You can schedule meetings on behalf of another person if they have given you permission and added you as a delegate

Outlook lets you create and send meeting invitations as if you were someone else — but only if that person has formally given you the right to do it. This is called delegate access, and it's different from straightforward having their password. When you schedule a meeting on someone's behalf, the invitation comes from their account, not yours, and attendees see them as the organizer.

This feature is common in offices where an assistant schedules for a manager, or where team members cover for each other. The person whose calendar you're using must set this up first — you cannot grant yourself this access.

Key Takeaways

  • The person whose calendar you need access to must add you as a delegate in their Outlook settings; you cannot request this yourself.
  • Once you have delegate access, you open their calendar in Outlook and create the meeting the same way you would on your own calendar.
  • The meeting invitation will show the original person as the organizer, not you, even though you created it.
  • Delegate access requires the other person to be in the same organization or to have a Microsoft 365 account; it does not work with personal Gmail or Yahoo accounts.

How the person gives you delegate access

The person whose calendar you need to manage must open their own Outlook and add you manually. They go to File > Account Settings > Delegate Access. They type your name or email address, choose what permissions you get (usually "Editor" if you're scheduling meetings), and click Add. Once they save, you'll receive a notification that you've been added as a delegate.

This step cannot be skipped. If you try to open someone else's calendar without being added as a delegate, Outlook will block you. The person must do this from their own account — there is no way around it.

Opening their calendar in Outlook on your computer

Once you have delegate access, open your own Outlook. In the left sidebar under "Other Calendars" or "People's Calendars," you should see the other person's name listed. Click on it to open their calendar view. If you don't see it, go to File > Open > Other User's Folder, type their name or email, select "Calendar" from the dropdown, and click Open.

You are now looking at their calendar, not yours. Any meeting you create from this view will appear on their calendar and come from their account.

Creating the meeting on their behalf

With their calendar open, click New Event or New Meeting (the button location depends on your Outlook version). Fill in the meeting details — title, time, location, attendees — exactly as you would for your own meeting. When you click Send, the invitation goes out from their email address, and they appear as the organizer to everyone invited.

The person whose calendar you're using will see the meeting appear on their calendar automatically. They do not need to accept it. If attendees reply to the invitation, those responses go to their inbox, not yours.

What happens if you lose delegate access

If the person removes you as a delegate, you lose the ability to see or edit their calendar when ready. Any meetings you created while you had access remain on their calendar — removing you as a delegate does not delete the meetings. However, you can no longer make changes to those meetings or create new ones on their behalf.

If you need to schedule something after losing access, ask the person to add you back or to create the meeting themselves and add you as an organizer.

Delegate access on Outlook Web and mobile

If you use Outlook on the web (Outlook.com or your organization's web portal), the process is similar but the menu locations differ. Go to Settings (the gear icon) > Mail > Delegate to add or manage delegates. On the Outlook mobile app, delegate access is read-only — you can view someone's calendar but cannot create meetings from it. To schedule on their behalf from a phone, use the web version instead.

If the person uses a Mac, the steps are the same in Outlook for Mac, though the menu names may be slightly different. Check the Tools menu if File does not show the delegate option.

When delegate access does not work

Delegate access only works if both people are in the same organization (using the same Exchange server) or both have Microsoft 365 accounts. If you're trying to schedule for someone with a Gmail account, Yahoo account, or a different email system, delegate access is not available. In that case, ask the person to forward you a meeting invitation template, or have them create the meeting and add you as a co-organizer.

If you have delegate access but still cannot see their calendar, ask them to check that they added you with "Editor" permissions, not just "Reviewer." Reviewer access lets you see the calendar but not make changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule a meeting on someone's behalf without them knowing?

No. The person must add you as a delegate first, and they will see the notification when they do. Once you have access, they can see every meeting you create on their calendar. This is a security feature to prevent unauthorized access.

What's the difference between delegate access and being added as a co-organizer?

Delegate access means you can create meetings that appear to come from the other person. Co-organizer means you and the other person both appear as organizers on the invitation. Ask the person which one they want before they add you.

If I create a meeting on someone's behalf, can I edit it later?

Yes. As long as you still have delegate access, you can open their calendar and edit any meeting you created. If you lose delegate access, you cannot edit the meeting unless the person adds you back or makes you a co-organizer.

What if the person I'm scheduling for is out of the office?

Delegate access works the same way whether they are in the office or not. Meetings you create will still appear on their calendar and come from their account. If they have an out-of-office message set, attendees will see that message when they receive the invitation.

Can I see the responses to meetings I schedule on someone's behalf?

Responses go to the person whose calendar you're using, not to you. If you need to know who accepted or declined, ask them to forward you the responses or add you as a co-organizer so you receive them directly.