Share Google Calendar: A Simple Guide

Streamlining Schedules: Sharing Google Calendars

In today’s fast-paced world, effective time management is crucial for maintaining organization. Many individuals rely on Google Calendar to oversee their appointments and events. Consequently, the ability to share calendars with others – be it colleagues or family – becomes a highly valuable skill.

Perhaps you are responsible for staff scheduling and need to distribute a calendar to all employees. Alternatively, you might wish to share a family calendar to enhance awareness of everyone’s commitments. Google Calendar’s functionality allows for the creation of multiple calendars, enabling selective sharing with distinct groups for specific objectives.

You have the option of establishing a new calendar specifically for sharing purposes, or sharing an existing one. We will begin by detailing the process of creating a new calendar for sharing, followed by instructions on how to share a calendar that already exists.

Creating a New Calendar for Sharing

To initiate the creation of a new calendar, access the Google Calendar webpage through a web browser and log in to the Google account from which you intend to share. Within the left-hand panel, click the downward-facing arrow adjacent to “My calendars” and select “Create new calendar” from the displayed menu. (An alternative route involves clicking the arrow beside an existing calendar, choosing "Calendar settings", and navigating to the "Share this calendar" tab.)

The “Create New Calendar” screen will appear. Input a name for the calendar in the designated “Calendar Name” field, and optionally, add a description in the “Description” box. The “Location” field allows you to specify a general location, if desired.

The time zone for your calendar should automatically align with your current setting. Should this not be the case, or if you prefer a different time zone, utilize the “Calendar Time Zone” section to make the necessary adjustment.

If you intend to make the calendar publicly accessible, check the “Make this calendar public” box. Should you opt for public access, you can also choose to conceal specific details by selecting “Share only my free/busy information (Hide details)”. This will only reveal your availability without disclosing event specifics.

NOTE: Public calendars are indexed by Google search, so exercise caution regarding the information entered.

Sharing with Specific Individuals

Within the “Share with specific people” section, enter the email address of the individual with whom you wish to share the calendar in the “Person” field. Subsequently, select an appropriate permission level from the “Permission Settings” drop-down menu. Options include “See only free/busy” (viewing availability only), “See all event details” (full event visibility), and “Make changes to events” (allowing event modification).

You can also grant permission to “Make changes AND manage sharing”, enabling the recipient to modify events and manage the sharing list. Exercise caution when granting this level of access, as it provides the recipient with equivalent privileges to your own.

Click “Add Person” to finalize the sharing process for that individual.

To revoke access, click the trash can icon in the “Remove” column next to the person’s name within the “Share with specific people” section. This will remove the calendar from their account.

Complete the creation of the new calendar by clicking “Create Calendar”. (If modifying an existing calendar, click the “Save” button.)

If the recipient has not previously configured or utilized a Google Calendar, a dialog box will appear offering an invitation.

Conversely, if the recipient already uses Google Calendar, the shared calendar will be automatically added to their account. They will also receive an email notification with a “View Your Calendar” link for quick access.

Managing Shared Calendars

Your primary Google Calendar, along with any other calendars you create, are listed under “My calendars” in the left-hand panel.

Calendars shared with you, as well as any other added calendars, are displayed under “Other calendars” in the same panel.

Related: How to Add Another Google Account to Your Android Device

Shared calendars are also accessible on mobile devices. You can add your Google Calendar to your iPhone or iPad. For Android users, ensure the Google Account containing the shared calendar is added to your device for automatic access to all calendars.