Share your Outlook calendar by opening the calendar, right-clicking the calendar name, selecting "Sharing Permissions," and choosing who can view it and what they can see
The fastest way to share your Outlook calendar is through the sharing permissions menu built into the process. You control exactly what information each person sees — whether they can view only your free and busy times, see event titles and details, or edit the calendar themselves. The person you share with does not need to do anything on their end; they straightforward see your calendar appear in their own Outlook once you grant permission.
The process takes about two minutes and works the same way whether you use Outlook on Windows, Mac, or the web version. You will need the email address of the person you want to share with, and they must have an email account that Outlook recognizes (this includes Microsoft 365 accounts, Gmail addresses, and most corporate email systems).
Key Takeaways
- You can share your calendar with different permission levels for different people — some see only busy times, others see full event details.
- The person you share with sees your calendar appear automatically in their Outlook; they do not need to accept an invitation or take any action.
- Sharing works across Outlook on Windows, Mac, and the web, and the steps are nearly identical on all three.
- You can stop sharing at any time by removing the person's permission, and they will no longer see your calendar.
- If someone cannot see your calendar after you share it, the most common cause is that Outlook is not recognizing their email address correctly.
How to share your calendar in Outlook on Windows or Mac
Open Outlook and look at the left sidebar where your calendars are listed. Find the calendar you want to share — usually this is "Calendar" but you may have created others. Right-click on the calendar name and select "Sharing Permissions" from the menu that appears.
A window will open with a list of people who already have access. At the top, you will see a field that says "Add a person" or "Share with." Type the full email address of the person you want to share with and press Enter. Outlook will search for that person and add them to the list once it finds them.
Next to their name, you will see a dropdown menu showing their permission level. The options are usually "Can view when I'm busy," "Can view titles and locations," or "Can edit." Choose the level that matches what you want them to see. "Can view when I'm busy" shows only whether you are free or busy, not what you are doing. "Can view titles and locations" shows the event name and where it is, but not the description. "Can edit" lets them add, change, or delete events on your calendar — use this only for people you fully trust, like an assistant or close family member.
Once you have set the permission level, click "OK" or "explore" to save. The person will see your calendar in their Outlook within a few minutes, usually faster.
How to share your calendar in Outlook on the web
Log into Outlook.com or your organization's Outlook web version. Click "Calendar" in the left sidebar to open your calendar view. Look for the calendar name in the left panel — right-click it and select "Share calendar" from the menu.
A panel will open on the right side of the screen. Type the email address of the person you want to share with in the text field and press Enter. Outlook will find them and add them to the sharing list.
Click the dropdown next to their name to choose their permission level: "Can view when I'm busy," "Can view titles and locations," or "Can edit." The meanings are the same as in the desktop version. Click "Share" to confirm.
The person will receive a notification that you have shared your calendar with them, and it will appear in their Outlook calendar list within minutes.
What each permission level shows the other person
"Can view when I'm busy" is the most private option. The person sees your calendar with blocks of time marked as "Busy" or "Free," but they cannot see the event title, location, description, or any other details. Use this when you want someone to know your general availability without revealing what you are actually doing — for example, sharing with a client who needs to schedule meetings with you.
"Can view titles and locations" shows the event name and where it is taking place, but not the description or attendee list. This is the middle ground. A colleague can see that you have "Team standup" at 10 a.m. or "Dentist appointment" at 2 p.m., but they cannot read notes you added to the event. This is the most common choice for coworkers.
"Can edit" gives the person full control. They can create new events on your calendar, change or delete existing ones, and see all details. Only give this permission to people you trust completely — typically an executive assistant, a spouse managing family schedules, or a close business partner. You can always change it later if needed.
Sharing your calendar with a group or team
If you want to share your calendar with multiple people at once, you can add them one at a time using the steps above, or you can share with a group email address if your organization has one. For example, if your company has a "Marketing Team" distribution list, you can type that address into the sharing field and everyone in the group will gain access.
Keep in mind that when you share with a group, everyone in that group sees your calendar at the permission level you set. You cannot give different permission levels to different people within the same group — if you need that control, you must add them individually.
Stopping calendar sharing or changing permissions
To remove someone's access, open the sharing permissions for that calendar the same way you did to add them. Find their name in the list and click the "X" or "Remove" button next to it. Click "OK" or "explore" to save. They will no longer see your calendar, usually within a few minutes.
To change someone's permission level without removing them, click the dropdown next to their name, select the new level, and click "OK" or "explore." The change takes effect when ready.
Troubleshooting when someone cannot see your shared calendar
If you have shared your calendar but the other person says they cannot see it, the most common cause is that Outlook did not recognize their email address. Ask them to confirm their email address letter by letter — a single typo will prevent sharing from working. Delete them from your sharing list and add them again with the correct address.
The second most common issue is that they are looking in the wrong place. In Outlook, shared calendars appear in the left sidebar under "Other calendars" or "People's calendars," not under their own calendar list. Ask them to look there first.
If they still cannot see it after you have checked the email address, ask them to close Outlook completely and reopen it. Sometimes the calendar takes longer than a few minutes to appear, and restarting Outlook forces it to refresh.
If the person uses a different email system (like Gmail) and still cannot see your calendar, they may need to add your calendar manually by copying the calendar's web address from your Outlook settings. This is less common, but your organization's IT support can walk you through it if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my calendar with someone who does not use Outlook?
Yes, but the process is different. You can send them a link to view your calendar on the web, or you can export your calendar as a file and email it to them. However, they will not see live updates — they will only see the calendar as it was at the moment you shared it. For ongoing sharing with non-Outlook users, ask your IT department about other options your organization may support.
What happens if I share my calendar and then delete an event?
The person you shared with will no longer see that event on their copy of your calendar. The deletion syncs automatically, usually within a few minutes. They will not receive a notification that you deleted it — it straightforward disappears from their view.
Can someone I shared my calendar with see my personal notes on events?
No. Even if you give them "Can edit" permission, they see only the event title, location, time, and attendee list. Any notes you added to the event details remain private and hidden from them.
If I share my calendar with someone, can they see my deleted events or past events I have removed?
No. They see only the events currently on your calendar. Once you delete an event, it disappears from their view as well. They cannot see a history of events you have removed.
Can I share my calendar with someone outside my organization?
Yes, as long as they have an email address that Outlook recognizes. This includes Gmail, Yahoo, and most other email providers. However, some organizations restrict sharing outside the company for security reasons — if you cannot add an outside email address, contact your IT department to ask whether external sharing is allowed.