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Integration Problems

Troubleshooting guide for calendar and photo integration issues including Google Calendar, Google Photos, Cozi, and iCal sync problems.

Google Calendar Issues​

Can't Connect Google Calendar​

Issue: "Connection failed" or "Authorization error" when connecting

Troubleshooting:

1. Google Account Access:

  • Are you signing in to the correct Google account?
  • Account must have access to Google Calendar
  • Personal accounts work; some workspace accounts restricted

2. Permissions Not Granted:

  • Must grant all requested permissions
  • Don't skip permission screens
  • Grant "View and edit" calendar permissions

Fix:

  1. Integrations → Google Calendar
  2. Click Connect Google Calendar
  3. Sign in to Google account
  4. Allow all permissions when prompted:
    • ✅ View calendar events
    • ✅ Edit calendar events
    • ✅ Create new events
    • ✅ Manage calendar settings
  5. Click Allow

3. Popup Blocker:

  • Google authorization opens in popup
  • Popup blockers prevent this
  • Browser must allow popups from familycast.app

Fix:

  • Browser settings → Allow popups from app.familycast.app
  • Try again
  • Click popup icon in address bar if blocked

4. Third-Party Cookies:

  • Google OAuth requires third-party cookies
  • Some browsers block by default

Fix:

  • Browser settings → Cookies → Allow third-party cookies
  • Or: Allow cookies from accounts.google.com
  • Try connecting again

5. Browser Issues:

  • Old browser version
  • Incognito mode sometimes causes issues
  • Extensions interfering

Solutions:

  • Update browser to latest version
  • Try different browser (Chrome recommended)
  • Disable browser extensions temporarily
  • Exit incognito mode, use normal browsing

Still Failing:

  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Wait 15 minutes and try again
  • Try from different device
  • Contact support with error message

Google Calendar Events Not Syncing​

Issue: Created event in Google Calendar but doesn't appear in FamilyCast

Expected Sync Time:

  • Google Calendar → FamilyCast: 1-2 minutes
  • FamilyCast → Google Calendar: 30 seconds

Check:

1. Connection Status:

  • Integrations → Google Calendar
  • Status should be "Connected" (green dot)
  • If red "Disconnected", reconnect

2. Last Sync Time:

  • Check "Last Synced" timestamp
  • Should be within 2-5 minutes
  • If older, click Sync Now

3. Calendar Selected:

  • Multiple Google calendars?
  • Verify event added to calendar that's syncing
  • Integrations → Google Calendar → Check selected calendars

4. Date Range:

  • FamilyCast syncs events within date range
  • Default: 3 months back, 12 months forward
  • Event outside range won't sync

5. Event Not Deleted:

  • Event may have been deleted
  • Check Google Calendar trash
  • Restore if accidentally deleted

Solutions:

  • Force sync: Integrations → Google Calendar → Sync Now
  • Wait 5 minutes for automatic sync
  • Verify event in correct calendar
  • Check event date within sync range
  • Reconnect Google Calendar if needed

Can't Edit Google Calendar Events in FamilyCast​

Issue: Edit button greyed out or changes don't save

Check Permissions:

1. Two-Way Sync Enabled:

  • Integrations → Google Calendar → Select calendar
  • Sync Direction: Should be "Two-way"
  • If "Google → FamilyCast only", change to "Two-way"

2. Google Permissions:

  • FamilyCast may not have edit permission
  • Need "Make changes to events" permission
  • Reconnect with full permissions

Fix:

  1. Integrations → Google Calendar
  2. Disconnect calendar
  3. Reconnect with fresh authorization
  4. Grant all permissions (including edit/create)

3. Calendar Ownership:

  • Can only edit calendars you own or have edit access to
  • Shared calendars: Owner must grant "Make changes" permission

4. User Role in FamilyCast:

  • Account role restrictions
  • Teens/children may have limited edit permissions
  • Check Family → Members → Your role

Event-Specific Issues:

1. Recurring Event:

  • Editing recurring events sometimes fails
  • Try editing single occurrence vs all occurrences
  • Or edit in Google Calendar directly

2. Event with Attachments:

  • Attachments not editable in FamilyCast
  • Edit in Google Calendar for attachment changes

Duplicate Calendar Events​

Issue: Same event appears twice (or more) on calendar

Causes:

1. Multiple Calendar Connections:

  • Same calendar connected twice
  • Calendar synced via both Google and iCal
  • Event appears for each connection

Check:

