Viewing a shared calendar in Outlook for Mac

Questions

  • How do I open a shared calendar in Outlook on my Mac?
  • Someone shared their calendar with me — how do I view it in Outlook for Mac?
  • How do I add a colleague's calendar to Outlook on macOS?
  • How do I view a department or delegate calendar in Outlook for Mac?
  • How do I remove a shared calendar from Outlook on my Mac?

Environment

This article applies to current Bowdoin faculty and staff who have been granted access to a shared Outlook calendar and want to open it in Outlook for Mac.

  • App: Microsoft Outlook for Mac (Microsoft 365 — current version)
  • macOS: macOS Sequoia (15.x), Tahoe (26.x), or newer on a Bowdoin-issued Mac
  • Requirement: The calendar owner must grant you access before you can open it. To request access, contact the calendar owner directly or submit a request through the Service Catalog.
  • Not covered: Outlook for Windows or Outlook Online — see the Related Articles section for those platforms

Resolution

Open a shared calendar in Outlook for Mac

  1. Open Outlook on your Mac.
  2. Click the Calendar icon in the left navigation bar. If the sidebar is collapsed, click the hamburger (three-line) icon to expand it.
  3. At the bottom of the left sidebar, click Add Calendar.
  4. From the options that appear, click Add Shared Calendar.
  5. In the Open Calendar dialog box, type the name or part of the name of the person whose calendar you want to add. You can also type their Bowdoin email address.
  6. Select the correct person from the search results, then click Open.

The shared calendar will appear in the left sidebar under Shared Calendars. Check the box next to its name to show or hide it in your calendar view.

Tip: If the search box does not respond or returns no results, try sending a test email to the person whose calendar you want to add and then restarting Outlook. After reopening, the search should work. If the problem persists, contact the Service Desk.

Toggle a shared calendar on or off

Once a shared calendar has been added, you can show or hide it at any time without removing it. In the left sidebar under Shared Calendars, check or uncheck the box next to the calendar name.


Remove a shared calendar

If you no longer need access to a shared calendar, you can remove it from your view:

  1. In the left sidebar, locate the calendar under Shared Calendars.
  2. Hold Control and click the calendar name, or right-click if you have a two-button mouse.
  3. Select Remove Shared Account.
Note: Removing a shared calendar from your view does not revoke the access the owner granted you. You can add it back at any time using the steps above. To revoke access entirely, the calendar owner must remove your permissions — see How to manage permissions in a shared calendar in the Related Articles section.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

Print Article

Related Articles (5)

Best practices for Bowdoin faculty and staff to minimize calendar syncing issues in Microsoft Outlook, including guidance on delegates, meeting management, and recurring appointments.
Step-by-step instructions for opening and viewing a shared Outlook calendar in Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, and Outlook Online (browser).
How to add, modify, or remove a delegate for your Outlook calendar in Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, and Outlook Online, with an explanation of the three permission levels.
Step-by-step instructions for opening a shared calendar in Outlook for Windows using the Folder tab, with annotated screenshots for each step.
Step-by-step instructions for opening and viewing a shared Outlook calendar in Outlook Online (browser), including how to toggle it on and off and remove it when no longer needed.