Google Calendar Tasks Now Support Time Blocking

The latest Google Calendar update expands Tasks so you can block off time for a task and mark yourself as busy without creating a fake meeting. Tasks can now behave like events: you can set and adjust a specific time block, enable “do not disturb,” and automatically reject meeting invites. Tasks also support a deadline date (but not a deadline time).

Google says the change is rolling out to all Workspace customers, individual subscribers, and personal Gmail accounts. It began appearing in Rapid Release domains on November 6 and could take until mid-December to reach everyone. The update follows other recent Tasks improvements — Tasks launched as its own app in 2018 and more recently gained Google Keep reminder integration and completion dates.

If you prefer planning tools or are used to Outlook’s time-blocking, the new Tasks option lets you both track what you’re working on and signal to others when you need uninterrupted focus. Unlike the existing “Focus Time” feature, Tasks now lets you assign time to a specific task. To try it, open Google Calendar, select an empty time block, and choose “Task” from the options.

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