How to Share a Calendar in Outlook, and Open One Shared With You
You want someone to see your calendar, or someone shared theirs and you can’t find it. The steps differ in each Outlook, and the level you pick decides what the other person sees.
In short: select Calendar, then on the Home tab select Share calendar (new Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook.com) or Share Calendar (classic Outlook). Add the person, pick a permission level, and send. They get an email invitation and select Accept. For someone who doesn’t use Outlook, publish the calendar under Settings > Calendar > Shared calendars and send the HTML or ICS link, but anyone who has that link can see it. If sharing is greyed out, your IT admin has blocked it.
Outlook Calendar Sharing in Each Version
| Outlook | Share your calendar | Open someone else’s |
|---|---|---|
| New Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web (work or school) | Home > Share calendar | Accept the invitation, or Add calendar > Add from directory (work or school) |
| Classic Outlook for Windows | Home > Share Calendar | Accept the invitation, or Add Calendar > Open Shared Calendar |
| Outlook.com (personal) | Home > Share calendar. View or edit only | Accept the invitation. You can’t add one directly |
| Outlook for Mac | Three dots > Sharing Permissions. Both people need Exchange accounts | File > Open > Other User’s Folder |
| Outlook for iPhone and Android | Menu > gear > Add people | Menu > + > Add Shared Calendar |
Calendar Permission Levels in Plain Words
Microsoft’s sharing article lists these labels:
- Can view when I’m busy: they see when you are busy, and no event details.
- Can view titles and locations: busy times, plus each event’s title and location.
- Can view all details: everything in your events, but they can’t change anything.
- Can edit: they can view and change your calendar. People in your organization only.
- Delegate: they can edit your calendar, share it with others, and schedule and respond to meetings on your behalf. Work or school accounts, people in your organization, and your primary calendar only. Microsoft has separate steps for it.
Outlook.com offers only view or edit. On a Mac, some Microsoft pages use these names and others older ones such as Reviewer.
How to Share Your Calendar in New Outlook, Outlook on the Web and Outlook.com
- Select Calendar.
- On the Home tab, select Share calendar. If you have several calendars, choose one.
- Enter the person’s name or email address. Select their name from the list, or press Enter. Add one person at a time.
- Use the drop-down next to their name to pick a permission level.
- Select Share. They get an email invitation.
How to Share Your Calendar in Classic Outlook
- In your Calendar folder, select Share Calendar on the Home tab, then choose the calendar.
- In the Calendar Properties dialog, select Add.
- Search your address book or type the email addresses, then select OK.
- Select each person, choose their level of detail, and select OK.
How to Share Your Calendar in Outlook for Mac
Microsoft says you and the other person both need Exchange accounts.
- Select the Calendar button on the side bar, then the calendar.
- Select the three dots next to it, or control-click it, then select Sharing Permissions.
- In Calendar Properties, select the add (+) button and find the person.
- Choose a permission level, select Add, then Done if it appears.
How to Share Your Calendar in the Outlook App (iPhone and Android)
These steps are from Microsoft’s guide for iOS and Android.
- Tap the Calendar icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap the Menu button at the top left, then the gear icon next to the calendar.
- Tap Add people and select them.
- Tap a person to set their permission, then tap the check mark.
Share an Outlook Calendar Outside Your Organization
What the other person gets depends on where their account is:
- Another Microsoft 365 organization, external sharing on: a full shared calendar.
- External sharing off, or Outlook.com, Gmail or another service: an ICS subscription link. From an Outlook.com account, Gmail users must accept with an Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 account, so publish a link instead.
Publish a Calendar Link for Someone Who Doesn’t Use Outlook
- In Outlook on the web or Outlook.com, go to Settings > Calendar > Shared calendars. In new Outlook, select Calendar, then the View tab, then Calendar settings > Calendar > Shared calendars.
- Under Publish a calendar, choose the calendar and how much detail to show.
- Select Publish. An HTML link and an ICS link appear.
- Send the HTML link for viewing in a browser, or the ICS link for subscribing in a calendar app.
With classic Outlook or a Mac, publish from Outlook on the web. What a link exposes, per Microsoft’s publishing documentation:
- No sign-in. Anyone who has the URL can see the calendar. Microsoft says to treat these URLs as sensitive.
- One detail level for everyone. Microsoft’s pages don’t say how Private events appear in a link, so don’t assume they stay hidden.
- If it spreads too far, select Unpublish, then publish again and send only the new link.
Subscribing or importing? An ICS link stays current. A downloaded ICS file is a one-time copy. To subscribe in Outlook.com or Outlook on the web, go to Calendar > Add calendar > Subscribe from web, paste the link, and select Import (then Save, on the web).
How to Open a Shared Calendar in Outlook
If you have an invitation, select Accept in the message. Then look here:
- New Outlook: shared calendars are hidden by default. Select Show all in the calendar list and find it under People’s calendars.
- Classic Outlook: it appears under Shared Calendars. Without an invitation, select Add Calendar, then Open Shared Calendar, enter the person’s name, and select OK. Microsoft says this needs an Exchange account and opens only their default calendar.
