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# How to block dates from the calendar?

# How to block dates from the calendar

Block holidays, closed days, or any date you can't fulfill, so customers can't schedule on them.

|| Available on all plans.



## Overview

Blackout dates remove specific days from a method's calendar. Use them for holidays when delivery/shipping is unavailable, days your store is closed, or one-off dates you can't serve.

|| Blocking a date only affects new scheduling — existing orders on that date aren't changed.



## Before you start

* The method (Local delivery, Pickup, or Shipping) is enabled with a scheduling rule.



## How to block dates

Here's how, step by step:

<!-- EDITOR: thay IMAGE_URL_STEP_N bằng URL ảnh screenshot (kéo-thả ảnh vào Crisp editor hoặc dùng link CDN có sẵn) -->

### Step 1: Open the method rule

Go to the method you want to block dates for.

![Step 1: Open the method rule](IMAGE_URL_STEP_1)

### Step 2: Add blackout dates

In the **Blackout dates** section, add the dates to exclude. They appear in the list once added.

![Step 2: Add blackout dates](IMAGE_URL_STEP_2)



## How it looks on the storefront

Blocked dates appear greyed out / unselectable in the customer's calendar.

![Blocked dates on storefront](IMAGE_URL_STOREFRONT)



## Common scenarios

### Public holidays

Add each holiday you don't operate on.

### Annual closure

Block your vacation/closure period so no orders land during it.

### One-off closed day

Block a single date when you can't fulfill (e.g., staff event).



## Configuration options

| Option | Description | Notes |
| ---- |
| Blackout dates | Dates removed from this method's calendar | Per method rule |



## Tips & Best practices

|| Add known holidays at the start of each season in one pass — it's easier than blocking them last-minute when orders are already arriving.

| Need to block dates for only some products? Use an [override](https://help.omegatheme.com/en/article/how-to-override-schedule-for-exception-products-ubnc4f/) instead of a rule-wide blackout.



## Troubleshooting

### A blocked date still shows as available?

Confirm you added it to the correct method's rule and saved; check whether an override re-opens it for some products.

### I want to open an extra day instead?

That's the opposite — use [Add exception date](https://help.omegatheme.com/en/article/add-exception-date-bmkxlb/).



## FAQ

### Does a blackout apply to all methods?

No — it's per method rule. Add it to each method you want to block.

### How do I unblock a date?

Remove it from the Blackout dates list and save.



## Related articles

* [Add exception date](https://help.omegatheme.com/en/article/add-exception-date-bmkxlb/) — Open extra non-working days *(Schedule & Availability)*
* [Override schedule for exception products](https://help.omegatheme.com/en/article/how-to-override-schedule-for-exception-products-ubnc4f/) — Block dates for specific products *(Schedule & Availability)*



||| If you need further assistance, feel free to reach out to us via live chat or email at contact@omegatheme.com. We're happy to help!