The fastest way to share a calendar in Outlook
Open Outlook and right-click the calendar you want to share in the left sidebar under "My Calendars". Select "Sharing Permissions" or "Share" (the exact wording depends on whether you use Outlook desktop, web, or Outlook.com). Type the email address of the person you want to share with, choose what they can see — view only, edit, or delegate — and send the invitation. They will receive an email and can add your calendar to their own Outlook in one click.
The whole process takes about two minutes. The person you share with does not need to be in your organization or on the same email system. Once they accept, your calendar appears in their sidebar, and they can see your availability without needing a separate app or password.
Key Takeaways
- Right-click your calendar in Outlook and select "Sharing Permissions" to invite someone to view or edit it.
- You can give different permission levels: view-only (they see your free and busy time), edit (they can add or change events), or delegate (they manage it as if it were their own).
- The person you share with receives an email invitation and can add your calendar to their Outlook with one click — no separate login required.
- Shared calendars work across Outlook desktop, Outlook on the web, and Outlook.com, so the method works regardless of which version you use.
- You can stop sharing at any time by removing the person's permissions in the same Sharing Permissions menu.
Sharing a calendar in Outlook desktop
If you use Outlook on your computer (Windows or Mac), right-click the calendar name in the left sidebar. You will see a menu with options like "Sharing Permissions" or "Properties". Click "Sharing Permissions". A dialog box opens showing who already has access.
Click "Add User" or the plus icon. Type the person's email address in the field that appears. Below their name, you will see three permission options: "Reviewer" (they see when you are free or busy but not event details), "Editor" (they can view and change events), or "Delegate" (they can manage the calendar as if it were theirs, and others see them as the calendar owner). Choose the level you want, then click "OK" or "Add".
Outlook sends them an email with a link to accept the invitation. Once they click it, your calendar appears in their sidebar. If they decline or ignore the invitation, they will not see your calendar.
Sharing a calendar in Outlook on the web
Open Outlook in your web browser and click the calendar you want to share in the left sidebar. At the top of the calendar view, look for a "Share" button or a three-dot menu icon. Click it and select "Share Calendar".
A panel opens on the right side. Type the person's email address in the "Share with" field. A dropdown menu shows permission levels: "Can view when I'm busy" (they see only free and busy time), "Can view all details" (they see event names and times), or "Can edit" (they can add or change events). Pick the level you need and click "Share".
The person receives an email invitation. They can add your calendar to their Outlook by clicking the link in the email, or they can view it directly from the email without adding it to their sidebar.
Setting different permission levels for different people
You can share the same calendar with multiple people and give each person a different level of access. One coworker might only see your free and busy time, while your manager can see all event details, and your assistant can edit the calendar.
To do this, repeat the sharing process for each person. Open Sharing Permissions, add the next person's email address, and choose their permission level. Outlook keeps a list of everyone who has access, and you can change anyone's permissions later by opening Sharing Permissions again, finding their name, and adjusting their level.
If you want to stop sharing with someone, open Sharing Permissions, find their name, and click "Remove" or the delete icon next to it. They will lose access when ready, though they may still see the calendar in their sidebar as a read-only view until they manually delete it.
Viewing a calendar someone shared with you
When someone shares a calendar with you, you receive an email with a link or an "Add to Calendar" button. Click it, and Outlook asks you to confirm. Once you accept, their calendar appears in your left sidebar under "Other Calendars" or "People's Calendars", depending on your Outlook version.
You can now see their events alongside your own. If they gave you edit permission, you can click on their events to change them or add new ones. If they gave you view-only permission, you can see their schedule but cannot make changes.
To remove a shared calendar from your view, right-click it in the sidebar and select "Remove from Calendar" or "Delete". This does not delete the calendar itself — it only removes it from your sidebar. The person who owns the calendar will not know you removed it.
Troubleshooting shared calendar problems
If someone says they did not receive your sharing invitation, check that you typed their email address correctly. Outlook does not always catch typos, so the invitation goes nowhere. Ask them to spell their email aloud and try again.
If a shared calendar is not showing up in their sidebar after they accepted the invitation, have them close and reopen Outlook. Sometimes the calendar appears only after a refresh. If it still does not show, they can manually add it by going to "Add Calendar" and searching for the calendar owner's name.
If you shared a calendar but the person can only see free and busy time when you wanted them to see event details, you gave them "Reviewer" permission instead of "Can view all details". Open Sharing Permissions, find their name, and change their level to the one you intended.
If you are using Outlook on the web and the Share button does not appear, make sure you are clicking on a calendar you own, not one someone else shared with you. You cannot reshare someone else's calendar unless they gave you delegate permission.
When to use shared calendars instead of other methods
A shared calendar works best when you need to see someone's schedule regularly — a team that coordinates meetings, a manager and assistant, or family members planning shared events. Everyone sees real-time updates, so if someone adds or cancels an event, you see it when ready.
If you only need to send one meeting invitation, use Outlook's "New Event" button instead. If you need to share a single event with someone outside your organization who does not use Outlook, send them a calendar file (.ics) by right-clicking the event and selecting "Forward as iCalendar".
If you need to share a calendar with a large group or the entire organization, ask your IT department whether your company uses shared calendars or group calendars, which work differently and may be more appropriate for teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a calendar with someone who does not use Outlook?
Yes. When you share a calendar, Outlook sends an email invitation to any email address. The person can view your calendar in their own email program (Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo) or in a web browser. They may not see real-time updates the way an Outlook user would, but they can still see your events.
What is the difference between Reviewer and Editor permission?
Reviewer permission lets someone see only when you are free or busy, not the event names or details. Editor permission shows them all event details and lets them add or change events on your calendar. Use Reviewer for people who just need to find time to meet you, and Editor for people who help manage your schedule.
Can I share my calendar with a group instead of one person?
In Outlook desktop, you can only share with individual email addresses. If you want a team to see your calendar, add each person separately. In Outlook on the web, some organizations allow you to share with a group email address, but this depends on your company's setup. Ask your IT department if group sharing is available.
If I delete an event, will the person I shared my calendar with still see it?
No. When you delete an event, it disappears from your calendar and from anyone else's view of your calendar. They will see the time slot become free again.
Can I unshare a calendar without the person knowing?
Yes. When you remove someone's access in Sharing Permissions, they lose the ability to see your calendar going forward. Outlook does not send them a notification that you removed them. However, they may notice your calendar disappears from their sidebar.