How to Use the Propose a New Time Feature in Google Calendar

The Problem with Scheduling Meetings

Scheduling a meeting with a coworker, a client, or a vendor is often an agonizing process of sending emails back and forth. You suggest Tuesday at 2:00 PM; they reply that they are busy and suggest Wednesday at 10:00 AM, but by the time you read their email, that slot has already been filled by someone else.

If someone sends you a Google Calendar invitation for a time that you cannot attend, the worst thing you can do is simply click “No”. This restarts the entire messy email chain.

Instead, Google Calendar has a built-in feature called Propose a new time. This allows you to reject the original time, view the organizer’s availability (if permitted), suggest a better slot, and send it back to them in a single, streamlined action.

How to Propose a New Time (Desktop)

When you receive a meeting invitation in your email, or if you see a pending invitation on your Google Calendar grid, do not click the standard “Yes, No, or Maybe” buttons.

1. Click on the calendar event block to open the event details card.
2. At the very bottom of the card, next to the RSVP buttons, click the down arrow (More actions).
3. Select Propose a new time from the drop-down menu.
4. A new screen will open. On the left side, you will see a mini-calendar showing your schedule side-by-side with the organizer’s schedule. If they are an internal coworker on your Google Workspace domain, you will actually see their blocked-out busy times, ensuring you don’t accidentally suggest another bad time.
5. On the right side of the screen, adjust the Date and Time fields to your preferred slot.
6. In the optional message box below, add a brief note (e.g., “I have a conflict at 2 PM, but I am wide open on Wednesday morning!”).
7. Click the blue Send proposal button.

How to Propose a New Time (Mobile App)

The process is nearly identical on the Google Calendar app for iOS and Android, making it incredibly easy to manage your schedule while commuting.

1. Open the Google Calendar app.
2. Tap on the pending event to open its details.
3. At the bottom of the screen, directly beneath the Yes/No/Maybe RSVP buttons, tap the small ^ icon to expand the menu.
4. Tap Propose a new time.
5. Scroll through the visual calendar to find a blank white space that works for both you and the organizer.
6. Tap your desired time slot, add an optional message, and tap the Send icon (the paper airplane) in the top right corner.

What Happens Next?

When you use this feature, your original RSVP is marked as “Tentative” (Maybe), and the meeting organizer receives an automated email from Google Calendar.

The email contains your suggested time and your optional message. The organizer can simply click the Review proposed time button in the email, which instantly updates the calendar event for everyone involved. You never have to type a separate email or manually coordinate time zones, as Google Calendar handles all the backend logistics automatically.