> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cal.com/help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Event buffers

> Learn how event buffers block time before and after meetings to prevent back-to-back bookings.

Event buffers are a great way to maintain a breathing space between multiple events in a day. Buffers are taken into consideration while booking a Cal event, if that Cal event has a buffer time selected. This simply means that buffers cannot overlap Cal events and thus a Cal event with buffer time can only be booked respecting the buffer time (before event, after event or both).

Event buffers automatically block time **before and/or after your meetings** so you don't get booked back-to-back.

You can configure buffers per event type. For example:

* Add buffer **before meetings** to prepare
* Add buffer **after meetings** to take notes, travel, or follow up

When buffers are enabled, Cal.com treats that extra time as **busy**, so new bookings cannot overlap it.

## How to set a buffer time

You can either set a before event buffer time, an after event buffer time, or both. Here's how to do that:

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Select your event type where you wish to add the buffer time
  </Step>

  <Step>
    To add a buffer time, click on the Limits & buffers tab of the event type settings.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Then, click on the before event, or after event select box to view the buffer time options in minutes and select the buffer time of your choice
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Click on Update to save your changes. Your event type should now consider the newly added buffer time
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How buffers work

Every meeting creates a **protected time window** around it.

```text theme={null}
| buffer before | meeting time | buffer after |
```

Other meetings cannot be scheduled inside this protected window.

## Buffers can stack

When someone tries to book a new meeting near an existing one, Cal.com considers:

* Buffers of the **existing meeting**
* Buffers of the **new meeting being scheduled**

This ensures **both meetings get the space they require**.

This is why you may sometimes see **more time blocked than the buffer value itself**.