The fastest way to transfer your Outlook calendar depends on where it's going
If you're moving your calendar within Outlook — to a different account, a shared mailbox, or another device — the method changes based on your destination. Exporting to a file works for most moves. Sharing the calendar directly works if someone else needs access to the same calendar. Syncing through Outlook's built-in tools works if you're moving between your own devices. The steps take between five and fifteen minutes depending on which route you choose.
The three main paths are export-and-import (for moving between accounts or to other calendar programs), direct sharing (for letting others view or edit your calendar), and automatic sync (for your own devices using the same account). Each method preserves your events, but they differ in how much control you keep and whether the other person sees live updates.
Key Takeaways
- Exporting your calendar as a .ics file lets you save it, share it, or move it to another email account or device.
- Calendar sharing through Outlook lets others view or edit your calendar without exporting or importing anything.
- Syncing across your own devices happens automatically if you sign into the same Outlook account on each device.
- Importing a calendar file into Outlook creates a new calendar in your account that contains the events from the file.
- Deleting the original calendar after a successful transfer prevents duplicate events and confusion later.
Export your calendar as a file to move it anywhere
Exporting creates a single file containing all your calendar events. This file can be saved to your computer, sent to someone else, or imported into a different email account. The file format is .ics, which most calendar programs recognize.
In Outlook on the web, right-click the calendar name in the left sidebar and select "Export calendar". Outlook downloads a .ics file to your computer. In Outlook desktop (Windows or Mac), right-click the calendar name, select "Export", and choose where to save the file. The export includes all events, times, and details from that calendar.
If you're exporting a shared calendar or a calendar someone else owns, you can only export calendars you have permission to view. The export will include only the events you can see. Once you have the .ics file, you can move it to another device, email it, or store it in cloud storage for later use.
Import a calendar file into your Outlook account
Importing takes a .ics file and adds its events to your Outlook account. The imported events create a new calendar or add to an existing one, depending on how you set it up.
In Outlook on the web, select "Import calendar" from the settings menu, then choose the .ics file from your computer. Outlook asks whether to create a new calendar or add the events to an existing calendar. In Outlook desktop, go to File > Open & Export > Import, select "Outlook Data File", and choose your .ics file. Follow the prompts to decide which calendar receives the imported events.
After importing, check that the events appear correctly. If you imported into a new calendar, you can rename it or delete the original calendar if you no longer need it. The import process does not delete the .ics file from your computer, so you can import the same file into multiple accounts if needed.
Share your calendar so others can view or edit it
Sharing lets other people see your calendar without you having to export or import anything. They access the shared calendar directly from their own Outlook account. You control whether they can only view events or also create and edit them.
In Outlook on the web, right-click the calendar name and select "Share". Enter the email address of the person you want to share with and choose their permission level: "Can view" (read-only) or "Can edit" (they can add and change events). In Outlook desktop, right-click the calendar, select "Properties", go to the "Permissions" tab, and add the person's email address with the permission level you want.
The person you share with receives an email notification. They can then add the shared calendar to their own Outlook account by clicking the link in the email or by manually adding it through their calendar settings. When you update an event on a shared calendar, they see the change when ready — you don't need to re-export or re-import anything.
Sync your calendar across your own devices automatically
If you own multiple devices and use the same Outlook account on each one, your calendar syncs automatically. You don't need to export, import, or share anything — just sign in with the same email address and password.
On a new device, read Outlook (or use Outlook on the web), sign in with your email address, and your calendar appears within a few minutes. The sync works in both directions: events you add on one device show up on the others. This works for Outlook.com accounts, Microsoft 365 accounts, and most corporate email accounts.
If you're switching from a different email provider to Outlook, you'll need to export your calendar from the old provider first, then import it into Outlook on your new device. After that, any new events you create will sync across all your Outlook devices automatically.
Move your calendar to a different Outlook account
To transfer your calendar from one Outlook account to another, export it from the first account and import it into the second. This creates a copy of the calendar in the new account.
Sign into the first account, export the calendar as a .ics file, and save it to your computer. Then sign into the second account (either on the same device or a different one) and import the .ics file. Choose whether to create a new calendar or add the events to an existing calendar in the second account.
After confirming the events are in the new account, you can delete the calendar from the first account if you no longer need it there. If the first account is through your employer or school, check with your IT department before deleting anything, as some organizations have retention policies. The transferred calendar in the new account is independent — changes you make there won't affect the original account.
Delete the original calendar after transferring
Once you've moved your calendar to a new location and confirmed all events are there, you may want to delete the original. This prevents duplicate events and confusion if you accidentally add events to both calendars.
In Outlook on the web, right-click the calendar name and select "Delete". In Outlook desktop, right-click the calendar and select "Delete Folder". Outlook asks you to confirm. You cannot undo this action, so make sure the calendar has been successfully moved or exported before deleting.
If the calendar is shared with others, deleting it removes it from their accounts too. If you only want to stop sharing it, remove the sharing permissions instead of deleting the calendar. For work or school accounts, confirm with your IT department that deletion is allowed before proceeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer a calendar that someone else shared with me?
You can export a shared calendar you have permission to view, but the exported file belongs to you — the original owner won't see changes you make to the exported copy. If you need ongoing access to the shared calendar, it's better to keep it shared rather than export it.
What happens to recurring events when I export and import a calendar?
Recurring events export and import as a single series, not as individual events. If you edit one instance of a recurring event after importing, Outlook treats it as an exception to the series, which is the same behavior as in the original calendar.
Can I transfer my calendar to Google Calendar or Apple Calendar?
Yes. Export your Outlook calendar as a .ics file, then import that file into Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or most other calendar programs. The events, times, and basic details transfer, though some Outlook-specific features may not carry over.
Will my calendar transfer if I change my email address?
If your email address changes but you keep the same Outlook account (for example, through a domain change), your calendar stays with the account automatically. If you're moving to a completely different email provider, you'll need to export your calendar from the old account and import it into the new one.
How do I know if the transfer worked?
After importing, open the calendar in Outlook and count the events or spot-check a few by date and title. Compare the count to the original calendar. If the numbers match and the events appear correct, the transfer is complete. If events are missing, the import may have failed — try again with the same .ics file.