Private calendar events and surprise planning in a shared family calendar
Sharing a calendar should not mean sharing every secret. Here is how to keep one item private, hide a surprise from one person, and still avoid double-booking. Full disclosure: we make OptiAI®.
Quick facts: private and surprise items in OptiAI
Three choices per item: Everyone, Only me, or Hide from… chosen people.
Busy, not blank: optionally show others a Busy block with the time only, never the title, notes, place or people.
Enforced on the server: for the calendar, search, reminders, digests, calls, connected assistants and Opti’s answers, including household owners and admins.
Recurring items: privacy applies to the whole series.
Creator only: only the person who made an item can change who sees it, and it cannot be assigned to someone it is hidden from.
Price: free "Full Access" tier with every module included and no trial or card.
Last reviewed 2026-10-22.
Which setting fits which plan?
Setting
Who sees it
Good for
Everyone
Everyone who shares the calendar sees it, as usual.
School runs, chores, family dinners.
Only me
Only you see it. Others see nothing, or a Busy block if you choose.
A doctor’s appointment, a personal errand.
Hide from…
Hidden from the people you pick; everyone else sees it normally.
An anniversary surprise, a birthday party, a gift pickup.
How to plan a surprise in OptiAI
Add the item as usual on your own calendar, with a date, time and any notes.
Open “Who can see this” and choose Hide from…, then tap the person the surprise is for.
Decide on Busy. If they plan around your time, turn on “Show others as Busy” so they see a Busy block instead of a free slot.
Bring in co-planners. Anyone you did not hide it from sees it normally, with a small lock so they know it is a surprise.
Or just ask Opti: “add a private reminder to book the anniversary dinner, hide it from Mark.” Opti asks you to confirm before hiding it, then tells you exactly who can see it.
Things to keep in mind
Privacy settings keep an item’s details away from the people you choose, but they are not a vow of silence from everyone else: a co-planner can still mention it. Put the secret only in the private item, not in a shared note or a message, and keep the title vague if you also show yourself as Busy on a calendar they can see. A surprise cannot be assigned to the person it is hidden from, so put it on your own calendar or a co-planner’s.
Our bias, stated plainly
We build OptiAI, so this guide describes it most fully, but the advice applies to any shared calendar. If you want to try ours, the Full Access tier is free with every module included. Open OptiAI.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make one event private in a shared calendar?
Yes. In OptiAI, open the item and choose who can see it: Everyone, Only me, or Hide from… specific people. Everything else on the calendar stays shared as before.
Can I hide a surprise from just one person?
Yes. Choose Hide from… and pick that person. Everyone else who shares the calendar, such as the kids or a co-planner, still sees it normally, so you can plan together.
Will they see a gap or a Busy block?
Your choice. Turn on "Show others as Busy" and they see a Busy block with the time only, so nobody double-books you. Leave it off and they see nothing at all.
Can a household owner or admin still see it?
No. Privacy is enforced on our servers for every way an item can be read, including household owners and administrators, shared calendars and parent access.
Will Opti mention it to the person it is hidden from?
No. Opti only ever sees what each person is allowed to see, so the item is simply not there when that person asks Opti about their day, and it is left out of their reminders, digests and calls.
Can I set it up by chatting with Opti?
Yes. Say something like "add a private reminder to book the anniversary dinner, hide it from Mark". Opti checks with you before hiding it from anyone, then confirms who can see it.
How much does OptiAI cost?
OptiAI has a free Full Access tier with every module included, free forever with no card, and a small daily AI allowance with Ask Opti (plus Opti Points you can earn or buy for more). One plan at $4.99/month or $49.99/year adds more AI (a fair-use daily limit applies), billed immediately when you subscribe — there is no free trial. Prices are in USD here; regional pricing, for example in India, is shown in the app. You can subscribe on the web, the App Store or Google Play.
Run your family's week in one place
Shared calendar, chores, meals, budget and health, plus Ask Opti, an assistant that adds and updates it after you confirm. Free to start.