The fastest way to add someone else's calendar to your Outlook
To add a shared calendar in Outlook, you need the other person's email address and their permission to view the calendar. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Outlook on the web, Outlook desktop, or Outlook on your phone — but all three start the same way: the person who owns the calendar must first share it with you.
Once they do, you'll see a notification or a direct link. Click it, and their calendar appears alongside your own in your calendar list. You can then choose to display it, hide it, or change how it appears on your screen.
Key Takeaways
- The calendar owner must share the calendar with you first by going to their calendar settings and entering your email address.
- In Outlook desktop, you accept the share by clicking the link in the notification email, then the calendar shows up in your left sidebar under "Other calendars".
- In Outlook on the web, shared calendars appear in the left sidebar automatically once you accept the share, and you can right-click to change the color or hide it.
- You can view a shared calendar without adding it permanently by using the "Open calendar" or "Browse calendars" feature if you only need it once.
- If you stop seeing a shared calendar, the owner may have removed your access, or you may need to refresh your browser or restart Outlook.
How the calendar owner shares with you first
Before you can add a shared calendar, the person who owns it must send you the share. This is a one-time step they do on their end. In Outlook desktop, they right-click their calendar name in the left sidebar, select "Sharing and Permissions", and then type your email address into the field that says "Share with". They choose whether you can view only or edit the calendar, then click "Share".
In Outlook on the web, they click the three dots next to their calendar name, select "Sharing and permissions", and enter your email address the same way. Once they click "Share", Outlook sends you a notification email with a link or shows you a prompt in your Outlook inbox.
If the calendar owner uses a different email system (Gmail, Apple Calendar, or another service), the process is similar but the menu names may differ. The key is that they must explicitly grant you access before you can see the calendar at all.
Adding a shared calendar in Outlook desktop
When the calendar owner shares with you, you'll receive an email notification from Outlook. Open that email and look for a button or link that says "Open the calendar" or "Add to calendar". Click it. Outlook will open and ask you to confirm that you want to add this calendar to your account.
Click "Yes" or "Add". The calendar now appears in your left sidebar under a section called "Other calendars" or "People's calendars", depending on your Outlook version. The calendar owner's name will be listed there. You can now see their events on your calendar view.
If you don't see the notification email, ask the calendar owner to resend the share. If you still don't see it after a few minutes, check your Junk folder — sometimes Outlook filters the notification by mistake. Once you find it and click the link, the calendar adds itself automatically.
Adding a shared calendar in Outlook on the web
In Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com or outlook.live.com), shared calendars appear in your left sidebar automatically once the owner shares with you. You don't need to click a link or accept anything — the calendar just shows up. Look in the left sidebar under "Other calendars" for the owner's name.
If you want to change how the calendar looks, right-click the calendar name. You can change its color, hide it temporarily, or remove it entirely. If you want to see it again later, click the eye icon next to the calendar name to toggle it back on.
If the calendar doesn't appear in your sidebar after the owner shares it, refresh your browser (press Ctrl+R on Windows or Command+R on Mac). If it still doesn't show, sign out and sign back in. Sometimes Outlook on the web needs a fresh load to display new shared calendars.
Adding a shared calendar on Outlook mobile
On Outlook for iPhone or Android, open the app and go to the Calendar tab at the bottom. Tap the three dots or settings icon (usually in the top right corner), then look for "Add calendar" or "Browse calendars". Tap that option.
If the calendar owner has already shared with you, you should see their calendar listed here. Tap it to add it to your view. If you don't see it, go back and tap "Browse calendars" again, or search for the owner's name or email address directly.
Once added, the shared calendar appears in your calendar list on the mobile app. You can tap the eye icon next to it to hide or show it, just like on desktop. Changes you make on mobile sync back to your other devices, so if you hide a calendar on your phone, it stays hidden on your computer too.
What to do if you can't see the shared calendar
If a calendar was shared with you but you can't find it, the most common reason is that you haven't accepted or opened the share notification yet. Check your email inbox (and Junk folder) for a message from Outlook with the subject line "Calendar shared with you" or similar. Open that email and click the link inside.
If the calendar owner removed your access, the calendar will disappear from your sidebar. You'll receive a notification email saying the share has been removed. If you think this was a mistake, ask the owner to share it with you again.
If you're using Outlook desktop and the calendar still won't show up after you've clicked the share link, try restarting Outlook completely. Close the app, wait a few seconds, and open it again. This forces Outlook to refresh its connection to your shared calendars. If you're on Outlook on the web, try clearing your browser cache or using a different browser.
Viewing someone's calendar without adding it permanently
If you only need to see someone's calendar once or occasionally, you don't have to add it to your sidebar. In Outlook desktop, go to the Home tab and click "Open Calendar". Type the person's email address and click "Open". Their calendar appears in a new window or tab, and you can view it without cluttering your sidebar.
In Outlook on the web, click the "+" button next to "Other calendars" in the left sidebar and select "Browse calendars". Search for the person's name or email, then click their calendar to view it temporarily. It won't stay in your sidebar unless you click "Add".
This temporary view method works even if the calendar owner hasn't formally shared with you, as long as your organization allows it. Some workplaces restrict this feature for privacy reasons, so you may get an error message saying the calendar is private.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit events on a shared calendar or only view them?
That depends on what permission the calendar owner gave you. If they chose "Can view" when they shared, you can only look at events. If they chose "Can edit", you can create, change, and delete events on their calendar. The owner decides this when they set up the share, and they can change it later in their sharing settings.
What happens if the calendar owner deletes an event?
You'll see the event disappear from the shared calendar on all your devices within a few minutes. Outlook syncs shared calendars automatically, so deletions show up right away. If you had that event on your own calendar too, it won't be affected — only the shared copy is removed.
Can I share a calendar that someone else shared with me?
No. You can only share calendars that you own. If you want someone else to see a calendar that was shared with you, ask the original owner to share it with that person directly. This prevents accidental sharing of private information.
Why does the shared calendar show a different time zone than mine?
Outlook displays shared calendars in your own time zone by default, but if the owner's calendar is set to a different time zone in their settings, events may appear shifted. Ask the calendar owner to check their calendar settings and make sure the time zone is correct. Once they fix it on their end, the times should match yours.
Can I print a shared calendar?
Yes. In Outlook desktop, right-click the shared calendar name and select "Print". In Outlook on the web, click the three dots next to the calendar name and select "Print". You can print the calendar view for any date range you choose, just like your own calendar.