How to Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar

Updated March 21, 2023, by Steve Larner, to reflect current calendar sync functionality.

How to Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar

Typically, every day starts and ends with a look at your Google Calendar. However, it’s easy to get confused when using Google and Outlook calendars simultaneously.

The solution is simple—synchronize your Google and Outlook accounts. Keep reading if you want to discover how to sync both calendar apps. This article explains the Google/Outlook calendar sync process on various devices and tells you how to do it successfully.

Note: For a faster method that delivers quick results, skip the below process and check out the other listed options, including those for IOS/iPhone, Android, and Outlook.

Sync Outlook Calendar to Google Calendar using Google

Before you can sync Outlook to Google Calendar, you must acquire an ICS link using the Outlook website. Synchronizing the two calendars doesn’t require additional plug-ins or extensions, as both platforms utilize the open standard ICS format.

Once you have the correct Outlook ICS link URL, add it to Google Calendar.

Note: This method is impractical, especially since it takes 24-48 hours (or even longer) to update in Google. The only fix for this process is to remove the Outlook link in Google Calendar and add it again to update the synced Outlook Calendar.

Google Calendar Editable? Yes.
Outlook Calendar Editable? Yes.
Sync Speed: 24+ hours (varies depending on devices, internet, and refresh cycles)

If still interested in adding the Outlook ICS link to Google Calendar directly, do the following:

  1. Open your Office 365 account in a browser.
  2. Go to Outlook and click on Settings, then View All Outlook Settings.
  3. Click on Calendar, then Shared Calendars.
  4. In the Publish Calendar section, you can get the link you need.
  5. Select Calendar, then Can view all details, and then click Publish.
  6. Click on the ICS link (below the HTML link at the bottom) and choose “Copy” to use later in Google.
  7. Once you’ve acquired your Outlook calendar link, it’s time to finish the synchronization. Open Google Calendar.
  8. Tap on + next to “Other calendars” at the bottom of the page.
  9. Now, click on From URL.
  10. Paste the link saved and tap on Add calendar.
  11. In the Other calendars section in the bottom left area, you’ll see your Outlook calendar that you can select. The sync process is now complete.

New changes take 24 hours or longer to update in Google Calendar, but it does work. As previously noted, you can remove the ICS link and add it as a new calendar to get updated Outlook data if you don’t want to wait so long.

Of course, most people need new calendar changes as quickly as possible, and 24 or more hours doesn’t cut it. It takes so long because Google Stores it in the “Other calendars” category, which isn’t updated often enough. Google hasn’t implemented any changes to this particular setup and probably won’t. With that in mind, other alternatives deliver faster results that place calendars in the “My calendars” section versus “Other Calendar.”

Ways to Sync Google Calendar and Outlook That Work

The options below offer faster syncing results, making them perfect for syncing Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar. However, some options do not allow editing of merged/synced calendars.

How to Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar on iPhone or iPad

If you’re using your calendar mainly on your iPhone, there are several options to consider if you plan to sync the two calendars. One option would be to create multiple accounts for emails, but that won’t solve the problem overall.

The best solution is adding Google Calendar to your iOS/iPhone/iPad Calendar app. There you’ll be able to see all your meetings in a clear and organized manner without syncing between Google and Outlook accounts. Plus, the process is straightforward and won’t take much of your time.

Google Calendar Cross-Editable? Yes.
Outlook Calendar Cross-Editable? Yes.
Sync Speed: 1-2 min. (varies depending on devices, internet, and refresh cycles)

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Choose Calendar from the list.
  3. Tap on Accounts.
  4. Choose Add Account and add your Google and Outlook accounts to your iPhone or iPad.
  5. Log into each provider and accept the permissions.
  6. Slide the Calendars toggle to the right to sync all calendars. If preferred, you can turn off the others (Mail, Contacts, etc.).
  7. Tap Save in the top right section when done with each calendar provider.

Once you complete the steps above, Google and Outlook Calendar data automatically appear in your iOS Calendar app. You’ll no longer experience problems such as double booking or overlapping meetings.

How to Sync Google Calendar to Outlook Calendar on Android

Installing the free Microsoft Outlook app is one of the best solutions for using multiple calendars on your Android phone or tablet. Once you have it on your phone, you can connect it to Google Calendar to have all your schedules in one place.

Note: This method syncs your Google account (not just Calendar) to the Android Outlook app, but you can hide the mail and other data in the corresponding app if desired.

Google Calendar Cross-Editable? Yes.
Outlook Calendar Cross-Editable? Yes.
Sync Speed: 1-2 min. (varies depending on devices, internet, and refresh cycles)

Here’s how to sync Google Calendar to Microsoft Outlook on Android.

