How to Send a Calendar Invite in Outlook

To send a calendar invite in Outlook, open your calendar, create a new event or meeting, add attendees, set the date and time, and select Send. The steps below cover new Outlook, classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, and the mobile app, including Teams meetings and recurring invites.

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Michael Bodekaer

Co-founder and CEO

Christin Baumgarten
Reviewer

Operations Manager

Abraham Ranardo Sumarsono
Tester

Full Stack Engineer

Authored By Michael Bodekaer Co-founder and CEO

Michael Bodekaer is a recognized authority in email management and productivity solutions, with over a decade of experience in simplifying communication workflows for individuals and businesses. As the co-founder of Mailbird and a TED speaker, Michael has been at the forefront of developing tools that revolutionize how users manage multiple email accounts. His insights have been featured in leading publications like TechRadar, and he is passionate about helping professionals adopt innovative solutions like unified inboxes, app integrations, and productivity-enhancing features to optimize their daily routines.

Reviewed By Christin Baumgarten Operations Manager

Christin Baumgarten is the Operations Manager at Mailbird, where she drives product development and leads communications for this leading email client. With over a decade at Mailbird — from a marketing intern to Operations Manager — she offers deep expertise in email technology and productivity. Christin’s experience shaping product strategy and user engagement underscores her authority in the communication technology space.

Tested By Abraham Ranardo Sumarsono Full Stack Engineer

Abraham Ranardo Sumarsono is a Full Stack Engineer at Mailbird, where he focuses on building reliable, user-friendly, and scalable solutions that enhance the email experience for thousands of users worldwide. With expertise in C# and .NET, he contributes across both front-end and back-end development, ensuring performance, security, and usability.

How to Send a Calendar Invite in Outlook
How to Send a Calendar Invite in Outlook

To send a calendar invite in Outlook, open your calendar, create a new event or meeting, add attendees, set the date and time, and select Send . The steps below cover new Outlook, classic Outlook, Outlook on the web, and the mobile app, including Teams meetings and recurring invites.

Key takeaways

  • Add at least one attendee and select Send ; saving an event for yourself does not invite anyone.
  • Check the sending account, attendee addresses, date, time, and time zone before sending.
  • Use Required and Optional to show who needs to attend.
  • For an online meeting, turn on Teams meeting if it is available for your account.
  • For a recurring meeting, check the repeat pattern and end date.
  • To change a meeting you organized, edit it and select Send Update .

Before you start

  • You need: Access to an Outlook calendar, your guests’ email addresses, and a proposed date and time.
  • Time: Allow a few minutes for a simple invite, plus time to check schedules if needed. If you need to send reminders, schedule an email in Outlook .
  • Cost: These steps require no separate purchase if you already have access to the calendar you’ll use. Scheduling a Teams meeting from Outlook depends on your account and setup.
  • External guests: Before sending, review the description, attachments, links, and meeting access settings .

Send an invite in new Outlook for Windows

These steps also provide a starting point for Outlook on the web, though some control names differ. If you prefer the previous interface, learn how to switch back to classic Outlook .

Send an invite in new Outlook for Windows

  1. Choose the sending account. If Outlook shows more than one calendar, select the calendar belonging to the account you want to organize the meeting from.
  2. Open a new event. Select Calendar , then New Event .
  3. Name the meeting. Enter a title guests will recognize, such as “Project kickoff.”
  4. Add attendees. Select Invite attendees and enter each person’s name or full email address. Use Required for people who need to attend and Optional for people who are welcome but not essential. Check that each address appears in the attendee list before continuing.
  5. Set the date and time. Enter the start and end times, or choose All day if appropriate. Check the time zone too.
  6. Check availability. If you have an eligible Microsoft 365 work or school account or an Exchange account, open Scheduling Assistant to look for conflicts and choose a time. If a guest’s schedule is not shown, confirm the time with them directly.
  7. Set the meeting place. Enter a room or address for an in-person meeting. For an online meeting, turn on Teams meeting if it is available for your account. In new Outlook, Teams join details are added after you send the invite, so they may not appear in the draft.
  8. Choose whether it repeats. For a recurring meeting, select Recurring and choose the repeat pattern. Check the pattern and end date before sending the series. Otherwise, leave it as a one-time event.
  9. Add the details guests need. Put an agenda or instructions in the description. If you’re inviting someone outside your organization, check their address and review anything you’re sharing.
  10. Send and check. Review the attendees, time, repeat setting, and location or Teams setting. Select Send , then open the meeting on your calendar to check its details.