  • Integrations → Google Calendar
  • Look for duplicate calendar names
  • Remove duplicates

2. Event in Multiple Calendars:

  • Event actually exists in multiple Google calendars
  • Not a sync issue, just event duplication

Check:

  • Open Google Calendar
  • View event details
  • See which calendar(s) it's in
  • Remove from duplicate calendars

3. Sync Conflict:

  • Event created in both places simultaneously
  • Rare, usually resolves automatically

Fix:

  • Delete duplicate event (keep one)
  • Wait for sync to settle
  • Should resolve in 5-10 minutes

Prevention:

  • Connect each calendar only once
  • Don't use multiple sync methods for same calendar
  • Check calendar before creating event

Google Calendar Time Zone Issues​

Issue: Events show 1-3 hours earlier or later than they should

Causes:

1. FamilyCast Time Zone Wrong:

  • Account → Settings → Time Zone
  • Should match your location
  • Update if incorrect

2. Google Calendar Time Zone Wrong:

  • Open Google Calendar settings
  • Check time zone setting
  • Update to your location

3. Event Created in Wrong Time Zone:

  • Event may have been created while traveling
  • Event time zone differs from calendar time zone

Check Event Time Zone:

  • Google Calendar → Edit event → More options
  • See "Time zone" setting
  • Update if needed

Fix:

  1. Update FamilyCast time zone: Account → Settings → Time Zone
  2. Update Google Calendar time zone: Google Calendar Settings
  3. Force re-sync: Integrations → Google Calendar → Sync Now
  4. Events should correct within 2-3 minutes

4. Display Device Time Wrong:

  • Display device clock incorrect
  • Check device time settings
  • Enable automatic time zone

Google Photos Issues​

Can't Connect Google Photos​

Issue: Authorization fails when connecting Google Photos

Troubleshooting:

1. Google Account:

  • Sign in to correct Google account
  • Account must have Google Photos enabled
  • Some G Suite accounts may restrict Google Photos

2. Permissions:

  • Must grant "View your Google Photos library" permission
  • Don't skip permission screens
  • Click "Allow" on all prompts

Fix:

  1. Integrations → Google Photos
  2. Click Connect Google Photos
  3. Sign in to Google
  4. Grant all permissions:
    • ✅ View photos
    • ✅ View albums
    • ✅ View shared albums
  5. Click Allow

3. Browser Issues:

  • Same as Google Calendar issues above
  • Allow popups from familycast.app
  • Enable third-party cookies
  • Update browser

4. Google Photos Not Set Up:

  • Google Photos must be set up in your Google account
  • Go to photos.google.com and set up if needed

Still Failing:

  • Try different browser
  • Clear cache and cookies
  • Wait 15 minutes and retry
  • Contact support

Photos Not Showing on Display​

Issue: Photo slideshow is blank or shows placeholder image

Check:

1. Google Photos Connected:

  • Integrations → Google Photos
  • Status: "Connected" (green)
  • If disconnected, reconnect

2. Albums Selected:

  • At least one album must be selected to sync
  • Integrations → Google Photos
  • Check "Selected Albums" list
  • Add albums if none selected

3. Albums Have Photos:

  • Selected albums must not be empty
  • Open Google Photos
  • Verify albums have photos

4. Sync Complete:

  • Initial sync takes 5-10 minutes for 50-100 photos
  • Check Sync Status: Should say "Sync Complete"
  • Wait for sync to finish

5. Album Assigned to Display:

  • Displays → Select display → Layout Settings → Photos
  • Verify album assigned
  • Album must be selected from dropdown

Solutions:

  • Reconnect Google Photos integration
  • Select albums to sync (Integrations → Google Photos)
  • Wait for sync to complete
  • Assign album to display
  • Refresh display browser

New Photos Not Appearing​

Issue: Added photos to Google Photos album but don't see on display

Expected Sync:

  • Automatic sync every 6 hours
  • New photos appear within 6 hours of adding to album

Check:

1. Photos Added to Synced Album:

  • Verify photos added to album that FamilyCast is syncing
  • Not just in library, must be in album
  • Open Google Photos → Albums → Check album

2. Last Sync Time:

  • Integrations → Google Photos
  • Check "Last Synced" timestamp
  • If over 6 hours ago, may be sync issue

3. Album Still Selected:

  • Verify album still in "Selected Albums" list
  • May have been deselected accidentally

Force Sync:

  • Integrations → Google Photos → Sync Now
  • Wait 2-5 minutes
  • New photos should appear