- New Outlook and the web, work or school: without an invitation, go to Calendar > Add calendar > Add from directory, select the account, and select Add. Microsoft notes this may show only availability, so prefer the invitation.
- Outlook for Mac: on the File menu, point to Open, and select Other User’s Folder. Search for the person and select Open.
- iPhone and Android: open Calendar, tap the Menu button, then +. Tap Add Shared Calendar (iOS) or Add a shared calendar (Android), search for the person in your organization, and tap the + next to them.
How to Change or Remove Someone’s Access
- Outlook on the web and Outlook.com: go to Calendar, right-click the calendar, and select Sharing and permissions. Choose a new level, or select Remove.
- New Outlook: on the Home tab, select Share Calendar, then Remove next to the person. The same page also says to use Outlook on the web.
- Classic Outlook: select Calendar, then the Folder tab, then Calendar Properties. On the Permissions tab, select the person under Currently sharing with, select Remove, then OK.
- Outlook for Mac: open Calendar Properties from the same menu, select the person, press the minus (-) button, and select Done.
- iPhone and Android: tap the gear next to the calendar, tap the person, change or remove their access, then tap the check mark.
Microsoft says removal is detected within a few hours. Someone in another organization keeps their copy, which stops updating.
Hide Private Appointments From People You Share With
Mark the event private, and most people you share with see only its time.
In new Outlook, select Private on the Event tab, or in the Not private drop-down. In classic Outlook, select Private in the Tags group.
Microsoft says not to rely on Private, and to withhold read permission from anyone who must not see these items. Its pages disagree on whether those people and delegates can see the details.
Why You Can’t Share Your Outlook Calendar
- The option is greyed out. Microsoft says your admin has set a policy that blocks calendar sharing. Only IT can change it.
- “This calendar can’t be shared.” In classic Outlook, the address is invalid, belongs to a Microsoft 365 Group, or belongs to someone outside your organization. For an outside address, try Outlook on the web.
- IT limits external sharing. Admins decide which domains you can share with and how much detail, and you can’t override those limits. Without a policy that allows it, you can’t publish.
Why a Calendar Invitation Doesn’t Arrive or Won’t Open
If it never arrives, check the address, look in Junk Email, and ask the owner to share again.
Mail rules, disclaimers and third-party mail filters can invalidate an invitation, and a disclaimer rule can remove the Accept button, which IT can fix. If only one app hides the button, try accepting in Outlook on the web. After any fix, ask for a new invitation.
Why a Shared Calendar Isn’t Updating
First check whether it should have updated yet. As of November 2026, Microsoft gives these times:
- Same Microsoft 365 organization, or shared from an Outlook.com account: instantly.
- Another Microsoft 365 organization: within three hours in most cases.
- ICS link in Outlook.com or Outlook on the web: every 3 to 6 hours, though Microsoft says it can take more than 24.
- ICS link in Gmail: every 24 to 48 hours.
If it is overdue, work through these:
- Compare with Outlook on the web. If the web is right, the problem is your desktop app. If both are wrong, check the permission first. A calendar can also look empty until its first sync finishes.
- In classic Outlook, check the type. Open the calendar’s properties. Without (REST), it uses the older connection. Update Outlook and confirm Turn on shared calendar improvements is on, under File > Account Settings, the Exchange account’s Change > More Settings > Advanced. Restart Outlook.
- Delete the calendar, restart Outlook, and add it again with Add Calendar > Open Shared Calendar, or accept a new invitation. Don’t use Add from address list, which creates the older type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my Outlook calendar with someone who uses Gmail?
Yes, as a read-only link. From a work or school account, share it with their address and they get an ICS link. From Outlook.com, Microsoft says a Gmail user can accept only with an Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 account, so publish the calendar under Shared calendars and send the ICS link. Their service decides how often it updates, and Microsoft says Gmail may take 24 to 48 hours. Anyone who has a published link can see the calendar.
Can someone outside my organization edit my Outlook calendar?
No. Microsoft says you can’t give editor or delegate access to people outside your organization. They can get view levels only, and your IT admin may limit those further.
What is the difference between sharing a calendar and delegate access?
Sharing lets someone see your calendar or change it, depending on the level. A delegate can also schedule and respond to meetings on your behalf. Delegate access needs a work or school account, applies to your primary calendar, and is only for people in your organization.
Can people I share my calendar with see my private appointments?
Most see only the time of an event marked Private, according to most of Microsoft’s pages, but one says people with read permission can see the details, as can delegates. Microsoft says not to rely on Private, so don’t give read permission to anyone who must not see an item.
Why can’t I see a calendar someone shared with me?
In new Outlook, shared calendars are hidden by default: select Show all and look under People’s calendars. In classic Outlook, look under Shared Calendars. If you never accepted an invitation, accept it or ask the owner to share again. On a phone, try adding it from the calendar menu with the + button.
Why is the Share Calendar option greyed out in Outlook?
Microsoft says your organization’s admin has set a policy that prevents calendar sharing. You can’t change that yourself, so ask IT. Publishing and sharing outside your organization are controlled by similar admin settings.