Cannot block Google Calendar popups

Question

I blocked notifications for Google Calendar, I blocked pop-ups for Google Calendar, I clicked "prevent this site from creating another dialogs" everytime an event reminder popped up yet it STILL pops up event reminders.

I want to be reminded, I just do not want Chrome to remind me. I have my phone, my apps for that. The problem with this chrome popup is that it is very forceful in stealing focus. When you are working with virtual desktops, it also results in switching contexts like crazy and sometimes even onto an incorrect context, so I have to look for where that popup is actually present and then "click ok",.

Why is Google Calendar not respecting when I ask on three places to shut up? I cannot turn off notifications for events, because then they would not pop up elsewhere (where I want them to).

Answer 1

Okay, I found a workaround. It is not perfect, but unless someone has a better way, it might be helpful for others.

In Google Calendar settings you can choose to be reminded with browser notifications instead of interruptive alerts. You must, however, allow notifications if you have already blocked them, for the page in Chrome (if you are using it, by clicking on the green lock symbol to the left of the address in address bar and selecting allow for notifications. I have also allowed for pop-ups, not sure if that is necessary, but blocking did not help).

If you try to block notifications and pop-ups, google calendar will fall back to alerting you with the intrusive alert, so you cannot go without some notifications. However, the browser notification does not steal your focus, nor does it switch virtual desktops. It just pops up into your view and you can close it.

Answer 2

I found a Chrome extension that does exactly this (among other things): Checker Plus for Google Calendar. And here's how you can disable the Google Calendar popups with this extension.

And to be clear, I am not affiliated with the extension author. I'm just sharing a solution that has fixed the exact same problem for me.