Manual Refresh:

  • Refresh browser on display device
  • New photos should load

If Still Not Appearing:

  • Verify photos actually in Google Photos album (not just library)
  • Check if photos are Live Photos or videos (may not display if disabled)
  • Ensure photos are not corrupt or unsupported format

Wrong Photos Showing​

Issue: Photos from wrong album or unwanted photos appearing

Check:

1. Display Album Assignment:

  • Displays → Select display → Photo Settings
  • Verify correct album assigned
  • May be set to "All Albums" (shows everything)

2. Multiple Albums Selected:

  • Display may be showing multiple albums
  • Check which albums assigned to display
  • Remove unwanted albums

3. Album Contents in Google Photos:

  • Open Google Photos
  • Review album contents
  • Remove unwanted photos from album

4. Photo Filters:

  • Check if filters applied (timeframe, people, etc.)
  • May be showing photos outside expected range

Solutions:

  • Assign specific album to display (not "All Albums")
  • Curate album in Google Photos (remove unwanted photos)
  • Check and adjust photo filters
  • Force sync after making changes

Photos Loading Slowly or Not Loading​

Issue: Slideshow stutters, photos take long to load, or show broken image icons

Causes:

1. Slow Internet Connection:

  • Photos stream from Google Photos
  • Need good connection on display device
  • Run speed test (need 5+ Mbps)

2. High-Resolution Photos:

  • 4K or original quality photos are large
  • Slow to download
  • Consume bandwidth

3. Too Many Photos Synced:

  • Large albums (500+ photos) slow sync
  • More photos = more data to manage

4. Google Photos API Issues:

  • Rarely, Google Photos service has issues
  • Usually temporary

Solutions:

1. Lower Photo Quality:

  • Displays → Select display → Photo Settings
  • Quality: Change from "High" to "Medium" or "Low"
  • Smaller files load faster

2. Smaller Albums:

  • Use albums with 50-100 photos
  • Split large albums into smaller ones
  • Less data to sync

3. Improve Internet:

  • Move display closer to WiFi router
  • Use Ethernet connection if possible
  • Upgrade internet speed

4. Wait and Retry:

  • If Google Photos issue, wait 30 minutes
  • Try force sync again
  • Should resolve automatically

Cozi Integration Issues​

Can't Connect Cozi Calendar​

Issue: iCal link doesn't work or connection fails

Troubleshooting:

1. Correct iCal Link:

  • Link must be specific iCal/webcal URL from Cozi
  • Not just cozi.com or login page
  • Should start with webcal:// or https://

Get iCal Link:

  1. Open Cozi app or cozi.com
  2. Go to Calendar
  3. Settings/Share (gear icon)
  4. Find "Subscribe to Calendar" or "iCal Link"
  5. Copy full link

2. Link Format:

  • FamilyCast accepts both webcal:// and https:// formats
  • If one doesn't work, try converting:
    • webcal://calendar.cozi.com/... → https://calendar.cozi.com/...

3. Copy/Paste Correctly:

  • No extra spaces before or after link
  • Full link (often very long)
  • Don't truncate link

Fix:

  1. Integrations → Calendars → Add Calendar
  2. Select iCal / Webcal URL
  3. Paste complete Cozi iCal link
  4. Name calendar (e.g., "Cozi Family Calendar")
  5. Click Connect

4. Cozi Account Active:

  • Must have active Cozi account
  • Free or paid Cozi account works
  • Calendar sharing must be enabled in Cozi

Still Failing:

  • Try getting fresh iCal link from Cozi
  • Wait 15 minutes and retry
  • Contact Cozi support if link generation fails

Cozi Events Not Syncing​

Issue: Events in Cozi don't appear in FamilyCast

Expected Sync:

  • iCal feeds update every 15-20 minutes
  • Not real-time like Google Calendar

Check:

1. Connection Status:

  • Integrations → Calendars
  • Find Cozi calendar
  • Status: "Connected" (green)

2. Last Sync:

  • Check "Last Synced" timestamp
  • Should be within 15-20 minutes
  • If older, may be connection issue

3. Events Exist in Cozi:

  • Open Cozi app
  • Verify events actually on Cozi calendar
  • Check date range (FamilyCast shows today + next 30 days)

4. iCal Feed Updated:

  • Cozi may take 5-10 minutes to update iCal feed after event creation
  • Total delay: Cozi update (5 min) + FamilyCast sync (15 min) = 20-25 minutes

Solutions:

