How to View Someone Else’s Calendar in Outlook

To see someone else’s calendar in Outlook, accept their calendar-sharing invitation or, with a work or school account, add their calendar from your organization’s directory. Then find it in your calendar list and select it to display it. What you can see depends on your access: you might see only free/busy times, not event details.

Published on•
Last updated on•
7 min read
Christin Baumgarten

Operations Manager

Oliver Jackson
Reviewer

Head of Customer Happiness

Abdessamad El Bahri
Tester

Full Stack Engineer

Authored 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.

Reviewed By Oliver Jackson Head of Customer Happiness

Oliver is Mailbird's Head of Customer Happiness, bringing more than a decade of experience in email. His background in email marketing, where his strategic and creative approach to campaigns drove growth and engagement for businesses across diverse industries, shapes how he helps people get more out of their inbox. Oliver is known for his insightful webinars and guest posts, where he shares his expert knowledge.

Tested By Abdessamad El Bahri Full Stack Engineer

Abdessamad is a tech enthusiast and problem solver, passionate about driving impact through innovation. With strong foundations in software engineering and hands-on experience delivering results, He combines analytical thinking with creative design to tackle challenges head-on. When not immersed in code or strategy, he enjoys staying current with emerging technologies, collaborating with like-minded professionals, and mentoring those just starting their journey.

How to View Someone Else’s Calendar in Outlook
How to View Someone Else’s Calendar in Outlook

To see someone else’s calendar in Outlook, accept their calendar-sharing invitation or, with a work or school account, add their calendar from your organization’s directory. Then find it in your calendar list and select it to display it. What you can see depends on your access: you might see only free/busy times, not event details. [2, 9]

Choose the instructions for your version of Outlook below. You do not need to follow the steps for every version.

Quick checklist

  • Sign in to the account that has access.
  • Accept the invitation, or use your work directory to find the person.
  • Find and select their calendar in your calendar list.
  • Choose side-by-side or overlay view if you want to compare calendars.
  • If you see only free/busy, ask the owner about access to details.

Before you start

  • Use the right account. Sign in to the account that received the invitation or has access to the calendar. Directory search is for work or school accounts; if you use a personal Outlook.com account, start with the invitation. [2, 7]
  • Check your calendar list first. The calendar may already be there, particularly if you accepted an invitation or an administrator assigned it in new Outlook. [1, 9]
  • Allow a few minutes for the steps. If you still need access from the owner, that may take longer.

Want to give someone access to your calendar instead? See Microsoft’s calendar-sharing instructions .

If you received a sharing invitation

Open the invitation in the account it was sent to and select Accept . Then open Calendar and look for the person’s calendar in the list. If your Outlook app does not show an Accept button, open the invitation in Outlook on the web and accept it there. [9]

How to view someone’s calendar in new Outlook for Windows

How to view someone’s calendar in new Outlook for Windows

  1. Calendar . Select Show all if needed, then expand People’s calendars and check whether the calendar is already listed. [2]
  2. Add calendar → Add from directory . Search for your coworker and select their name.
  3. Select the person’s calendar in the list to show it on the calendar grid.

How to open a shared calendar in classic Outlook for Windows

  1. Open Calendar and select Home → Add Calendar → Open Shared Calendar .
  2. Enter the person’s name, select the matching result, and open the calendar. It should appear beside yours and remain in the folder pane for later visits. [3]

How to add a shared calendar in Outlook on the web

How to add a shared calendar in Outlook on the web

  1. Calendar → Add calendar → Add a person’s calendar .
  2. Save . If your screen says Add from directory instead, choose your account, find the person, and choose where to add the calendar. [4, 10]
  3. Find the added calendar in your list and select it to display it.

How to open a shared calendar in Outlook for Mac

How to open a shared calendar in Outlook for Mac

  1. File → Open → Other User’s Folder . Some versions label the menu choice Shared Calendar . [5]
  2. Calendar if prompted, search for the person who granted access, and select Open .
  3. Shared Calendars and select it to display it.