Steps to Sync Google Calendar on a Fresh Outlook Installation in Android:

  1. Open the Google Play Store.
  2. Find Microsoft Outlook and tap on Install.
  3. When the process finishes, tap Open and sign into your Outlook/Microsoft account.
  4. In the popup that appears, link your account to your Google account.

Steps to Sync Google Calendar on the Android-Installed Outlook App

  1. Launch the Android Outlook app.
  2. Tap the icon in the top left corner.
  3. Tap the gear icon (Settings) in the bottom left section of the navigation slideout.
  4. Choose ADD MAIL ACCOUNT under the “Mail accounts” section.
  5. Select Add an email account from the slide-up options that appear.
  6. Tap ADD GOOGLE ACCOUNT.
  7. Choose your Google account that contains the calendar you want to sync.
  8. Scroll down the permissions screen and tap Allow.
  9. Exit the settings options and tap on the Calendar icon at the bottom in Outlook.
  10. Confirm your Google Calendar synchronization.

Using the steps above, your Outlook account now includes both Outlook and Google calendars. No delays, no partial updates, and no stress. Everything is at your fingertips.

How to Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar on Mac

Sometimes it’s easier to update two calendars on the same app than synchronize them. Aside from Android and iOS Outlook apps, you can also use Google Calendar through Outlook on a Mac. The first step is to install the Outlook app if you don’t have it, and then connect it to the Google account you’re using.

Google Calendar Cross-Editable? Yes.
Outlook Calendar Cross-Editable? Yes.
Sync Speed: 1-2 min. (varies depending on devices, internet, and refresh cycles)

Steps to Add Google Calendar to Outlook App on macOS

  1. Open Microsoft Outlook.
  2. Click on Outlook, then Preferences.
  3. Select Accounts, then click on the + in the lower-left corner.
  4. Tap on New Account and log in to your Google account with your credentials.
  5. Click on Continue.
  6. Decide which Google account you want to synchronize and tap on it.
  7. When asked to authorize Microsoft Apps to access your calendar, click on Allow.
  8. In the popup, click on Open Microsoft Account, then tap on Done.
  9. Click on the calendar icon to see all your Google Calendar events in Outlook.

Later, you can save the calendar, change its colors, and rename it. If you ever want to disconnect the two calendars, you can do it by hovering over the calendar’s name in Google and clicking the “X” icon.

How to Sync Google Calendar to Outlook

Sometimes, users find it easier to use Google Calendar directly through Outlook rather than the other way around. However, it requires a lengthy synchronization process between the two accounts. You can sync using Outlook.com or the Outlook app but cannot edit Google in Outlook using these options.

How to Add Google Calendar to Outlook.com

For some users. adding Google Calendar to Outlook.com without editable capabilities is all they need. They just want to view the Google events along with their Outlook Calendar. The solution below is quick and simple, and it uses ICS data to integrate Google Calendar into Outlook.com.

Google Calendar Cross-Editable? No
Outlook Calendar Cross-Editable? No
Sync Speed: Outlook—N/A (using the website directly), Google to Outlook—24-36 hours (for Outlook.com)

  1. The first thing is to have your Google Calendar ready for the merge. Open Google Calendar.
  2. Hover over the calendar you want to share and click on the vertical ellipsis (three-dot icon).
  3. Click on Settings and Sharing, then scroll down and select Integrate Calendar.
  4. Look for the “Secret address in iCal format” section, click the eye icon to expose the URL, and copy the private ICS link. Note: The public URL won’t work in this setup.
  5. Now, it’s time to transfer the data to Outlook. Visit Outlook.com and select Outlook Calendar.
  6. Click on the hamburger icon in the upper-left region.
  7. Choose Add calendar.
  8. Select Subscribe from web.
  9. Paste the private “Google Calendar ICS URL” into the web address line.
  10. Give the calendar a name, such as G Calendar-Primary.
  11. Choose any preferred customizations, click the Add to dropdown, and choose the calendar where you want to place Google Calendar.
  12. Click Import to save your configuration.
  13. Close the settings popup and review your previously chosen calendar to ensure the merge succeeded.

How to Add Google Calendar using the Windows Outlook App

For those who just want to add Google Calendar to Outlook for viewing purposes and don’t need to edit data there, there is a quick and easy way to add it. Check it out below.

