Delete a calendar in three steps

To delete a calendar in Outlook, right-click the calendar name in the left sidebar, select Delete Calendar from the menu, and confirm the deletion. The calendar and all its events disappear permanently. This works the same way in Outlook on the web, Outlook desktop for Windows, and Outlook for Mac — only the location of the right-click menu changes slightly between versions.

Before you delete, understand what happens: if the calendar is shared with others, they lose access to it immediately. If you created the calendar yourself, you can restore it from your trash folder within 30 days on Outlook.com, but desktop versions do not offer a recovery window. If someone else created the calendar and shared it with you, deleting it removes it from your view only — the original owner still has it.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any calendar name in the sidebar and select Delete Calendar to remove it permanently from your account.
  • Deleted calendars can be recovered from your trash folder within 30 days on Outlook.com, but not in the desktop app.
  • Deleting a shared calendar removes it from your view only if someone else owns it; the owner still has the original.
  • If you own a shared calendar, all people you shared it with lose access the moment you delete it.

Delete a calendar on Outlook.com

Open Outlook.com in your browser and look at the left sidebar where your calendars are listed. Find the calendar you want to remove, hover your mouse over its name, and three dots will appear to the right. Click those dots and select Delete. A confirmation box will ask if you are sure — click Delete again to finish.

If you change your mind within 30 days, go to the trash folder in your calendar list (scroll down in the sidebar to find it), right-click the calendar name, and select Restore. After 30 days, the calendar is gone for good and cannot be recovered.

Delete a calendar in Outlook desktop for Windows

In the Outlook desktop app on Windows, look at the left sidebar under My Calendars or Other Calendars depending on where your calendar is stored. Right-click the calendar name directly and select Delete Calendar from the menu. A dialog box will confirm the action — click Yes to delete it.

The desktop version does not save deleted calendars to a trash folder, so this action is permanent. If you realize you made a mistake, your only option is to recreate the calendar manually or restore it from a backup if you have one.

Delete a calendar in Outlook for Mac

Open Outlook on your Mac and locate the calendar in the left sidebar. Right-click the calendar name and select Delete Calendar from the menu that appears. Click Delete in the confirmation dialog to remove it.

Like the Windows desktop version, Outlook for Mac does not move deleted calendars to a recoverable trash folder. The deletion is immediate and permanent, so make sure you no longer need the calendar or any of its events before confirming.

What happens to shared calendars when you delete them

If you created a calendar and shared it with coworkers, family members, or others, deleting it removes it from everyone's view instantly. They will no longer see the calendar in their sidebar or receive updates about events on it. If they had added events to the shared calendar, those events disappear for them too.

If someone else created a calendar and shared it with you, deleting it only removes it from your own Outlook account. The original owner still has the calendar, and other people they shared it with can still see it. Your deletion does not affect anyone else.

Difference between deleting and hiding a calendar

Deleting a calendar removes it entirely and cannot be undone (except within 30 days on Outlook.com). If you simply want to stop seeing a calendar without losing it, hide it instead. Right-click the calendar name and select Hide — the calendar stays in your account but disappears from your sidebar. You can unhide it anytime by right-clicking and selecting Show.

Hiding is useful when you have many calendars and want to declutter your view temporarily, or when you want to stop seeing a shared calendar for now but might want it back later. Deleting is the right choice only when you are certain you will never need the calendar again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a deleted calendar after 30 days?

On Outlook.com, no — calendars in the trash folder are permanently deleted after 30 days. On the Outlook desktop app for Windows or Mac, deleted calendars cannot be recovered at all. If you need the calendar back, you will have to create it again from scratch.

What happens to events on a deleted calendar?

All events on the calendar are deleted along with it. If those events were important, they are gone permanently (except on Outlook.com within 30 days, where you can restore the entire calendar). Before deleting, consider exporting the calendar to a file if you want to keep a record of the events.

If I delete a calendar someone shared with me, can they see that I deleted it?

No. When you delete a shared calendar from your view, the owner and other people who have access to it do not receive a notification. They will not know you deleted it unless you tell them. The calendar remains in their accounts unchanged.

Can I delete a calendar I do not own?

If someone else created the calendar and shared it with you, you can only delete it from your own view — you cannot delete the original. If you want to remove it completely, you would need to ask the owner to delete it themselves.

How do I export a calendar before deleting it?

In Outlook.com, right-click the calendar and select Export Calendar to download it as an .ics file. In the desktop app, right-click the calendar, select Properties, then look for an export option in the dialog. Saving the file before deletion lets you import it back later if needed.