How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?

There are two methods to open an individual's calendar; by accepting a shared calendar invitation, or by using the 'Open Shared Calendar' feature. This guide demonstrates both of these methods to access a shared calendar.

This guide is aimed at...

  • Staff

Instructions

View a Calendar by accepting a Shared Calendar Invitation

If someone has shared a calendar with you, they may choose to send you a confirmation by using a shared calendar invitation. To accept and open the shared calendar, select the Accept and View Calendar button within the message.

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?

Fig 1. Example of a shared calendar invitation
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View a Calendar using Open Shared Calendar

If you have not received a shared calendar invitation, open the calendar by performing the following:

1. In Calendar view, select the Home tab from the top ribbon. Select Open Shared Calendar.

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?

Fig 2. Location of Open Shared Calendar option
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2. An Open Calendar window will appear. Type in the name or email address of the individual’s calendar you wish to access within the provided search field and select the correct result. Select Open.

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?


Fig 3. Open Calendar window
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3.You may be provided with an auto-discover prompt requesting that you allow the remote server to configure settings within Outlook. Check the ‘Always use my response for this server’ box and click Allow.

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?

Fig 4. Autodiscover message window
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4. The calendar should now be added to your calendar list under the Shared Calendars section. Make sure there is a tick next to the calendar name to view the calendar.

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?


Fig 5. Illustration of an added shared calendar
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  • Get started with calendar
  • Change calendar view
  • Create an appointment
  • Modify an appointment
  • Create a meeting
  • Create a repeated meeting
  • Create an all-day event
  • Modify a meeting
  • Share your calendar

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A shared calendar can be a big help in coordinating activities across a couple, a family, or a group. Apple offers shared calendars via iCloud, but it doesn’t always make it easy to understand how to share or accept an invitation—particularly if you or those you’re sharing with don’t use only Apple calendar tools on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, or use other operating systems.

People inside the Apple ecosystem or using iCloud-compatible third-party apps like BusyCal or Fantastical can view and modify events on privately shared calendars.

If you’re using calendar software that doesn’t integrate directly with iCloud, requiring a log in with your account, you won’t be able to accept invitations to private calendars, but can still view publicly shared ones.

Start by sharing a calendar

You can create a new private calendar or share an existing one privately to specific people. Here’s how.

  • macOS: Hover over the right-side of the calendar name in the Calendar List. (Choose View > Show Calendar List if that list isn’t showing.) Click the outline of a person’s head. This produces a popout menu. If it’s a calendar you create or can modify who shares it, click Share With or click an existing name to open up an area you can type part an address in that’s autocompleted or paste an email address into. Click Done when you’ve added all the addresses you want and invitations are mailed out and triggered in Apple’s apps and some third-party apps.
  • iOS/iPadOS: Tap Calendars and then tap the i info button to the right of the calendar you want to share. Tap Add Person to type or paste an address into. Invitations are sent immediately. Tap Done when complete.
  • iCloud.com: Navigate to Calendar. Click the waves icon to the right of calendars you can share—it looks like a rotated Wi-Fi symbol. Check the Private Calendar box and then type or paste the address into the Add Person field. Click OK.

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?
macOS makes it easy to share a calendar by clicking.

You can remove addresses or click or tap Stop Sharing in each of these locations to halt sharing with a person, people, or everyone.

In each of those locations, there’s an option to check, click, or tap to share a public, read-only version of the calendar (in iCloud, you have to click, then click Done, then click the waves again). Copy the URL that appears that starts with webcal:// to share with anyone using any calendar software with support for Internet-published calendars. Uncheck or disable Public Calendar in each of these locations to unpublish the calendar.

Subscribe to a calendar

To subscribe to a private calendar:

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?
You can accept an invitation via the inbox in all Apple calendar apps and in iCloud.com

  • macOS: In the Calendars List, click the inbox icon next to the calendar icon at the top. New invitations appear there. Click Join Calendar.
  • iOS/iPadOS: Tap the Inbox link and tap Join Calendar.
  • iCloud.com: Tap the inbox icon (an arrow pointing downwards into a physical inbox tray) and click Join Calendar.

To subscribe to a public calendar:

  • macOS: Choose File > New Calendar Subscription, paste the webcal:// URL, and click Subscribe.
  • iOS/iPadOS: Go to Settings > Calendars > Accounts > Add Account > Other > Add Subscribed Calendar and paste the URL. Tap Next. Apple shows a shocking amount of technical information that’s unnecessary for this sort of connection. Tap Save.
  • iCloud.com: There doesn’t appear to be a method to subscribe to a public calendar on iCloud.com, even though you can share public calendars from iCloud.com.
  • Google Calendar: Visit Google Calendar and click the + next to “Other calendars.” Select From URL. Paste the URL of the calendar in and click “Add calendar.”

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Author: Glenn Fleishman, Senior Contributor

How do I view a shared calendar on Mac?

Glenn Fleishman’s most recent books include Take Control of iOS and iPadOS Privacy and Security, Take Control of Calendar and Reminders, and Take Control of Securing Your Mac. In his spare time, he writes about printing and type history. He’s a senior contributor to Macworld, where he writes Mac 911.

Why can't I see a shared calendar on my Mac?

If you don't see the calendar list on the left, choose View > Show Calendar List. Click Share With, then enter the names or email addresses of people you want to invite to share your calendar. You can also enter the name of a list in Contacts to invite all the list members.

How do I access a shared Apple calendar?

Accept a shared calendar invitation on iCloud.com.
In Calendar on iCloud.com, click. below the calendar. If you have one or more pending invitations, the button shows a number instead of an arrow..
In the calendar notification, click Join Calendar..

How do I open a shared group calendar?

You can share a calendar across your entire organization or with a specific person or group..
Open Google Calendar..
On the left, click the name of your new calendar..
Point to the shared calendar and click More. Settings and sharing..
Choose an option: ... .
In the permissions box, click the Down arrow. ... .
Click Send..

How do I add a shared calendar to my Mac calendar?

Adding shared calendar to Mac Calendar App.
Open Calendar..
Go to Calendar menu and choose preferences..
Choose Accounts / Select the email account / Delegation..
For each calendar press the + and type in the name..
After clicking the name that is found click the "show" box..