How to share a calendar
Summary
This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to share a calendar. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.
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Common Causes
Overview
Sharing your calendar lets colleagues see your availability and, where you allow it, view event details. Calendar sharing works only with an Exchange or Microsoft 365 mailbox; PST or other local calendars cannot be shared. This feature requires an Exchange Online or Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise plan.
Warning: Do not share calendars containing sensitive information with external recipients. Shared calendar entries may reveal meeting subjects, locations, and attendees. Only share availability details with people outside your organisation unless you are certain the content is appropriate for external viewing.
Share Calendar in Outlook Desktop
Method 1: Quick Share (Current Ribbon)
- Open Outlook.
- Select the Calendar icon in the navigation pane.
- On the Home tab, click Share Calendar.
- Enter the recipient's email address.
- Choose a permission level from the dropdown.
- Click Send to deliver the invitation.
Method 2: Calendar Permissions (Older Versions)
Use this method if the Share button is missing or greyed out on the ribbon.
- In Calendar view, right-click the calendar you want to share under My Calendars.
- Choose Properties, then select the Permissions tab.
- Click Add to select recipients from your address book or enter email addresses.
- Select each recipient and assign a permission level from the list.
- Click OK, then Send to deliver the invitation.
If the Share button is greyed out or missing
- Verify your mailbox is hosted on Exchange Online or Microsoft 365. PST calendars and local folders do not support sharing.
- Confirm your organisation has not disabled calendar sharing through admin policies.
- If using an older Outlook desktop version, use Method 2 above instead of the ribbon button.
Permission Levels
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Free/Busy | Shows only whether you are free or busy; no details are visible. |
| Limited Details | Shows subject and location but not full event details. |
| Full Details | Shows all information for each event. |
| Editor (Can edit) | Full details plus the ability to create, modify, or delete events. |
| Reviewer (Read-only) | Can view all event details but cannot make changes. |
| Owner | Full control over the calendar, including permission management. |
| Delegate | Full details and the ability to act on your behalf. Delegate access requires Exchange server configuration and may not propagate to mobile devices. |
Check your calendar type
- In Outlook Desktop, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
- Select the Data Files tab.
- Look for entries labelled Outlook Data File (.pst). These are local calendars and cannot be shared.
- Entries connected to your email address indicate an Exchange or Microsoft 365 mailbox, which supports sharing.
Share Calendar in Outlook for Mac
- Open Outlook for Mac.
- Select the Calendar tab.
- Right-click the calendar under My Calendars.
- Choose Sharing Permissions.
- Click Add User and enter the recipient's email address.
- Select the permission level from the dropdown.
- Click OK to send the invitation.
Share Calendar in Outlook on the Web
- Navigate to outlook.office.com and sign in.
- Click Calendar in the left navigation pane.
- On the toolbar, select Share Calendar.
- Enter the person's email address.
- Choose a permission level from the dropdown.
- Click Share to send the invitation.
Share Calendar from Your Phone
Outlook for iOS and Android does not provide a direct Share button. Share the calendar from Outlook Desktop, Outlook for Mac, or Outlook on the Web first; the shared calendar will then appear in the mobile app.
- Share the calendar using one of the desktop or web methods above.
- Open the Outlook mobile app.
- Tap the Calendar icon.
- The shared calendar will be listed under Shared Calendars.
- If it does not appear, pull down to refresh or verify the mobile device is synchronizing with Exchange Online or Microsoft 365.
Accept a Shared Calendar
On Desktop or Web
- Open the email invitation.
- Click Accept.
- The shared calendar appears under Shared Calendars in your Calendar view.
On Mobile Devices
- Open the email invitation on your phone.
- Tap Accept or Add this calendar.
- Open the Outlook mobile app.
- Tap the Calendar icon.
- Tap the calendar menu or filter and ensure the newly accepted shared calendar is checked so it displays in your list.
Calendar Sharing Limits
- There is no fixed hard limit on the number of recipients, but sharing with very large distribution lists may be throttled by Exchange Online.
- External sharing may require approval from your IT administrator.
- Delegate access is typically limited to users within the same Exchange organisation.
- Permissions can be revoked at any time through the calendar Properties or Sharing Permissions window.
Tips
- To share with everyone in your organisation, add a distribution list or your organisation's address (for example, [email protected]) as the recipient.
- External recipients may only see Free/Busy information if your organisation restricts detail sharing.
- To revoke access in Outlook Desktop, right-click the shared calendar, choose Properties, then Permissions, and remove or change the user's rights.
- For more on scheduling meetings, see Using Outlook Calendar and Scheduling Meetings.
- Need to add a new email address to Outlook? See How to add email to Outlook.
Troubleshooting
- If the recipient does not receive the invitation, verify that external sharing is allowed, the email address is correct, and that no admin policy blocks sharing.
- If the shared calendar shows no events, ensure the correct permission level (for example, Full Details or Editor) was selected.
- If the calendar is not visible in the shared list, ask the recipient to accept the invitation, restart Outlook, and check under Shared Calendars. On mobile, refresh the calendar list and confirm the same Exchange account is configured.
- Time-zone mismatches can cause events to appear at incorrect times. Australian businesses commonly use AEST (UTC+10) or AEDT (UTC+11 during daylight saving). Verify both sender and recipient are using the correct time zone in Outlook settings.
- After changing permissions, a blank calendar can appear for the recipient; ask them to refresh the view or re-accept the invitation.
- Delegate permissions sometimes do not propagate to mobile devices; ensure the device is synchronizing and consider re-adding the delegate on the desktop.
- Calendar not syncing on mobile? Verify that the mobile app is connected to the same Exchange Online or Microsoft 365 account and that background sync is enabled.
- For issues where a calendar invite does not appear, see Calendar invite not showing.
- For time-zone troubleshooting specific to Outlook, see Fixing time zone discrepancies in Outlook calendar invites.
Need Help?
If you're unable to share a calendar or encounter other issues, Open a Ticket.
- You can't find the sharing options.
- Someone isn't receiving your invitation.
- You need to share with external partners.
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Need more help? If the issue persists after trying these steps, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.
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