Sharing Calendars - Google and Outlook
How do you share calendars between Google and Outlook?
At first, it looks like they don't talk to each other but a fix is available.
Whereas sharing a Google calendar with another Google user or sharing an Outlook calendar with another Outlook user is fairly straightforward, allowing a Google user to view your Outlook calendar or vice versa can be a frustrating problem, where the process doesn't work as expected. Users are prompted to create Outlook accounts when they want to work within the Google space. Luckily, there is a workaround.
The key difference is the calendar is "published" rather than "shared" in a true sense.
Below are instructions:
- Outlook to Google.
- Google to Outlook.
Outlook to Google
"Publishing" actions within Outlook
In either Outlook for the web or the PC desktop Outlook app, navigate to the Calendar tab and click on the gear or cog icon in the top right-hand corner.
In the Settings pane, navigate to "Calendars" and "Shared Calendars." These options are already highlighted because we were already working within the "Calendar" area of Outlook.
Select the calendar you would like to share from the dropdown under "Publish a calendar."
Choose your sharing permissions and click "Publish."
This will generate two links:
- HTML link
- ICS link
The HTML link will allow the recipient of the link to view your diary in a web page.
The ICS link will allow them to subscribe to your calendar, seeing events integrated into their Google calendar.
So, copy the ICS link and share it with the person you want to be able to view your calendar.
"Accepting" actions within Google
Select the + sign beside "Other Calendars."
Select "From URL."
Paste the Outlook calendar ICS URL into the box below "From URL."
Events from the shared calendar will now display in Google Calendar.
NB: it can take up to 24 hours for an event added in Outlook to show in Google.
It is not possible for the Google user to add an event to the shared calendar.
Google to Outlook
"Publishing" actions within Google
Click the three dots beside the calendar you wish to publish.
Select "Settings and sharing."
In the Settings pane that opens, scroll down until you come to "Secret address in iCal format."
Copy the URL and navigate to the Outlook calendar.
Select "Add Calendar" and then "Subscribe from Web."
Paste the URL of the Google calendar here.
Assign the calendar a name when prompted, and select a charm. Click "Import."
The Google calendar will now appear in your calendar list.
Revoking Access
To revoke access either way (from Google OR Outlook), navigate back to calendar settings and reset the sharing link. The published calendar will only present further updates to users with the new link.