View calendars side by side or overlaid

Select both your calendar and the other person’s calendar in the calendar list. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, turn on Split view to see separate columns, or turn it off for a combined, color-coded view. In classic Outlook, selected calendars appear side by side; use View in Overlay Mode on a calendar tab to stack them. [6]

These options change the display, not your access to the other person’s events. [2]

Why can I see only free/busy times?

The calendar owner’s permissions determine whether you see availability, titles and locations, or fuller event details. If events show only “Busy” or “Free,” ask the owner whether access to more detail is appropriate. Removing and adding the calendar again will not change its permissions. [2]

If most events have titles but one does not, that appointment may be marked Private . Ordinary read access does not reveal its private details. [8]

Troubleshooting a shared calendar

What you see What to check
No invitation arrived Check the account you used to sign in. With a work account, try adding the person from the directory; otherwise, ask the owner to resend the invitation. [2, 9]
No Accept button Open the invitation in Outlook on the web and select Accept there. [9]
The person is missing from the directory Check that you are using your work or school account. If you use a personal account, accept the owner’s sharing invitation instead. [2, 7]
The calendar was added but is not visible Expand the calendar list and make sure the person’s calendar is selected. In new Outlook, check Show all → People’s calendars . [2]
The calendar will not open on Mac Confirm the required Exchange account and access with the owner or your IT team. You can also try accepting the invitation in Outlook on the web. [5, 9]
Events appear out of date Compare the calendar in Outlook on the web, then reopen your desktop app. If the difference persists, contact your IT team; Syncing issues depend on the account and setup. [12]

Other ways to see availability or add a calendar

Using a personal Outlook.com account?

Skip the work-directory search. Open the sharing invitation in your personal account and select Accept to add the calendar to your view. [7]

Only need to find a meeting time?

Start a new meeting, add your coworker as an attendee, and check Scheduling Assistant for availability. You can inspect possible times without adding their calendar or sending the invitation. [13]

Received a published calendar link?

If the owner gave you an ICS subscription link, use Add calendar → Subscribe from web in Outlook on the web. A subscription can receive updates; uploading an .ics file gives you a snapshot that does not update automatically. [10]

Frequently asked questions

Can I view someone’s Outlook calendar without an invitation?

With a work or school account, you may be able to find a coworker in your organization’s directory and see their availability. Event details still depend on the access allowed. [2]

Where did an accepted shared calendar go?

Look in your calendar list, expand People’s calendars or Shared Calendars , and select the calendar to show it on the grid. [2, 5]

Does overlay view combine the calendars permanently?

No. It changes only how the selected calendars appear on your screen. Turn Split view on or off in new Outlook or on the web, or switch the calendar tab back to side-by-side mode in classic Outlook . [6]

Will Mailbird give me access to a calendar I cannot open in Outlook?

No. Arrange access with the calendar owner first. Mailbird’s Outlook Calendar integration is a separate way to keep your calendar accessible alongside your desktop email. [2, 11]

Want email and Outlook Calendar in one desktop workspace?

Mailbird offers an Outlook Calendar integration alongside its desktop email client for Windows and Mac. It does not replace the calendar owner’s Outlook permissions, and the integration is not included in Mailbird’s Free plan. [11]

Sources

  1. Microsoft: New Outlook for Windows release notes
  2. Microsoft: Share an Outlook calendar as view-only with others
  3. Microsoft: Open another person’s Exchange calendar
  4. Microsoft: Add a calendar in Outlook on the web
  5. Microsoft: Open a shared calendar in Outlook for Mac
  6. Microsoft: View multiple calendars at the same time
  7. Microsoft: Share your calendar in Outlook.com
  8. Microsoft: Make an appointment or meeting private
  9. Microsoft: Manage someone else’s calendar in Outlook on the web
  10. Microsoft: Import or subscribe to a calendar
  11. Mailbird: Outlook Calendar App
  12. Microsoft: Calendar sharing in Microsoft 365
  13. Microsoft: Check attendee availability with Scheduling Assistant