Outlook Calendar Share Request: How to Send and Manage One

To share your Outlook calendar, open Calendar, choose Share Calendar or Share, enter the recipient, set their permission level, and send the invitation. If you need access to someone else’s calendar, send a request instead; the owner must approve it. The exact buttons vary between classic Outlook, new Outlook, Outlook on the web, and Outlook for Mac, so follow the section that matches your app.

What You’ll Need

An Outlook account with a calendar, plus the recipient’s correct email address or name in your organization directory.
A connection to the internet while you send the invitation. The recipient generally needs an account that can access the sharing service.
Permission to share the calendar. Work or school administrators can restrict sharing, especially with people outside the organization.
A decision about what the other person should be able to see or do: view availability, view event details, or edit events.

Step-by-Step

Share your calendar in new Outlook or Outlook on the web

Open your calendar. In new Outlook for Windows, select Calendar from the left navigation bar. In Outlook on the web, select the Calendar icon. Sign in with the account whose calendar you want to share.
Choose the calendar to share. If you have more than one calendar, find the one in the calendar list. Your primary calendar is usually named Calendar. Sharing a different calendar is useful if you keep a separate project or team schedule.
Open the sharing controls. Select Share or Share calendar in the toolbar. Depending on the window size and version, you may need to select the calendar first or open its menu. If you cannot find the button, expand the app window and check the calendar’s context menu.
Enter the recipient. Type a person’s name or email address in the sharing field, then select the matching suggestion. For an external recipient, enter their complete email address. Check the selected address carefully, particularly when coworkers have similar names.
Choose a permission level. Use the permission menu beside the recipient’s name. The options can vary, but commonly include showing only when you are busy, showing titles and locations, showing all event details, or allowing edits. Choose the least access that meets the person’s needs.
Send the invitation. Select Share or Send. Outlook sends a sharing email to the recipient. Wait for a confirmation or check the calendar’s sharing permissions to make sure the person appears in the list.
Tell the recipient how to open it. They should open the sharing message and select Accept or Add calendar, depending on the version. The shared calendar may then appear in their calendar list. They may need to sign in with the address to which you sent the invitation.
Review or change access later. Return to the calendar’s sharing settings and find the person in the permissions list. You can adjust their access or remove them. Changes may take a little time to appear in the other person’s Outlook.

Share your calendar in classic Outlook for Windows

Switch to Calendar and select the calendar you want to share.
On the Home tab, select Share Calendar in the Share group. If you do not see that command, confirm that you are using classic Outlook and that the calendar is hosted by an account that supports sharing.
In the sharing invitation, add the recipient in the To field. Select the address from the address book or type the full email address.
Check Allow recipient to view your Calendar if it is not already selected. To include event details, select the option to request or provide permission to view details, where available. Choose whether to request sharing from the recipient only if you also want them to share their calendar with you.
Select Send and confirm if Outlook asks. The recipient receives the invitation and can accept it to add your calendar.

Classic Outlook’s sharing dialog and the newer sharing pane do not use identical wording. The permission you grant is for your calendar; a request for the other person’s calendar is a separate action and does not give you access until they approve it.

Request access to someone else’s calendar

In classic Outlook for Windows, open Calendar, select Home > Share Calendar, and choose the calendar associated with your account. In the invitation window, enter the calendar owner’s address. Select the checkbox labeled Request permission to view recipient’s Calendar, then send the request. The wording or availability can differ by Outlook build and account type.
In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, use the available Add calendar or directory options to look for a calendar your organization has made available. If you do not see a request option, email the owner and ask them to share their calendar with your address, specifying the access level you need. Do not assume that adding a person from a directory automatically grants access.
Wait for the owner to approve it. They may receive a request email or need to add your address in their calendar’s sharing settings. Once approved, accept any invitation and look for the calendar under shared or other calendars.

Share from Outlook for Mac

In Outlook for Mac, open Calendar, select the calendar, and use the Share or Sharing Permissions control in the toolbar or calendar menu. Add the person and choose the available permission level before sending or saving. The labels and placement depend on whether you use new Outlook for Mac or a legacy release. If the share button is missing, check the calendar’s right-click or Control-click menu. For a request to view another person’s calendar, ask the owner to share it with you; the Windows classic request checkbox may not be available on Mac.

