Scenario / Question
How do I control the specific start times that appear on my Calendly booking page using Start time increments?
Overview
You can control how often start times appear on your booking page by adjusting Start time increments in each event type. The default is every 30 minutes, but you can change it anytime in Booking page options to match your scheduling goals. Start time increments are independent of event duration and buffers. They affect only how start times display, not how long meetings last or how buffers are applied.
Step-by-Step
- Open the event type: From your home page, select the event type you want to edit.
- Open Booking page options: Select More options at the bottom of the editor, then select Booking page options.
- Set the increment: Choose your desired Start time increments (for example, every 10, 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes).
- Save your changes: Select Save changes and preview your live booking page to confirm the start times look right.
Key Notes & Limitations
- Start time increments control the interval of available start times shown on your booking page. They do not set meeting length; Duration controls that.
- The default increment for new event types is 30 minutes. If you see half-hour starts, your event likely still uses the default.
- Start time increments do not automatically change when you change Duration. Adjust each setting separately as needed.
- Buffers attach to booked meetings, not to increments. Once an invitee books, the buffer extends the occupied time and can remove subsequent start times that overlap the buffer window.
- To prevent back-to-back bookings for a specific event type without buffers, you can set Start time increments longer than the event Duration (for example, a 15-minute event with 30-minute increments). For cross–event-type spacing, use buffers instead.
- If your booking page shows the “wrong” times (for example, a 15-minute event only showing half-hour starts), check that Start time increments aren’t still set to the default 30 minutes.
- If adjusting increments doesn’t resolve missing times, use the Troubleshoot tool on the booking page to see if calendar conflicts, buffers, or other rules are blocking availability.
Related Questions (FAQ)
Q: How are Start time increments different from Duration?
A: Duration is how long the meeting lasts. Start time increments control how often start times appear on the booking page. They are independent settings and don’t auto-update each other.
Q: Can I force exact time slots like 8:00, 9:00, 10:00?
A: Yes. Set your available hours in one continuous block (for example, 8:00–11:00), then set Start time increments to match your Duration (for example, 60 minutes) so only top-of-the-hour slots appear.
Q: I don’t want back-to-back meetings. Should I use increments or buffers?
A: For spacing within a single event type, you can set increments longer than Duration. To prevent back-to-backs across multiple event types, use buffers so you’re marked unavailable across all events during the buffer period.
Q: My event is 15 minutes but times show every 30 minutes. Why?
A: Your Start time increments are likely still set to 30 minutes. Update them in Booking page options to 15 minutes and save.
Q: Do buffers change the grid of start times before a booking happens?
A: No. Buffers apply to booked meetings. After a booking, the buffer extends the occupied time and can remove subsequent starts that overlap with it.
Q: I changed increments, but I’m still missing times. What now?
A: Use the Troubleshoot tool on the booking page to identify conflicts such as busy calendar events, buffers, or other rules blocking those times.
Q: Can Calendly dynamically align increments to each booking plus buffer?
A: Not today. Increments are fixed intervals on the booking grid. Buffers apply once a meeting is booked and then adjust remaining availability accordingly. Product feedback about dynamic increments has been shared, but no timeline is available.
Q: What’s a quick way to appear “more in demand” or reduce choices?
A: Increase Start time increments to space out offerings, or create a secret clone of the event type with different increments that you share only with select invitees. You can also make secret links single-use.
