Organizing an event can be akin to herding cats, with hosts attempting to keep track of RSVPs over all manner of platforms and guests left unsure if their responses have been properly logged. Events should be enjoyable, but the plethora of organizational headaches can make them anything but.
Luckily, Apple’s Invites app offers a better way. It’s a centralized place for everyone to stay on track, whether you’re a host looking to create an event and invite guests, or a guest who wants to find all the key details in a single location.
Despite being made by Apple, you don’t actually need to be in the company’s ecosystem to use Invites, although there are a few restrictions. Hosts must have an active iCloud+ subscription in order to create events, but guests can reply from any device and don’t need iCloud+ or an Apple Account. That makes it a fairly flexible option, no matter what device you use.
Tools and requirements
- Host: Apple’s Invites app (requires iOS 18 or later), an iCloud+ subscription, and an Apple Account
- Guests: No requirements; Apple Account optional
Quick steps
- Set up your event with various details, including its name, time and location. You can add fun extras like background images and shared Apple Music playlists.
- Guests can be added over text, email or with a direct link. Guests can confirm whether they are attending or not and can send messages to the host.
- Once your event has been created, you can add extra guests and tweak the event’s details.
How to create an event
The very first thing you’ll want to do is get your event ready. Apple gives you plenty of options for customizing it to your needs, from its name and location to its look and feel.
1. Get started
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If it’s the first time you’ve opened the Invites app, tap Create an Event. Otherwise, tap the + button in the top-right corner.
2. Add a background
At the top, select Add Background. You can use one of Apple’s pre-made options, choose a photo from your iPhone library, take a picture with your camera, or use Apple Intelligence’s Image Playground to generate an image using artificial intelligence (AI). Just tap your choice and it’ll be added to the event.
3. Give it a name
Tap Event Title to give your event a name, then use the Date and Time and Location boxes to provide more information for your guests.
4. Description
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Scroll down to add a description, if you like. Below that you’ll see the weather forecast for your event, plus a map to find its location.
5. Shared album or playlist
You can add more flavor to your event by creating a shared photo album or a shared Apple Music playlist. Tap Create Album or Add Playlist and select what you want to include.
6. Preview
Tap Preview to see what your guests will receive and check everything is perfect, then tap Next to start inviting attendees.
How to invite guests
The next stage is populating your event with people. There are various ways to add guests, which we’ll cover here.
1. Sharing options
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Once you’ve created an invitation and tapped Preview > Next, you’ll see the iOS share sheet. You’ve now got a few options. Under the Invite with Public Link header, you can send out your invitation using the Messages or Mail apps, share it via a different app, or copy the link.
2. Approve guests
If you want to approve guests before they can join your event, enable the toggle next to Approve Guests.
3. Choose a guest
Alternatively, you can send your invitation directly to guests by tapping Choose a Guest under Invite Individuals. Here, you can type their name or select them from your list of contacts.
4. Guest list
Once you’ve sent out your invitations, scroll down to the Guest List section. Here, you’ll see everyone who has been invited, as well as their responses.
5. Add more people
If you want to add more guests later, go to the event page and tap Invite Guests, then follow the steps above.
How to manage attendees
You’re not limited to the people you initially invited – you can add more people at a later date. Here’s how it’s done.
1. Plus-ones
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On an event’s page, tap Invite Guests, then tap the sliders icon in the top-right corner. Here, tap Additional Guests. This allows your guests to bring their own plus-one attendees. You can add up to five extra guests per person.
2. View more info
Tap anywhere in the page’s guest section, then tap the … button next to an attendee’s name. Tap View Information to see their contact details or tap Allow to invite others to let them bring their own plus-ones. You can also remove them from the event if you want.
3. Approve or deny
If you’ve decided you want to approve guests before they can join, tap Invite Guests on the event’s page, scroll down to the Guest List section, then tap either the green check or the red cross next to each request.
How to edit an event and change its settings
Invites makes it simple to adjust your event or remove it altogether in just a few steps.
1. Edit event settings
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On the event page, tap the … button in the top-right corner, then tap Event Settings. This lets you remove the background preview, duplicate the event, pause replies, and more.
2. Cancel or delete
Here, you can also cancel the event at the bottom of the page. Note that this is different to deleting an event. Canceling marks it as inactive, but the guest list and all of the event’s details are still viewable. If you change your mind, you can reactivate it. Deleting an event, on the other hand, removes it from the Invites app for the host and all guests.
How to respond to an invitation on iOS and Android
Receiving an invitation and responding with your availability is simple, and you don’t need an Apple device to do it.
1. iCloud link
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When you receive an invitation to join an event, you’ll see an icloud.com link and a preview for the event. Tap the link.
2. iPhone
On an iPhone, this will open the Invites app if you have it installed. Tap Open Invitation to go to the event page. Here, you’ll see three RSVP options: Going, Not Going and Maybe. Tap your choice. You can send an optional message alongside your RSVP response. Tap Send Reply when you’re done.
3. Android
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On an Android device, tap the icloud.com link you received. You’ll see an invitation with all the key details. Scroll down and enter your email address. After this, you’ll be taken to a Sign in with Apple Account page – don’t worry, you don’t need an Apple Account (although if you do have an Apple Account, you can sign in now). Just enter your email address and a verification code will be sent to it. Fill this in on the next page. You will be taken to the event page on icloud.com, where you will be able to RSVP and send a message to the host. You will also see the location, weather, and more.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
