It might not be the worst problem we face in the 21st century, but inveterate Google Calendar users have to stare at large, unused blocks of time (say, 1-4 a.m. or more) in their daily and weekly views. Google just released a Lab that lets us compress those blocks so they stay out of the way until we need them. Here's how to use it:
- Load up Google Calendar (and sign in, if need be).
- Click the gear icon in the top right to bring up the Settings page, then click the Labs tab under Calendar Settings.
- Click Enable next to "Hide morning and night," then click Save.
Step 3: Enable Hide morning and night. - Head back to your calendar in Daily or Weekly view. Over on the left, just barely visible, you should see a thin gray bar just before 8 a.m. and another just before 5 p.m. Mouse over either to get the pop-up message "Drag to hide this time range."
![Step 4: Locate drag tool.]()
Step 4: Locate drag tool. - Drag away! I found it easier to start with the evening hours, as once you've dragged either slider, both get locked in.
![Step 5: Compress time blocks.]()
Step 5: Compress time blocks. - If you want to open up the time range, it's easy: just click on the compressed row to bring it all back.
I expect Google will keep working on this, as it's not as flexible as it could be. Still, for those of us who can't stand seeing wasted space, it's a good start.
Discuss: How to compress unused hours in Google Calendar
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