iPhone Calendar, Repeating Events — How to Update All Events, not just Future Events?

Factual Questions
1

Sometimes Apple does not give me the option to update all events. It only gives me the option to update future events. :confused:

I typically prefer to update all instances of recurring calendar events because I like keeping a running history. Which raises the question of what if any advantages are there to NOT update all instances, but instead only update that instance or future events? But that’s not why I came here.

My main question has to do with, for some recurring events I can update all instances and I get these options (bolding mine):
This is a repeating event

  • Save for this event only
    - Save for all events
  • Cancel

While for other recurring events I don’t get to update all instances, I can only update future:
This is a repeating event

  • Save for this event only
    - Save for future events
  • Cancel

Why? What’s the difference?

Here are screen shots of what I’m seeing: Some iPhone Recurring Events, Edited — why can some recurring events have all instances updated, while for others only future instances can be updated? - Album on Imgur

What gives?

My Google-fu wasn’t too helpful.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hl=en-us&sxsrf=ACYBGNQzPlO5vXURcDX_dhNNQpVEzORjhA%3A1577899067551&ei=O9QMXs6YIYzWtQaurbjoBQ&q=edit+iPhone+iPad+calendar+repeating+event+save+for+all+events+future+events&oq=edit+iPhone+iPad+calendar+repeating+event+save+for+all+events+future+events&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.12...4489.8168..10166...0.1..0.134.1134.1j9......0....1.........0i71j35i304i39j33i10.Yys51U0QB8w

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hl=en-us&sxsrf=ACYBGNTxtmwsHS7oK7IAWGTjPMi0Wd31Gg%3A1577913228426&ei=jAsNXs_OGdG8sAW2iK6QDg&q=iPhone+Calendar%2C+Repeating+Events+—+How+to+Update+All+Events%2C+not+just+Future+Events%3F&oq=iPhone+Calendar%2C+Repeating+Events+—+How+to+Update+All+Events%2C+not+just+Future+Events%3F&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.3...5476.5476..6925...0.1..0.100.100.0j1......0....2j1.........0i71.oqGgDoBL0Uo

2

To update this and in case it’s helpful to someone — apparently, a recurring event can have all instances updated (as opposed to only the future instances) if and only if the event includes an email address; e.g., if you’ve invited someone to the event.

I’d started adding a dedicated email address, something like bullitsCalendarEvents@gmail.com, to calendar entries, and that’s all that that address is used for.

3

Bump. I may have solved this. Or at least it’s a workaround.

For a repeating iPhone calendar event, if I go back to the very first event and edit that, then I’m given an option to save for all instances. But if I edit a later event, I don’t get that option. I only get the option to save for future events. Besides also, as usual, getting an option to save for this event only.

The workaround is that if the repeating event has been sent to an email, if I’ve invited someone to that event, then I can save edits to all instances no matter which instance I edit!

This is what I always want, so I created an email account such as bullittsCalendar@yourFavoriteEmailServer.com, and I always add that to repeating events. An upside is if I don’t have access to my calendar but do have access to the web, if needed I can search those emails for calendar information.

That might be a little clunky, but it works.

HTH,
Bullitt