Set up a new Google Calendar in three steps

To create a calendar you can share, open Google Calendar at calendar.google.com and sign in with your Google account. On the left side under "Other calendars," click the plus sign next to that heading. Choose "Create new calendar" from the menu that appears.

Name your calendar something specific to its purpose — "Team Projects," "Client Meetings," "Shared Family Schedule" — so people know what they're looking at when you send them the link. Add a description if you want (optional), then click "Create calendar." Google will add it to your calendar list when ready.

Your new calendar now exists, but only you can see it. The next step is deciding who gets access and what they can do with it.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a new calendar by clicking the plus sign next to "Other calendars" on the left, then choose "Create new calendar" and give it a descriptive name.
  • Share it by opening the calendar's settings, finding the "Share with specific people" section, and entering the email addresses of people you want to invite.
  • You control what each person can do: view only, edit events, or make changes to the calendar itself.
  • Anyone with the shareable link can view your calendar without needing a Google account, but they cannot add or edit events unless you give them that permission.
  • Changes appear when ready for everyone — when you add an event, people with access see it right away without refreshing.

Share your calendar with specific people by email

Right-click on the calendar name in your left sidebar and select "Settings and sharing." Scroll down to the "Share with specific people" section. Click "Add people" and type in the email address of the person you want to invite.

Next to their email, choose what permission level they get. "See all event details" means they can view everything but cannot make changes. "Make changes to events" lets them edit existing events and add new ones, but they cannot change the calendar's name or delete it. "Make changes to settings" gives them full control — use this only for people you trust completely, like a co-manager.

Click "Send" and Google will email them an invitation. They can accept it and the calendar will appear in their Google Calendar sidebar. If they don't have a Google account, they can still view the calendar through the shareable link (see below), but they won't be able to edit unless they create an account first.

Use a shareable link for people without Google accounts

In the same "Settings and sharing" page, look for "Access settings" near the top. By default it says "Restricted" — only people you invited can see it. Click "Change" and select "Public" if you want anyone with the link to view your calendar.

Once you change it to public, a shareable link appears below. Copy that link and send it to anyone you want to view the calendar — they do not need a Google account and do not need to accept an invitation. They can view it in their web browser or add it to their own Google Calendar by pasting the link.

Keep in mind: a public calendar is visible to anyone who has the link. Do not use this for sensitive information like medical appointments or salary reviews. If you need to share with a small group, stick with the "Share with specific people" method instead.

Control what people see and can change

Google Calendar has three main permission levels. "See all event details" is read-only — people can view your events, times, and descriptions, but cannot add anything new or change what exists. This works well for shared team schedules where you want people to know when you're busy but not rearrange your time.

"Make changes to events" lets people edit or delete individual events, and add new ones. They cannot rename the calendar, change its color, or remove other people's access. Use this for collaborative calendars where multiple people need to add meetings or update times.

"Make changes to settings" gives someone nearly the same power you have — they can change the calendar's name, delete it, remove other people, and alter permissions. Only give this to someone you work with closely and trust completely.

Stop sharing or change someone's access level

Open the calendar's settings again and go to "Share with specific people." Find the person whose access you want to change. Click the three dots next to their name and choose a new permission level, or click "Remove" to take away their access entirely.

If you change someone from "Make changes to events" down to "See all event details," they lose the ability to edit when ready. If you remove them, the calendar disappears from their sidebar right away. They cannot see it anymore, even if they had the old link.

Troubleshoot common sharing problems

If someone says they cannot see the calendar after you invited them, ask them to check their email for the invitation from Google Calendar. Sometimes it lands in spam. They need to accept the invitation before the calendar appears in their sidebar.

If you sent a shareable link and someone says it does not work, check that the calendar is set to "Public" in Access settings. If it still says "Restricted," they cannot view it through the link no matter what. Switch it to public and resend the link.

If someone can see the calendar but cannot edit events even though you gave them permission, make sure you gave them "Make changes to events" or "Make changes to settings" — not just "See all event details." Also check that they are signed into the correct Google account. If they have multiple accounts, they might be looking at the calendar from the wrong one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share a Google Calendar with someone who doesn't have a Gmail address?

Yes, in two ways. You can invite them using their non-Gmail email address (like name@company.com), and they will receive an invitation. Or you can make the calendar public and send them the shareable link — they can view it in any web browser without an account. They cannot edit unless they create a Google account.

What happens if I delete an event from a shared calendar?

Everyone with access to that calendar sees it disappear when ready. If you only have "See all event details" permission, you cannot delete events — only the calendar owner or someone with "Make changes to events" or higher can remove them.

Can I share just one event instead of the whole calendar?

No, Google Calendar shares at the calendar level, not the event level. If you need to share only certain events, create a separate calendar for those events and share that calendar instead. Then you can control access to just that group of events.

Do people need to accept the invitation to see the calendar?

Yes, if you invited them by email. They will receive an invitation and need to click "Yes" to add it to their calendar. If you shared a public link, they can view it when ready without accepting anything.

Can I see who has viewed my shared calendar?

No, Google Calendar does not show you a list of who has looked at your calendar or when. You can only see who you have invited and what permission level each person has.