Table of Contents

Sharing is Caring: Mastering Google Calendar Sharing

Want to bring some organizational harmony to your team, family, or even just your personal life? Sharing your Google Calendar is the golden ticket. It’s about more than just letting someone see your schedule; it’s about collaborative planning, avoiding conflicts, and keeping everyone in the loop.

So, how exactly do you share a calendar with someone on Google Calendar? Simple. There are a couple of ways to do it, each offering different levels of access:

Sharing with Specific People: This method grants individual access to your calendar based on their Google account.
Sharing via a Public Link: This method creates a publicly accessible link that anyone can use to view (or sometimes even add to) your calendar, depending on the permissions you set.

Let’s break down sharing with specific people:

Open Google Calendar: Head over to calendar.google.com and make sure you’re logged into the account whose calendar you want to share.
Find the Calendar: On the left side of the screen, you’ll see a list of your calendars under “My calendars.” Hover over the calendar you want to share and click the three vertical dots (the “Options” menu).
Go to Settings: In the Options menu, click “Settings and sharing.”
Share with Specific People: Scroll down to the “Share with specific people or groups” section.
Add People: Click the “+ Add people” button.
Enter Email Addresses: Type in the email addresses of the people you want to share your calendar with. Make sure they are Google accounts!
Set Permissions: This is crucial. Use the dropdown menu next to each email address to choose the level of access:
- See only free/busy (hide details): They can see when you’re busy but not what the events are. Perfect for respecting privacy while still showing availability.
- See all event details: They can see everything about your events, including titles, times, locations, descriptions, and attendees.
- Make changes to events: They can modify existing events and add new ones. Use with caution!
- Make changes and manage sharing: This is the highest level of access. They can do everything above, plus they can share the calendar with other people and change sharing permissions. This level is generally reserved for close collaborators.
Send: Click “Send.” The invitees will receive an email notification that the calendar has been shared with them.

Now, let’s explore sharing via a public link:

Follow steps 1-3 above.
Find the “Access permissions for events” section.
Check the box next to “Make available to public.”
A warning message will appear reminding you that the calendar will be publicly visible. Review the notice and click “OK” if you understand and agree.
Choose Permissions:
- See only free/busy (hide details): Similar to above, this allows people to see when you are busy or free, without showing any details.
- See all event details: Allows anyone with the link to view all event details.
Copy the link: Once you’ve enabled public sharing, a shareable public URL will appear. Copy this link and share it as needed.
Embed code: An embed code also becomes available, and this can be used to embed the calendar onto websites.

That’s it! Whether you’re sharing with specific individuals or generating a public link, Google Calendar’s sharing features are remarkably versatile, tailored to fit a broad spectrum of needs and collaborations.

Common Google Calendar Sharing Scenarios

Team Collaboration: Share calendars with colleagues to coordinate meetings, project deadlines, and vacations.
Family Organization: Share a family calendar to keep track of appointments, school events, and extracurricular activities.
Appointment Scheduling: Allow clients or patients to view your availability and book appointments directly on your calendar using integrated scheduling tools.

FAQs: Your Google Calendar Sharing Questions Answered

1. What if the person I’m sharing with doesn’t have a Google account?

They need a Google account to directly access and interact with the shared calendar. If they don’t have one, they can create one for free. The email address you use for sharing must be associated with a Google account. They can view a publicly shared calendar without having a Google Account.

2. How do I revoke access to a shared calendar?

Go to “Settings and sharing” for the calendar, find the person in the “Share with specific people or groups” section, and click the “X” next to their name to remove them. They will immediately lose access.

3. Can I change the permissions I’ve given someone?

Absolutely! Return to the “Settings and sharing” page, find the person, and use the dropdown menu next to their name to select a different permission level. The change takes effect immediately.

4. I shared my calendar, but the other person can’t see it. What’s wrong?

First, ensure the person has accepted the invitation sent to their email. Second, verify that they’re logged into the correct Google account (the one you shared with). Third, ask them to check their “Other calendars” list on the left side of their Google Calendar interface; the shared calendar might be listed there. Lastly, confirm that they haven’t accidentally unsubscribed from the calendar.

5. How do I unsubscribe from a calendar someone shared with me?

In your Google Calendar, find the calendar you want to unsubscribe from in the “Other calendars” list. Hover over its name, click the three vertical dots, and select “Unsubscribe.”

6. Can I share a sub-calendar (one I created within my main calendar)?

Yes, you can share sub-calendars. The process is the same as sharing your main calendar: hover over the sub-calendar’s name in the left-hand menu, click the three vertical dots, and select “Settings and sharing.”

7. I accidentally made my calendar public. How do I make it private again?

Go to “Settings and sharing” for the calendar, find the “Access permissions for events” section, and uncheck the box next to “Make available to public.” This immediately revokes public access. Immediately rotate the link and generate a new one.

8. What’s the difference between “See only free/busy” and “See all event details”?

“See only free/busy” shows the other person when you’re busy or free without revealing the specifics of your events. “See all event details” allows them to see all information about your events, including the title, time, location, and description. The former respects your privacy while still enabling basic coordination.

9. Can I color-code events on a shared calendar so everyone can easily see different types of appointments?

Yes! Each person who has access to the calendar can individually assign colors to events to better organize the calendar. However, event colors are NOT shared; each user sets their own color preferences.

10. How do I share a Google Calendar on my mobile device (Android or iOS)?

The process is similar to sharing on a computer: Open the Google Calendar app, tap the three horizontal lines (menu), select the calendar you want to share, tap the three vertical dots, and select “Settings and sharing.” From there, you can add people and set permissions.

11. If I delete an event on a shared calendar, will it be deleted for everyone else?

Yes, if you have “Make changes to events” permissions, deleting an event will remove it for everyone who has access to the shared calendar. This is why it’s important to communicate with others before making significant changes.

12. Can I prevent someone from seeing specific events on a shared calendar?

The easiest solution is to create a second calendar for private events that are not shared. The only option available to prevent a user from seeing an event is to mark an event as “Private”. Note that this setting only applies to users with the lowest permission setting. Those with the permission level to make changes to events will be able to see all events regardless of their privacy setting.

Mastering Google Calendar sharing is a powerful tool for organization and collaboration. By understanding the different sharing options and permission levels, you can streamline your personal and professional life and keep everyone on the same page. So go forth, share responsibly, and conquer your calendar!