  • Wait 30 minutes after creating event in Cozi
  • Force sync: Integrations → Calendars → Cozi → Sync Now
  • Verify events in Cozi app first
  • Reconnect Cozi integration if persistent issues

Can't Edit Cozi Events in FamilyCast​

Issue: Cozi events are read-only in FamilyCast

This is Normal:

  • iCal integrations are read-only
  • Cannot edit events synced via iCal/webcal
  • Must edit in source app (Cozi)

How to Edit:

  1. Open Cozi app
  2. Edit event in Cozi
  3. Wait 20-25 minutes for sync
  4. Changes appear in FamilyCast

Alternative: Use Google Calendar:

  • Cozi can sync to Google Calendar
  • Connect Google Calendar to FamilyCast instead
  • Allows editing in FamilyCast (two-way sync)

Setup:

  1. In Cozi: Enable Google Calendar sync
  2. Cozi syncs events to Google Calendar
  3. In FamilyCast: Connect Google Calendar (not Cozi iCal)
  4. Result: Can edit events in FamilyCast, changes sync to Google, then to Cozi

General Integration Issues​

Integration Keeps Disconnecting​

Issue: Integration status shows "Disconnected" frequently

Causes:

1. Password Changed:

  • Changed Google account password?
  • OAuth tokens invalid after password change
  • Must reconnect integration

2. Permissions Revoked:

  • May have revoked FamilyCast permissions in Google
  • Check Google Account → Security → Third-party apps
  • FamilyCast should be in list

3. Expired Tokens:

  • OAuth tokens expire (usually 6+ months)
  • Normal, but annoying
  • Reconnecting refreshes tokens

Fix:

  1. Integrations → Select integration
  2. Disconnect
  3. Reconnect with fresh authorization
  4. Grant all permissions
  5. Should stay connected for months

Prevent Future Disconnects:

  • Don't revoke permissions in Google
  • Don't change Google password frequently
  • Keep FamilyCast in "allowed apps" list in Google

Events/Photos Deleted in FamilyCast But Still in Source​

Issue: Deleted event/photo in FamilyCast but still exists in Google Calendar/Photos

This is Normal:

  • Deleting in FamilyCast only removes from FamilyCast
  • Does not delete from source (Google Calendar, Google Photos)
  • One-way deletion (FamilyCast only)

To Delete from Source:

Events:

  • Google Calendar: Delete in Google Calendar app
  • Cozi: Delete in Cozi app
  • Changes sync to FamilyCast

Photos:

  • Google Photos: Remove from album or delete photo
  • Changes sync to FamilyCast

Two-Way Deletion (Google Calendar Only):

  • If using Google Calendar integration with two-way sync
  • Deleting event in FamilyCast can delete from Google (if enabled)
  • Settings → Google Calendar → Two-Way Deletion: Enable

Sync Taking Too Long​

Issue: Sync status stuck on "Syncing..." for over 30 minutes

Normal Sync Times:

  • Google Calendar: 1-2 minutes for 100 events
  • Google Photos: 5-10 minutes for 100 photos, 30-60 minutes for 1000+ photos
  • Cozi: 15-20 minutes for 100 events

If Stuck:

1. Check Sync Status:

  • Integrations → Select integration
  • See progress: "Syncing 150/500 photos"
  • Large albums take time

2. Network Issues:

  • Slow internet slows sync
  • Check internet speed
  • Wait for sync to complete

3. Cancel and Retry:

  • If stuck over 1 hour with no progress:
  • Cancel Sync button
  • Wait 5 minutes
  • Try Sync Now again

4. Reduce Sync Size:

  • Too many photos/events
  • Select fewer albums (photos)
  • Reduce date range (calendars)
  • Sync smaller batches

5. Reconnect Integration:

  • If repeatedly stuck:
  • Disconnect integration
  • Reconnect fresh
  • Start new sync

Getting Help​

When to Contact Support​

Contact [email protected] for:

  • ✅ Integration connection failures not solved here
  • ✅ Persistent sync issues after troubleshooting
  • ✅ Permission errors
  • ✅ Data not syncing after 24+ hours
  • ✅ Suspected bugs or system issues

Include in Email:

  • Which integration (Google Calendar, Google Photos, Cozi)
  • Account email address
  • Description of problem
  • Steps already tried
  • Error messages (exact text)
  • Screenshots if applicable

Additional Resources​

Integration Guides:

Related Troubleshooting:

Feature Documentation:

Still Need Help? Contact [email protected] with integration issue details.