Creating a shared Google Calendar takes three steps: make a new calendar, add people to it, and set their permission level
A shared Google Calendar lives in your Google account but other people can view it, edit it, or just see when you're busy — depending on what you choose. You create it the same way you'd create a personal calendar, then invite specific people by their email address. Everyone who has access sees the same events in real time, and changes show up instantly for all of them.
The whole process takes about five minutes. You do not need a special account type or paid subscription — any Google account works.
Key Takeaways
- You create a shared calendar in Google Calendar by clicking the plus sign next to "Other calendars" and choosing "Create new calendar" instead of "Subscribe to calendar".
- After you create it, you invite people by clicking the three-dot menu on the calendar name, selecting "Settings and sharing", and entering their email addresses.
- You can set each person's permission to "See all event details", "See only free/busy", or "Make changes to events" before you send the invite.
- People you invite receive an email and can accept or decline; once they accept, the calendar appears in their own Google Calendar list.
- You can change or remove someone's access at any time by going back to the sharing settings.
Step 1: Create a new calendar in Google Calendar
Open Google Calendar on your computer (calendar.google.com). On the left side of the screen, find the section labeled "Other calendars". Next to it is a plus sign. Click that plus sign and select "Create new calendar" from the menu that appears.
A form will open asking for a calendar name. Type a name that describes what the calendar is for — for example, "Team Schedule", "Family Events", or "Project Deadlines". You can add a description if you want (this is optional), and you can choose a color to make it stand out in your calendar view. Click "Create calendar" when you're done.
The calendar now exists and appears in your "Other calendars" list on the left. Right now only you can see it. The next step is to invite other people.
Step 2: Invite people to the calendar
Find the calendar you just created in your "Other calendars" list. Hover your mouse over the calendar name until three dots appear on the right side. Click those three dots and select "Settings and sharing".
A new page opens. Scroll down to the section called "Share with specific people". You'll see a field that says "Add people". Click in that field and type the email address of the first person you want to invite. Google will show you suggestions as you type. Click on the person's name or finish typing their full email address.
After you add their email, a dropdown menu appears asking what permission level they should have. The options are:
- See all event details — they can view every event and its details, but cannot add, edit, or delete events.
- See only free/busy — they can only see whether you're busy or free at any given time, not the event names or details.
- Make changes to events — they can view, create, edit, and delete events on the calendar.
Choose the permission level that fits what you need, then click "Send" or press Enter. Google sends an email invitation to that person. Repeat this process for each person you want to add.
What happens after you send an invite
The person you invited receives an email from Google Calendar with the subject line "You've been invited to [Calendar Name]". The email contains a link they can click to accept or decline the invitation. They do not have to have a Google account to receive the invite, but they do need one to view or edit the calendar.
Once they click the link and accept, the calendar automatically appears in their Google Calendar list under "Other calendars". They'll see it right away on their computer and phone (if they use the Google Calendar app). Any events you add to the calendar show up for them instantly, and if they have edit permission, their events show up for you the same way.
Changing or removing someone's access
You can change what someone is allowed to do at any time. Go back to the calendar's "Settings and sharing" page (click the three dots next to the calendar name and select "Settings and sharing"). In the "Share with specific people" section, find the person whose access you want to change. Click on their permission level dropdown and select a new one. The change takes effect right away.
To remove someone entirely, find their name in the sharing list and click the X button on the right side of their row. They will no longer see the calendar, and it will disappear from their calendar list.
Sharing a calendar link instead of inviting specific people
If you want to share the calendar with a large group or with people whose email addresses you don't have, you can create a public link. On the "Settings and sharing" page, scroll to the section called "Access permissions for other calendars". Check the box next to "Make available to the public". Google generates a link you can copy and share however you want — in an email, on a website, in a chat message, or anywhere else.
Anyone with that link can view the calendar. They do not need a Google account, and they cannot edit events unless you give them specific edit permission through the "Share with specific people" section. If you want to stop sharing the link, uncheck the "Make available to the public" box and the link stops working.
Using shared calendars on your phone
If someone shares a calendar with you, it appears in the Google Calendar app on your phone automatically once you accept the invitation. On Android, open the Google Calendar app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and you'll see the shared calendar listed under "Other calendars". On iPhone, tap "Settings" at the bottom, then "Calendars", and the shared calendar appears in your list.
You can tap the calendar name to hide or show it, just like on your computer. If the calendar owner gave you edit permission, you can create and edit events on your phone the same way you would on a computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a calendar with someone who doesn't have a Google account?
You can send them an invitation, but they will need to create a Google account to view or edit the calendar. If you want to share with people who definitely won't have Google accounts, create a public link instead — anyone can view it without logging in, though they still cannot edit unless you give them specific permission.
What's the difference between "See only free/busy" and "See all event details"?
"See only free/busy" shows them whether you're busy or available at any time, but hides the event names and descriptions. "See all event details" shows them everything — the event name, time, location, description, and any guests. Use "free/busy" if you want someone to know your availability without knowing what you're actually doing.
Can I undo an invitation I sent?
Once you send an invitation, you cannot unsend it. If you want to prevent someone from seeing the calendar, remove them from the sharing list by clicking the X next to their name. If they haven't accepted yet, removing them also cancels their invitation.
Do I need to pay for Google Calendar to share calendars?
No. Sharing calendars is free with any Google account. You do not need Google Workspace or any paid plan.
What happens if I delete an event from a shared calendar?
If you have edit permission, deleting an event removes it for everyone who can see the calendar. If someone else created the event and you have edit permission, you can still delete it, but the original creator will see that it was deleted.