Time Bars
Use Month View time bars to see dated tasks across the days they cover, move date ranges, and adjust start or due dates.
Time bars make dated work easier to review in Month View. Instead of reading every task only inside one date, you can see when a task belongs to a date range and move that range directly from the Calendar.
Use time bars for trips, launches, projects, multi-day reviews, work blocks, or any task where the start date and due date both matter.
Time bars are Month View tools
The Show time bars setting controls how dated work appears in Month View.
What you can do
See date ranges in Month View
when tasks have due dates and optional start dates
Review multi-day work
across the days it covers
Move a task range
to different dates while keeping the same length
Adjust the start date
by changing the beginning of the bar
Adjust the due date
by changing the end of the bar
Turn Month View time bars on or off
from Date & Time settings
Use task actions
by selecting or right-clicking a time bar
Keep recurring tasks aligned
when moving a recurring occurrence
How to turn time bars on or off
- Settings: Open Settings -> Date & Time, then change Show time bars.
- Setup Wizard: During setup, choose whether Calendar time bars should be shown.
- Month View: Open Calendar, choose Month, and use Date & Time settings if you want to change how Month View displays dated tasks.
The Show time bars setting applies to Month View. Week and Day views also show all-day or multi-day work in their own schedule formats, but the Month View setting is the dedicated time bar control.
Turn them off for dense months
If Month View feels crowded, disable time bars and turn them back on when date ranges matter.
What appears as a time bar
In Month View, a task can appear as a time bar when it has a due date.
| Task dates | What Month View does |
|---|---|
| Due date only | Shows the task on that date |
| Start date and due date on the same date | Shows the task on that date |
| Start date and due date on different dates | Shows the task across the full date range |
If Show time bars is off, Month View still shows dated tasks, but without the time bar display.
Due dates are required
A task needs a due date before Month View can place it as dated work.
Moving a time bar
Drag the bar to move the task to different dates. PrimeTask keeps the same date range length and updates the task's dates.
Use this when a multi-day task moves as a whole, such as shifting a review window from this week to next week.
Moving a time bar changes task dates
The bar is another way to edit the same task, not a separate copy.
Adjusting start and due dates
Change the beginning of a time bar to adjust the task's start date. Change the end of a time bar to adjust the task's due date.
This is useful when work starts earlier, takes longer than expected, or needs to be shortened without moving the whole task.
Single-date tasks and date ranges
A task with only a due date is still dated work, so Month View can include it when time bars are enabled. If you want a task to cover multiple dates, add a start date as well as a due date.
Open the task details to review or change its dates. See Task Details Page.
Recurring tasks
When you move a recurring task from the Calendar, PrimeTask treats the move as a change to the current occurrence first and gives you a way to apply it to future occurrences when needed.
Recurring time bars need care
Review the recurring task prompt before applying a date change beyond the current occurrence.
See Recurring Tasks.
Apple Calendar events
Month View can also show Apple Calendar events when the integration is enabled on macOS and available for the active Space. Events are separate from PrimeTask tasks unless you convert them into tasks.
Use Apple Calendar Integration for setup details.
Right-click actions
Right-click a time bar to use the same task actions available elsewhere in the Calendar. Depending on the task, you can open it, edit it, edit notes, complete it, duplicate it, delete it, copy a task link when external integrations are enabled, or start Focus Mode when it is eligible.
Things worth knowing
Time bars are most useful in Month View
Month View is where date ranges are easiest to compare. Use Week or Day when you need to plan by time, and Day Planner when you want a dedicated time-blocking workflow.
Time bars do not create separate tasks
A time bar is another way to work with the same task. Moving or adjusting it changes the task's dates.
Dense months may be easier without time bars
If Month View feels too crowded, turn Show time bars off from Settings -> Date & Time. You can turn it back on whenever date ranges matter.
Calendar filters still apply
If Calendar filters remove a task from view, its time bar is removed too. Check status, priority, tags, recurring mode, completed work, and archived project task settings. See Calendar Filters.
Common questions
"Why does a task appear as a time bar?"
The task has a due date and Show time bars is on for Month View. If it also has a start date, the bar can cover the range between the start and due dates.
"Why is my multi-day task not appearing?"
Check that the task has a due date, that Show time bars is on, and that Calendar filters are not removing it from view. If it should span multiple dates, make sure it has both a start date and a due date.
"Can I move the whole range?"
Yes. Drag the bar to new dates. PrimeTask keeps the range length and updates the task.
"Can I make the task longer or shorter?"
Yes. Adjust the beginning or end of the bar to change the task's start or due date.
"Do time bars affect Focus Mode?"
No. Time bars manage task dates in Month View. Focus Mode availability from Calendar follows the Today and Overdue rule. See Focus Mode from Calendar.
Where to go next
| If you want to… | Read this |
|---|---|
| Review a full month | Month View |
| Choose between Calendar views | Calendar Views |
| Plan by week or day | Week and Day Views |
| Use task right-click actions | Right-Click Context Menu |
| Filter Calendar tasks | Calendar Filters |
| Edit task dates | Task Details Page |
| Create tasks with dates | Creating Tasks |
| Change date and Calendar display settings | Date & Time Settings |