Create a shared calendar by inviting people through the Calendar app

To share an iPhone calendar, open the Calendar app, tap the Calendars tab at the bottom, find the calendar you want to share, and tap the info icon next to its name. Tap "Add Person" and enter the email address or phone number of someone you want to invite. They will receive an invitation and can accept to see and edit the calendar on their device.

The person you invite must have an Apple ID and an iCloud account to receive and use the shared calendar. Once they accept the invitation, any changes they make to events — adding, editing, or deleting — will show up on your calendar and everyone else's in real time. You can invite multiple people to the same calendar this way.

If you want to remove someone from a shared calendar later, go back to that calendar's info screen, find their name in the list of people, and swipe left on it. Tap "Remove" to confirm. They will no longer see or be able to edit that calendar.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Calendar, tap Calendars, select a calendar, tap the info icon, and choose "Add Person" to invite someone by email or phone number.
  • The person you invite must have an Apple ID and iCloud account to see the shared calendar and receive updates in real time.
  • Anyone invited to a shared calendar can add, edit, or delete events, and those changes appear immediately for all other people on the calendar.
  • You can remove someone from a shared calendar by swiping left on their name in the calendar's info screen and tapping "Remove".

The difference between shared calendars and calendar invitations

A shared calendar is different from sending someone an event invitation. When you share a calendar, that person sees the entire calendar and all events on it. When you send an event invitation, they see only that one event and can accept or decline it.

Shared calendars are better for ongoing coordination — a family calendar where everyone adds their own events, a team project calendar, or a household schedule. Event invitations work better when you want to invite specific people to a single event and track who is coming.

How to share a calendar with a family member or group

The process is the same whether you are sharing with one person or many. Each person you invite gets their own invitation, and you can send them one at a time or in quick succession. There is no limit to how many people you can invite to a single shared calendar.

For a family calendar, you might create a new calendar called "Family" and invite your spouse, adult children, or parents. For a work project, create a calendar with the project name and invite your team members. Everyone will see the same events and can add their own.

If someone declines your invitation, they will not see the calendar. You can send them another invitation later if they change their mind, and they can accept it at any time.

What happens when someone edits a shared calendar

When a person you invited makes a change to the shared calendar — adding an event, changing the time of an existing event, or deleting an event — that change appears on your iPhone within seconds. You will see their name as the person who made the change if you tap on the event details.

Everyone invited to that calendar sees the same version of events. If two people try to edit the same event at the same time, the last change made will be the one that sticks. There is no conflict warning, so communication between people sharing a calendar is important if you are making changes to the same events.

Creating a new calendar to share instead of using your main calendar

You do not have to share your personal calendar. Instead, you can create a new calendar just for sharing. Open the Calendar app, tap Calendars, scroll to the bottom, and tap "Add Calendar". Give it a name like "Family" or "Team Project", choose a color, and tap "Done".

Once the new calendar exists, follow the same steps to invite people: tap the info icon next to the calendar name and tap "Add Person". This way, you keep your personal events private and share only the calendar you want others to see.

Troubleshooting when someone cannot see the shared calendar

If someone says they cannot see a calendar you shared with them, first check that they accepted the invitation. They should have received an email or notification on their iPhone. If they did not receive anything, their email address or phone number may have been entered incorrectly — try sending the invitation again.

Make sure they are signed into iCloud on their iPhone. Go to Settings, tap their name at the top, and check that they are logged in with their Apple ID. If they are not, the shared calendar will not appear. They should also make sure the Calendar app is updated to the latest version from the App Store.

If they accepted the invitation but the calendar still does not show up, have them open the Calendar app, tap Calendars, and scroll down to see if the shared calendar is listed but turned off. If it is there but grayed out, they can tap it to turn it back on. If it is not there at all, ask them to restart their iPhone and check again.

Sharing a calendar through iCloud.com if someone does not have an iPhone

If you want to share a calendar with someone who uses Android, Windows, or a Mac, you can share it through iCloud.com instead of the Calendar app. Go to iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID, open Calendar, right-click on the calendar you want to share, and select "Share Calendar".

You can then choose to share a read-only link that anyone can view without an Apple ID, or send an invitation to a specific person. A read-only link lets people see your events but not edit them. An invitation to a specific person lets them edit the calendar if you give them permission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my calendar with someone who does not have an iPhone?

Yes. You can share a calendar through iCloud.com with anyone, regardless of their device. They can view and edit the calendar through a web browser. You can also share a read-only link that anyone can view without signing in.

What if I want to stop sharing a calendar with one person but keep sharing it with others?

Open the calendar's info screen, find the person's name, swipe left, and tap "Remove". Only that person will lose access. Everyone else you invited will still see and be able to edit the calendar.

Can someone see my personal events if I share a calendar with them?

No. They can only see events on the calendar you shared with them. Your personal calendar and any other calendars you do not share remain private. Create a separate calendar for sharing if you want to keep your personal events hidden.

Do I need to be on the same Wi-Fi network to share a calendar?

No. Shared calendars sync through iCloud, so you and the people you invite can be anywhere with an internet connection. Changes appear within seconds on everyone's device.

What if someone I invited is not seeing real-time updates to the shared calendar?

Have them close the Calendar app completely and reopen it. If that does not work, have them restart their iPhone. Make sure they are signed into iCloud and that the Calendar app is updated to the latest version from the App Store.