Why you need to select Send

Adding attendees makes the event a meeting request. Selecting Send delivers the invitation so guests can respond; saving an event for yourself does not invite anyone.

Steps for other Outlook versions

Classic Outlook for Windows

Open Calendar > New Meeting , or select New Items > Meeting from Mail. Add people to the Required and Optional fields. Enter a subject, start and end times, and location. Use Scheduling Assistant to check availability if it is available for your account. To add Teams, select Teams Meeting in the meeting form if offered. For a series, select Meeting > Recurrence . Finish with Send .

Outlook on the web or Outlook.com

Open Calendar and select New Event ; on some work-account screens, select New Event > Event . Add a title and attendees, set the time, then enter a location or turn on the Teams setting if offered. Open the full event form or More details if you need to add optional attendees or set a repeat pattern. Select Send .

Outlook on iPhone or Android

Open the Outlook app’s Calendar and tap + . Enter a title, date and time, and guests in the People field, then use the on-screen control to send the meeting. After adding people, check the date picker for an availability indicator if your account shows one. If you cannot find a setting on mobile, open the same calendar in Outlook on the web.

Update or forward an invite

Update an invite you organized

Open the meeting on your calendar, edit the time, details, or attendee list, then select Send Update . If Outlook offers a choice, send only to added or removed attendees when no one else needs the change; choose all attendees when everyone needs the new information. For a recurring meeting, check whether you are editing one occurrence or the whole series.

Forward an invite you did not organize

Open the meeting, select Forward , add the new person’s address, and select Send . In classic Outlook, open the meeting from Calendar and choose Forward > Forward . The organizer is notified. If forwarding is unavailable, ask the organizer to add the person instead. Meeting requests do not have Cc or Bcc fields for individual attendees; use Optional when that is the appropriate role.

Troubleshooting

  • You see Save instead of Send: Check that at least one person has been added under Invite attendees .
  • A guest did not receive an invite: Open the meeting and check their address in the attendee list. Correct or add it, then select Send Update .
  • Scheduling Assistant shows no availability: The account or guest’s schedule may not be available to it. Confirm the time with the guest directly.
  • The Teams option is missing: Check that you selected the intended account. If you need a Teams meeting, ask your organization’s IT team about access; otherwise, use a meeting option approved by your organization.
  • The Teams link is missing from the draft: In new Outlook, check that Teams meeting is on, send the invite, then reopen it to inspect the join details.
  • An external guest cannot join Teams: Check the meeting’s guest or lobby settings and ask your IT team to review external access if needed.
  • You cannot forward a meeting: The organizer may have disabled forwarding. Ask them to add the person and send an update.
  • You cannot find a repeat option on your phone: Mobile recurrence controls can vary by account. Open the calendar in Outlook on the web to set the repeat pattern.

Frequently asked questions

How do I invite someone outside my organization?

Enter their full email address as an attendee and send the meeting. If it uses Teams, check your organization’s external-guest settings before the meeting.

What is the difference between Required and Optional?

Both receive an invitation. Use Required for people needed at the meeting and Optional for people who may attend.

How do I send a recurring Outlook invite?

Create the meeting, choose Recurring or Repeat , select a pattern, check its end date, and send the invitation.

Can I add someone after sending the invite?

Yes, if you organized it. Open the meeting, add them as a required or optional attendee, and select Send Update .

Why does my invite have no Teams link yet?

In new Outlook, Teams join details can appear after you send the invitation. Turn on Teams meeting , send the invite, then reopen it to check.

Can I send a calendar invite without Outlook desktop?

Yes. Use Outlook on the web or the Outlook mobile app with access to your calendar.

Quick checklist before sending

  • ☐ Correct calendar and sending account
  • ☐ Clear meeting title
  • ☐ Required, optional, and external addresses checked
  • ☐ Date, time, time zone, and availability checked
  • ☐ Room or Teams setting checked
  • ☐ Repeat pattern and end date checked, if applicable
  • ☐ Description and shared files reviewed
  • ☐ Send selected; meeting checked on your calendar

Prefer one desktop workspace?

Mailbird is a desktop email client for Windows and Mac. Its Outlook Calendar app lets you access an Outlook calendar inside Mailbird, but the integration is not included in Mailbird’s free plan. Check the available plan before relying on it for your calendar. See Mailbird vs Outlook for a comparison.