Creating a new calendar in Outlook
To create a new calendar in Outlook, open the application and look at the left sidebar where your current calendars are listed. Right-click in the empty space below your existing calendars and select "Add Calendar" or "New Calendar" — the exact wording depends on whether you use Outlook on the web, Outlook desktop for Windows, or Outlook for Mac. A dialog box will appear asking you to name the calendar. Type a descriptive name like "Project X" or "Home Maintenance" so you can tell it apart from your other calendars later.
After you name the calendar and confirm, it will appear in your sidebar with a checkbox next to it. The checkbox controls whether the calendar is visible on your main view — uncheck it to hide the calendar temporarily without deleting it. You can now add events to this calendar by clicking on a date and selecting which calendar to save the event to from the dropdown menu.
If you use Outlook on the web (Outlook.com or through your work account), the process is nearly identical but accessed through the settings menu. Click the gear icon in the top right, select "View all Outlook settings," then navigate to "Calendar" and choose "New Calendar." Desktop versions of Outlook show the calendar list more prominently in the sidebar, making the right-click method faster.
Key Takeaways
- Create a new calendar by right-clicking in your calendar list sidebar and selecting "Add Calendar," then give it a descriptive name.
- You can hide a calendar by unchecking its box in the sidebar without deleting it, and show it again by checking the box.
- Share a calendar by right-clicking it, selecting "Sharing Permissions" or "Share," and entering the email address of the person you want to share with.
- When you share a calendar, you can set permissions to let others view only, edit events, or manage the calendar completely.
- Shared calendars appear in the recipient's Outlook sidebar under "Other Calendars" or "Shared Calendars," depending on their Outlook version.
Sharing a calendar with one person
To share a calendar with a specific person, right-click the calendar name in your sidebar and look for an option called "Sharing Permissions," "Share Calendar," or simply "Share" — the label varies by Outlook version. A window will open where you can enter the email address of the person you want to share with. Type their full email address exactly as it appears in your contacts or directory.
After entering the email address, you will see permission options. These typically include "Can view," "Can edit," and "Can manage." "Can view" lets the person see your events but not change them. "Can edit" allows them to add, modify, or delete events on that calendar. "Can manage" gives them full control, including the ability to change who else can access the calendar. Choose the permission level that matches what you need them to do, then click "Share" or "Send."
Outlook will send the recipient an email notification with a link to accept the shared calendar. They do not need to do anything special — clicking the link in the email will add your calendar to their Outlook sidebar automatically. If they decline or ignore the invitation, they will not see the calendar, but you can resend the invitation later.
Sharing a calendar with a group or team
If you work in an organization that uses Microsoft 365 or Exchange Server, you can share a calendar with an entire group at once. Right-click the calendar and select "Sharing Permissions" or "Share." Instead of entering one person's email address, enter the name of a distribution list or team — for example, "Marketing Team" or "project-leads@company.com." Everyone in that group will receive the invitation and can add the calendar to their view.
Group sharing works the same way as individual sharing in terms of permissions. You set whether group members can view, edit, or manage the calendar, and those permissions apply to everyone in the group. If someone leaves the group later, they automatically lose access to the calendar. If someone new joins the group, they automatically gain the same access level as other group members.
Be cautious about who you add to a group calendar, especially if you set permissions to "Can edit." Anyone with edit access can change or delete events, which can create confusion if multiple people are modifying the same calendar without coordination.
Changing or removing calendar sharing
To change the permissions for someone who already has access to your calendar, right-click the calendar name and open "Sharing Permissions" again. Find the person's name in the list and click on it to see their current permission level. You can then change their access from "Can view" to "Can edit," or vice versa. Click "Apply" or "Save" to update their permissions immediately.
To stop sharing a calendar with someone, find their name in the sharing permissions list and look for a "Remove" button or an "X" icon next to their name. Click it to revoke their access. They will no longer see the calendar in their Outlook sidebar, though they may still see past events if they saved them or took notes about them elsewhere.
