Leave your regular week alone
When a single day goes sideways, the tempting fix is to open your weekly hours and change Thursday. Don’t. That edit sticks until you remember to change it back, and every Thursday after shows the wrong time. Special hours exist so one date can differ while the rest of your schedule stays exactly as it was.
Think of special hours as a sticky note on top of your weekly hours. Google shows the note for that date, then it falls off.
Good uses for a single-day change
- Closing early for a staff meeting or inventory count
- Opening late after a delivery or an inspection
- Shutting for a funeral, a wedding or a snow day
- Staying open late for a sidewalk sale or a community event
- Running two sessions on one day, such as a morning clinic and an evening class
For a split day like that last one, the Add hours + option under More lets you enter a second block for the same date.
Edge cases worth knowing
Overnight events. Google won’t take a set longer than 24 hours, and a set can’t cross into the next date. Its own example splits hours at midnight across two dates. On the second date Google ignores your regular hours entirely, so if you’d normally open at 9 that morning, enter it again.
Short stretches. You can stack special dates back to back for up to 6 days in a row. A long weekend off works. A two-week renovation doesn’t, and Google points those to the Temporarily closed status.
Hidden hours. If your profile is set to show no main hours, special hours won’t display either. They need Open with main hours underneath them.
Last-minute changes
Google’s page doesn’t promise how quickly a special date appears to customers. If you’re closing today because the power is out, set the special hours right away, then cover yourself elsewhere: a note on the door, a message on your phone line, and a post on the profile so people checking Google see an explanation.
Undoing a special date
If the event is cancelled, remove the date so customers aren’t turned away for nothing. A date marked closed has a Delete option beside it. An open date with custom times is removed through More, then Remove day.
If it doesn't work
- The special date isn't showing: special hours only appear when main hours are set to Open with main hours.
- The change spans a week or more: special hours cover up to 6 days in a row. Longer closures belong under Temporarily closed.
- An event runs past midnight: no single set can exceed 24 hours. Split it across two dates and re-enter the next day's regular hours.
- The change is permanent, like a new Saturday schedule: edit your main hours instead, or you'll be adding special dates forever.
Questions owners ask
What counts as a reason for special hours?
Google describes them as hours for unusual days such as holidays or special events. Staff training, a private booking, a late-night sale, a weather day or a family emergency all fit, as long as it's a short, dated change to your normal week.
Can I set special hours for several days in a row?
Yes, up to 6 days in a row, each date entered on its own. Beyond that, or when you don't know when you'll reopen, Google directs you to mark the business temporarily closed.
Can I add special hours from my phone?
Our advice is to use a computer, because that's where Google documents the steps: Edit profile, then Hours, then special hours. If you do it on a phone, look for the same screens, then open your public profile and confirm the dates came out right.
Do special hours change my more hours, like delivery?
Don't count on it. Google's special hours page doesn't say they carry over to more hours such as delivery or pickup. If a service window also changes that day, check those hours on the public profile after saving and adjust them if they still show the usual times.
Sources
- How to set Special hours (support.google.com)
- Edit your business hours (support.google.com)
- Mark your business as closed (support.google.com)
Checked 13 Nov 2026. When the platform changes its process we update this page and log it in What changed.