover pending invitations that are not visible on your own calendar grid.
4. Send a harmless test invitation from an account you control that is not in Contacts. Confirm it arrives as an email and does not appear as an accepted-looking event without your decision. Do not use a real scam invite for testing.
5. For a suspicious existing invitation, use Calendar's report-spam control where offered. Avoid opening embedded meeting links, attachments, phone numbers or payment instructions. If a repeat sender uses a Google Account, consider Calendar's block control, knowing it can affect other Google products.
6. Review useful invitations that no longer appear automatically. Reply from the genuine sender's email or add a truly trusted contact. Revisit the setting after organizational or scheduling changes rather than quietly reverting to From everyone.

Check the result​

Unknown new invitations no longer populate the calendar automatically under the chosen policy; legitimate invite emails still arrive, and a trusted test behaves as expected. The pending-invitation visibility choice matches the calendar's sharing audience.

If something goes wrong​

Google says the invitation-setting change applies to new invitations, not necessarily old ones. If spam remains visible on Android, inspect apps with calendar access as well as Calendar itself. If a coworker invitation disappears, check whether the sender is treated as known and whether organization policy controls your options.

Know the limit​

A known sender is not guaranteed safe: a compromised contact or coworker account can still send malicious links. Calendar settings reduce surprise additions, not phishing risk from email or event text. Reporting an event as spam and blocking an organizer have different effects; confirm which action you are taking. Google Calendar invitation controls Google Calendar block and spam options