If you shared a calendar with a group and want to remove one person, you cannot do that through Outlook's sharing settings — you would need to remove them from the distribution list or team itself through your organization's directory or admin panel. Removing them from the group automatically removes their calendar access.
Viewing and managing shared calendars
When someone shares a calendar with you, an email invitation will arrive in your inbox. Click the link in the email or select "Yes" when prompted to add the calendar to your Outlook. The shared calendar will appear in your sidebar under a section labeled "Other Calendars," "Shared Calendars," or "People's Calendars" depending on your Outlook version. You can check or uncheck the box next to it to show or hide it from your main calendar view.
Shared calendars appear in a different color than your own calendars, making it easy to tell them apart at a glance. You can change the color of a shared calendar by right-clicking it and selecting "Change Color" or "Color," then picking a new shade. This does not affect the color for other people viewing the same calendar — it only changes how it looks on your screen.
If you no longer want to see a shared calendar, right-click it and select "Remove" or "Delete." This removes it from your sidebar but does not delete the calendar itself or affect the person who owns it. You can ask them to share it with you again later if you change your mind.
Sharing a calendar link instead of individual access
Some versions of Outlook allow you to generate a shareable link to your calendar that you can send to anyone, without needing their email address. Right-click the calendar and look for an option like "Get Sharing Link" or "Share." If available, click it and Outlook will create a link you can copy and paste into an email, message, or document. Anyone who clicks that link can view your calendar in a web browser, even if they do not have an Outlook account.
Calendar links typically grant view-only access — people can see your events but cannot edit them. This is useful if you want to share your schedule with someone outside your organization or someone who does not use Outlook. The link remains active until you revoke it, which you can do by returning to the sharing settings and selecting "Disable Link" or "Remove Link."
Be aware that a shareable link is less secure than sharing with a specific person, because anyone who has the link can access your calendar. Do not share a calendar link publicly unless you are comfortable with anyone on the internet potentially viewing it.
Troubleshooting common sharing problems
If someone says they did not receive a sharing invitation, check that you entered their email address correctly. Typos in email addresses are the most common reason invitations do not arrive. You can resend the invitation by opening the sharing permissions again and re-entering their email address, or by removing them and adding them again.
If a shared calendar is not appearing in someone's sidebar after they accepted the invitation, ask them to refresh their Outlook or sign out and back in. Sometimes Outlook does not immediately display a newly shared calendar until the application is restarted. On the web version, refreshing the browser page usually fixes this.
If you shared a calendar but the recipient says they cannot see your events, verify that you set their permission level to at least "Can view." If their permission is set correctly, the problem may be that they have the calendar hidden in their sidebar — ask them to check the box next to your calendar name to make it visible. If the calendar is checked but still not showing events, ask them to refresh their view or restart Outlook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a calendar with someone who does not use Outlook?
Yes, if your Outlook version supports shareable links. Generate a link through the sharing settings and send it to them via email. They can view your calendar in any web browser without needing an Outlook account. However, they cannot edit events or receive automatic updates — they will need to refresh the link to see changes.
What happens to a shared calendar if I delete it?
If you delete a calendar you created and shared, it disappears from everyone's sidebar immediately. They will no longer be able to view or edit it. If you only want to stop sharing it without deleting it, remove the people from the sharing permissions instead of deleting the calendar itself.
Can I share my calendar with my boss but only show them work hours, not personal events?
Outlook does not have a built-in filter to show only certain events to certain people. If you need to hide personal events from your boss, create a separate "Work" calendar and share only that one. Keep personal events on a different calendar that you do not share.
If someone edits an event on a shared calendar, will I see the changes?
Yes, if they have "Can edit" permission. Changes appear on your calendar in real time or within a few minutes, depending on your Outlook version and internet connection. You will see their name as the person who last modified the event if you click on it to view details.
How do I know who has access to my shared calendar?
Right-click the calendar and open "Sharing Permissions." You will see a list of everyone who has access, along with their permission level. This list shows individuals, groups, and anyone with a shareable link if you have generated one.