Last Updated on January 5, 2024
Want a better look for your calendars?
In this article, I will share how to convert classic events list calendars to the new modern experience and how it affects the list.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents:
Why convert classic calendars to the modern experience?
If you’ve been using SharePoint Online for a while now, then you must know that the built-in events web part doesn’t have a calendar view.
With that, you’re only left with a few options:
- Using a classic calendar list calendar
- Using the modern list calendar view
- Embedding a calendar from other sources
Related: Calendar Options in SharePoint and Microsoft 365
For most cases, using the calendar view of modern lists works, since they’re always available on any SharePoint Online modern site.
Unfortunately, the modern calendar view still lacks a lot of functionality — like adding more calendars into the mix.
Related: How to Create Calendar Overlay in SharePoint Online
Not to add, classic calendars don’t look good on a modern page in SharePoint Online.
Fortunately, you can modernize classic lists and convert classic calendars into the SharePoint modern calendar view.
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How to modernize the classic calendar view
Microsoft added the capability to turn classic lists into modern lists. However, you may have to find the option to do so.
Take note that migrating a classic list to a modern one will not combine the unique features of both experiences.
Related: Introductory Guide: SharePoint Online Modern Experience
Step 1: Display the list in the new experience
Navigate to the classic list — which in this case is an events list or a calendar app in your SharePoint site.
Go to the calendar tab > list settings button:
That will bring you to the list settings page.
Click the advanced settings option:
Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the list experience options.
Select new experience and click the ok button:
Go back to your list from the settings page. At first, you might be surprised that nothing has changed.
That’s because you’re currently in the classic calendar view.
To view the list in the modern experience, go to the calendar tab and change the current view to all events:
You will then see the list transform into a modern one.
Step 2: Create a modern calendar view
The last step you need to do is to create a modern calendar view of that list.
Click the switch view options icon to create a new view:
From there, all you have to do is complete the information required:
- View name
- Show as: Calendar
- Default layout
- Start and end date
- Visibility
The more options part will allow you to choose the title of the items on calendar.
Click the create button once you’re done setting it all up:
That’s it!
Here’s what the output will look like:
How to add the new view to a page
But what if you want to add the new calendar view to a page?
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to add it through the list web part and select the new calendar view.
The modernized list still won’t show up as one of the options when using the list web part — only modern lists show up.
For that, you need to embed the calendar page using the embed web part:
Go back to the list and make sure you’re on the new calendar view that you created.
Copy the link from the address bar and paste it on the embed field:
Republish the page and see the embedded calendar.
You will also notice that you can interact with the embedded page without having to visit the page itself.
Related: Modern SharePoint Web Parts: List of All Available Web Parts
Any thoughts regarding migrating classic calendars to the new experience? Share your ideas and questions below.
If you need professional help, kindly reach out to me using the contact form on this page and I’ll get back to you asap.
Thanks for this tutorial. The only thing I’m missing on the modern view are the repeating events. This is Microsoft typical policy: remove useful things and then said that they are not supported anymore 🙁
The thing here is that you are really forced to use the modern view if you are going to work with the new Teams. If you use a classic view there, then you will get an empty white dialog, whenever you try to add a new calendar.