Common Mistakes

Choosing the wrong permission. Busy-only access does not reveal event names or details. Conversely, full details or edit access can expose more than intended. Choose carefully, especially for personal appointments.
Sharing the wrong calendar. A mailbox can contain multiple calendars. Check the selected calendar name before sending, and make sure you are not sharing a team calendar when you meant to share your personal work calendar.
Entering an incorrect address. A misspelled address or the wrong contact can send an invitation to someone else or prevent delivery. Verify the address in the sharing pane before selecting Send.
Assuming a request is approval. Sending a request does not unlock the other person’s calendar. The owner must grant permission, and you may need to accept their invitation.
Expecting every event to be visible. Private events, account policies, and calendar settings can limit what another person sees, even if you have shared the calendar.
Using a personal account for an organization-only calendar. Some work calendars cannot be shared with external email addresses. An administrator may need to change the organization’s policy.

Tips

Start with the minimum permission needed. A colleague arranging a meeting may only need availability, while an assistant managing appointments may need edit access if your organization permits it.
Use a short message when sending a request outside the sharing dialog. State which calendar you need, why you need it, the duration if relevant, and the least access that will work.
Ask the recipient to accept the sharing invitation while signed in to the correct account. If the invitation was sent to a work address, opening it while signed in to a personal Microsoft account can cause confusion.
Check the permissions list periodically, especially after a project ends or a colleague changes roles. Remove access that is no longer needed.
For a team schedule, consider whether a shared mailbox or Microsoft 365 group calendar is more appropriate than repeatedly sharing one person’s calendar. Ask your administrator if you are unsure which setup your organization supports.
Remember that calendar sharing is not the same as forwarding meeting invitations. Sharing gives ongoing access according to the permission you select; forwarding concerns individual meeting messages and may not provide calendar access.

Troubleshooting

The Share button is missing: Confirm that you are in Calendar, select the calendar itself, and check its toolbar or context menu. Some account types, locally stored calendars, and organization policies do not support the same sharing controls. If it is a work account, contact your Microsoft 365 administrator.

The recipient did not receive the invitation: Confirm that the address is correct and ask them to check junk mail and any focused or other inbox tabs. Remove the recipient from the permission list if necessary, then add the correct address and send again. They should open the message using the account that received it.

The recipient accepted but cannot see the calendar: Ask them to refresh Outlook or restart the app, then check Shared calendars or Other calendars. Have them verify they accepted the invitation and are signed in to the correct account. A delay in updating can occur; if it persists, remove and re-add the permission or send a fresh invitation.

The calendar appears, but details are hidden: Review the permission you granted and the privacy status of the affected events. Change the level only if it is appropriate to reveal more information. A private event may remain restricted even when the calendar’s general permission allows event details.

An external sharing request is blocked: Your organization may prohibit sharing outside its Microsoft 365 tenant. Ask the administrator whether external calendar sharing is allowed. Do not try to work around the restriction by sending screenshots or exporting appointments unless your organization’s policies permit it.

You cannot find a request-access checkbox: That control is specific to some classic Outlook for Windows sharing dialogs. In other versions, ask the calendar owner directly to grant access and send an invitation. The owner can check their calendar’s sharing settings after adding your address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does sending an Outlook calendar share request give access immediately?

No. The owner must approve a request to view their calendar. When you share your own calendar, the recipient usually needs to accept the invitation before it appears in their calendar list.

Can I share an Outlook calendar with someone outside my company?

Sometimes. The account owner’s organization controls external sharing, and some organizations disable it. If Outlook rejects the address or offers limited permissions, ask your Microsoft 365 administrator whether external sharing is allowed.

Can the person edit my calendar?

Only if you grant an edit permission and that option is available for your account. Select view-only access when the person only needs to see your schedule. Edit access lets them make changes, so reserve it for people who genuinely manage appointments.

How do I stop sharing my calendar?

Open the calendar’s sharing or permissions settings, locate the person, and remove their permission or change it to a more limited level. The menu name varies by Outlook version. The change may not take effect on the recipient’s screen immediately.

Why can someone see that I am busy but not the meeting name?

They likely have a busy-only permission, or the event is marked private. If it is appropriate for them to see more, change the calendar permission to include titles or details and review the event’s privacy setting.

Can I request access in Outlook on the web?

Some organization setups provide directory or add-calendar options, but a direct request button is not available in every web version. If you cannot find one, email the owner and ask them to share the calendar with your account. Access begins only after they grant it.

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