What you need to know before you start

A shared Google Calendar lets multiple people see the same events, add their own events, and get notifications together. You create one calendar in your Google account, then invite others to view it or edit it. Everyone who joins sees real-time updates — when someone adds an event, everyone else sees it immediately.

The person who creates the calendar is the owner and controls who can see it and what they can change. You can let people only view events, or give them permission to add and edit events themselves. The calendar lives in Google Calendar, which is free if you have a Google account.

Key Takeaways

  • You create a new calendar in Google Calendar, then share it by inviting specific people using their email addresses.
  • You choose what each person can do: view only, edit events, or manage the calendar itself.
  • Everyone invited sees the calendar in their own Google Calendar account and gets notifications for events they care about.
  • Changes appear instantly for all members — when one person adds an event, everyone sees it right away.
  • You can share the calendar link publicly, but controlling access through email invitations keeps it private to your group.

Create a new calendar in Google Calendar

Open Google Calendar in your web browser and sign in with your Google account. On the left side of the screen, find the section labeled "Other calendars" and click the plus sign next to it. Select "Create new calendar" from the menu that appears.

A form will open asking for a calendar name and description. Type a name your group will recognize — for example, "Team Project Deadlines" or "Family Events". The description is optional but helpful if you want to explain what the calendar is for. Click "Create calendar" when you are done. Google will add the new calendar to your account and you will see it listed on the left side.

Invite people to your calendar

Click on the calendar name in the left sidebar to open its settings. Look for a menu icon (three vertical dots) next to the calendar name and click it. Select "Settings and sharing" from the dropdown menu.

Scroll down to the section labeled "Share with specific people" and click the "Add people" button. Type or paste the email address of the first person you want to invite. A dropdown will show you options for what they can do: "See all event details", "Make changes to events", or "Make changes and manage sharing". Choose the permission level that fits your group's needs. Click "Send" and Google will email them an invitation. Repeat this step for each person you want to add.

Understand the three permission levels

See all event details means the person can view every event on the calendar but cannot add, edit, or delete anything. Use this for groups where you want people informed but not making changes — like a company-wide holiday calendar or a read-only project timeline.

Make changes to events lets people view the calendar and add their own events, edit existing events, and delete events. This is the most common choice for team calendars, family planning, or group projects where everyone contributes. They cannot change who has access to the calendar.

Make changes and manage sharing gives someone almost the same control you have as the owner. They can add people, change other people's permissions, and delete the calendar itself. Only give this level to people you trust completely — usually a co-owner or manager.

What happens when someone accepts the invitation

When you send an invitation, Google emails the person a link. They click the link and are asked to sign in with their Google account. Once they do, the calendar appears in their Google Calendar sidebar under "Other calendars" and they can start viewing or editing it immediately.

They do not have to do anything else. The calendar syncs automatically across all their devices — phone, tablet, and computer — so they see the same events everywhere. If they turn on notifications in their Google Calendar settings, they will get alerts for events on the shared calendar just like events on their personal calendar.

Add events to the shared calendar

Click on the shared calendar in your left sidebar to make sure it is selected, then click on a date and time to create a new event. A form will open where you can type the event name, set the time, add a description, and invite specific people to the event itself. When you save the event, it appears on the shared calendar for everyone who has access.

Anyone with "Make changes to events" permission can also add events. They click on the calendar, create an event the same way, and it shows up for the whole group. If you want to know who created each event, you can click on any event to see the creator's name in the event details.

Remove someone from the calendar or change their access

Go to the calendar settings the same way you did to invite people: click the three-dot menu next to the calendar name and select "Settings and sharing". Scroll to "Share with specific people" and find the person whose access you want to change.

To change what they can do, click on their current permission level and select a new one from the dropdown. To remove them completely, click the X button next to their name. They will lose access immediately and will no longer see the calendar in their account. Google does not send them a notification that they were removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share a calendar with someone who does not have a Google account?

No, they need a Google account to access a shared calendar. However, you can share a public calendar link that anyone can view without signing in — go to Settings and sharing, scroll to "Access permissions", and turn on "Make available to the public". Anyone with the link can see events but cannot edit them.

What if someone adds an event I do not want on the calendar?

You can delete it or edit it yourself if you have owner access. If someone is repeatedly adding unwanted events, you can change their permission to "See all event details" only, which removes their ability to edit. If the problem continues, remove them from the calendar entirely.

Can I see who made changes to events?

Yes, click on any event and scroll down to see the event details. The creator's name appears at the bottom. However, Google Calendar does not show a full history of who edited an event after it was created — only who created it originally.

What happens to the calendar if I delete my Google account?

The calendar disappears for everyone. If you are the only owner, the group loses access. Before you delete your account, transfer ownership by giving someone else "Make changes and manage sharing" permission, then remove your own access.

Can I make a calendar that only certain people can see, but not edit?

Yes, that is exactly what the "See all event details" permission does. Invite people with that level and they can view every event but cannot add or change anything. This works well for schedules, deadlines, or announcements where you want the group informed but not contributing.