What you need to do to share a calendar
To share a calendar, you first create one in your calendar app, then change its settings to let other people see it. The exact steps depend on which app you use — Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, or another program — but the basic idea is the same everywhere. You pick who can see it, what they're allowed to do (view only, or edit events), and then send them a link or invite them by email.
Most calendar apps let you share with specific people or make a calendar public so anyone with the link can view it. Some let you choose whether people can just look, or whether they can also add and change events. Before you share, decide what level of access makes sense for what you're using the calendar for — a family schedule might let everyone edit, while a work project calendar might let only your team see it.
Key Takeaways
- You create a new calendar in your app's settings, then change the sharing settings to let others see it.
- Most apps let you share with specific people by email or give anyone with a link permission to view the calendar.
- You can usually choose whether people can only view events or also create and edit them.
- The person you share with needs to accept an invite or add the calendar link to their own app to see it.
- Shared calendars stay in sync across devices, so changes one person makes show up for everyone right away.
How to share a calendar in Google Calendar
Open Google Calendar on a computer or phone. On the left side, find the calendar you want to share under "My calendars." Click the three dots next to the calendar name, then click "Settings and sharing." Scroll down to the "Share with specific people" section and click the plus sign to add someone.
Type in the email address of the person you want to share with. A dropdown menu will appear showing permission options: "See all event details," "Make changes to events," or "Make changes and manage sharing." Pick the level of access that fits what you need. If you want to let anyone with a link see the calendar, scroll to "Make available to the public" and toggle it on, then copy the link and send it however you want.
The person you shared with will get an email invite if you added them by address. They click the link in the email to add the calendar to their own Google Calendar account. If you shared a public link, they can open it in a browser or paste it into their calendar app.
How to share a calendar in Outlook or Microsoft 365
Open Outlook on your computer. Right-click the calendar you want to share in the left sidebar under "My calendars." Click "Sharing and permissions." In the window that opens, type the email address of the person you want to share with and click "Add."
A list of permission options will appear. Choose "Reviewer" if you want them to see events only, "Editor" if you want them to add and change events, or "Owner" if you want to give them full control. Click "OK" to send the invite. The person will get an email and can accept it to add the calendar to their Outlook account.
If you're using Outlook on the web, click the calendar name, then click "Share." Type the email address and choose permissions the same way. Outlook also lets you make a calendar public by generating a link, though this is less common than in Google Calendar.
How to share a calendar in Apple Calendar
On a Mac, open the Calendar app. Right-click the calendar you want to share in the left sidebar and click "Edit Calendar." In the window that opens, check the box next to "Share this calendar" and type the email address of the person you want to share with. Click the plus sign to add them.
A dropdown menu will show permission options: "View only" or "View and edit." Pick the one you need and click "Done." The person will get an email invite. They can click the link to add the calendar to their Apple Calendar app on their Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Calendar, then tap Accounts. Tap the account where your calendar is stored (usually iCloud), then tap the calendar name. Tap "Edit" and toggle on "Share this calendar," then add the email address of the person you want to share with. The process is the same — they'll get an invite and can accept it to see the calendar.
What happens when you share a calendar
Once someone accepts your invite or opens a shared calendar link, the calendar appears in their app. Any changes you make to events show up on their screen right away — if you add an event, move it to a different time, or delete it, they see the update almost instantly. If they have edit permission, their changes show up on your screen the same way.
Shared calendars stay separate from the person's own calendars in their app, so they can turn the shared calendar on and off without affecting their personal events. They can also set different colors or notifications for the shared calendar if their app allows it. If you stop sharing the calendar, it disappears from their view, though they'll still have a record of events they saw while it was shared.
Choosing the right sharing settings for what you're doing
Think about what you're using the calendar for before you decide who can see it and what they can do. A family calendar for household schedules usually works best if everyone can edit — that way anyone can add appointments, change times, or note when someone's running late. A work project calendar might let your team edit but keep it hidden from people outside the project.
If you're sharing a calendar for an event like a wedding or conference, you might make it public so anyone with the link can see it without needing to log in or accept an invite. This works well for schedules you want to share with a large group. For sensitive information like medical appointments or financial meetings, share only with specific people and give them view-only access so they can't accidentally change anything.
You can always change the sharing settings later. If you shared with someone and now want to remove them, go back to the sharing settings and delete their email address. If you made a calendar public and want to make it private, toggle off the public option. The changes take effect right away.
Troubleshooting shared calendars that aren't working
If someone says they didn't get an invite, check that you typed their email address correctly. Some apps require the exact email address associated with their account — if they use Gmail but you sent the invite to their work email, they might not see it. Ask them which email they use for their calendar app and try again.
If they got the invite but the calendar won't show up in their app, they might need to accept the invite first. Check that they clicked the link in the email or the accept button in their calendar app. If they're using a different calendar app than you are, they might need to manually add the calendar using a link or code instead of accepting an invite.
If changes aren't showing up in real time, try closing and reopening the calendar app on both devices. Sometimes a refresh is needed to sync the latest updates. If one person can edit but their changes aren't showing up for others, check that you gave them edit permission — view-only access means they can see events but can't change them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a calendar with someone who doesn't have the same calendar app as me?
Yes. Most calendar apps can read shared calendars from other apps using a link or a special code. You might need to give them a link instead of sending an invite, or they might need to manually add the calendar in their app's settings. Ask them which calendar app they use and check that app's help section for how to add a shared calendar.
What if I want to share a calendar with a group of people at once?
You can add multiple people one at a time in the sharing settings, or you can create a public link and send it to everyone. If you're sharing with a work team, some apps let you share with a group email address instead of individual addresses. Check your app's sharing options to see if group sharing is available.
Can someone see my personal events if I share a calendar with them?
No. When you share a calendar, you're only sharing the events in that specific calendar. Your other calendars stay private unless you share those too. You can create a separate calendar just for events you want to share and keep your personal calendar private.
What happens to a shared calendar if I delete it?
The calendar disappears from everyone's view, including the person you shared it with. They won't be able to see the events anymore, though they might have a record of events they saw before you deleted it. If you think you might want it back, consider hiding the calendar instead of deleting it.
Can I share a calendar with someone who doesn't have an email address or account?
Most apps require the person to have an account to share a calendar with them. Your best option is to make the calendar public and send them the link — they can view it in a web browser without needing to log in or create an account.