How to Set Different Default Views for Desktop and Mobile in The Events Calendar

Many website owners using The Events Calendar want to provide an optimal experience for their visitors across different devices. A common request is to show the detailed Month view on desktop screens while defaulting to the more scroll-friendly List view on mobile devices. This guide explains how to configure this behavior.

The Problem: One View Doesn't Fit All Devices

The standard calendar configuration uses the same default view for all devices. While the Month view works well on large desktop monitors, it can be difficult to navigate on smaller mobile screens where users might prefer the linear, scrollable List view.

The Solution: Separate Desktop and Mobile Default Views

The Events Calendar includes built-in functionality to set different default views for desktop and mobile devices. This feature is available in the plugin's settings without requiring custom code.

Configuration Steps:

1. Navigate to your WordPress admin dashboard
2. Go to Events → Settings → Display tab
3. Locate the Default View option (for desktop devices)
4. Set your preferred desktop view (e.g., Month)
5. Find the Default Mobile View option
6. Set your preferred mobile view (e.g., List)
7. Save your changes

After configuring these settings, desktop users will see your chosen desktop view while mobile visitors will automatically see the mobile-optimized view you selected.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If the view switching doesn't work as expected:

• Clear your cache: Both WordPress caching plugins and browser cache can sometimes prevent the new settings from taking effect immediately.
• Check for conflicts: Temporarily disable other plugins to identify any potential conflicts that might be interfering with the view detection.
• Verify mobile detection: The plugin uses standard device detection methods. If you're testing on a desktop browser using mobile emulation, try testing on an actual mobile device.

Alternative Approach: Using Shortcodes for Specific Pages

For more control over specific pages, you can use the [tribe_events] shortcode to display calendar views. This allows you to create custom layouts, such as showing both Month and List views on the same page:

[tribe_events view="month"]
[tribe_events view="list"]

This approach gives you flexibility but requires manual placement on each page where you want this specific layout.

When This Feature Might Not Be Available

Note that the ability to set different default views for desktop and mobile is a feature available in The Events Calendar Pro. Users of the free version will not see the separate mobile view option in their settings.

For those using the free version, achieving different views by device would require custom development work using WordPress hooks and device detection methods, which is beyond the scope of standard support.

By properly configuring your desktop and mobile default views, you can ensure all visitors to your events calendar have the best possible experience regardless of what device they're using.