Google Calendar Cross-Editable? No
Outlook Calendar Cross-Editable? No
Sync Speed: Outlook—N/A (using the Outlook app directly), Google to Outlook—30 min. or sooner based on the current refresh rate (for the Outlook app)

  1. Open Google Calendar.
  2. Click the vertical ellipsis (three-dot icon) next to the correct calendar.
  3. Choose Settings and Sharing, then scroll down and click on Integrate Calendar.
  4. Scroll down to the “Secret address in iCal format” section, then click the copy icon to copy the private ICS link. Note: The public URL won’t work in this setup.
  5. Open the Outlook app, then double-click the calendar icon in the bottom-left section.
  6. Choose Open Calendar -> From Internet in the top ribbon.
  7. Paste the private Google ICS address you’ve copied, and tap OK.
  8. Choose Yes in the popup to add and subscribe.
  9. If desired, you can leave the Google Calendar separate or click the left-faced arrow in the new calendar’s tab for overlay mode on the Outlook Calendar.
  10. Click the right-faced arrow icon to separate the two calendars again.

Now, you can access all your Google Calendar meetings on Outlook and have everything in one place without syncing back and forth. It’s like syncing, only it collects from two sources independently instead. The only two drawbacks to this method are that you cannot edit the calendars in the other app—they are NOT cross-editable, and Outlook Web (Outlook.com) takes at least 24 hours while the Outlook app refreshes every 30 minutes unless changed.


In closing, having just one calendar that incorporates all your meetings, appointments, and calls helps keep you organized without confusion. Synchronizing both Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar prevents missed events for home or work and enables you to avoid duplicate bookings if you run a customer-based business. Also, since you may have multiple accounts, you can now connect all of them regardless of whether you’re using each one on a phone or computer. Once you have synced the calendars, they’ll work on any device.

17 thoughts on “How to Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar”

Joel Whitaker says:
How can I pull those (few) events on my Outlook calendar into my (desktop) Google calendar? All these instructions seem to assume it can only be done using a phone or tablet. Thanks!
Steve Larner says:
Since you only have a few calendar entries in Outlook, you can grab the ICS link in Outlook Calendar’s settings, then add it to the “Other Calendars” section of Google. Yeah, it doesn’t update very frequently as you already read (24+ hours), but you can copy its ICS link within Google Calendar (three vertical dots > Settings > URL link), then remove the subscription, and then add it again as a new calendar to manually update it as needed.
Giles Harrison says:
Thanks so much for this guide! Really helpful. After a couple of attempts I managed to get the Outlook app, the Google Calendar app, and a 3rd party calendar app (which is the one I actually use) on my Android phone all to sync with each other, pretty much instantly. However the Google Calendar web portal (eg using a browser window) has not updated, and I can’t see the work calendar (which comes from Outlook). Is this a 24-hr delayed thing?
Steve Larner says:
Yes it is, as long as it appears in the “Other calendars” category.
Krista says:
Question, is it possible to only sync your Gmail calendar into your Outlook app on your PC without the Outlook calendar being then synced/populated into the Gmail calendar? For privacy reasons, I don’t want my outlook calendar to sync into the Gmail account. I hope the way I’m explaining this makes sense. Thanks!
Steve Larner says:
Yes, it’s always a one-way street. You just add the Google Calendar “private” ICS link into your Outlook account. You won’t be able to edit Google Calendar in Outlook using ICS, but you can view it.
Kelly says:
When I follow these steps to sync my outlook (work) calendar to my personal (google) calendar I do not see instructions for this for my Android. There is a google to outlook but I don’t want my personal to show on my work (which is accessible by my entire team) I want my work on my personal. I see the way to do so with a 24 hr delay, which would be fine- except my outlook will not give me a “share all details” option. The only option I have is “can see when I am busy” but that is not ideal. Is there a way to make this work?
Steve Larner says:
To sync Outlook Calendar to Google Calendar one way, check to see if there is already an ICS link on the Outlook sharing page. If there is, it won’t appear in the dropdown—only “Can see when I’m busy.”
Outlook Calendar ICS sharing page

Also, you can refresh the Outlook Calendar in Google by unchecking it and rechecking it as needed to get an updated calendar.

Jase says:
As it relates to “How to Sync Google Calendar to Outlook Calendar on Android” — This is the option where there is supposed to be cross editability using either calendar.
1. Do you have to subscribe/add each calendar (ICS link using PC) to both Outlook and Gmail platforms first?
2. It seems in the Outlook Android App, you have to go into Settings on the Outlook Mobile App, and under Mail Accounts select the respective Outlook Accounts and Toggle-On “Sync Calendars”? No? I did not see this step listed. If this is turned off I don’t believe Outlook Entries will show on the Google Calendar.
3. As it relates to “Note: This method syncs your Google account (not just Calendar) to the Android Outlook app, but you can hide the mail and other data in the corresponding app if desired.” How do you actually turn off mail and just have the Google Calendar available?
Steve Larner says:

1. Do you have to subscribe/add each calendar (ICS link using PC) to both Outlook and Gmail platforms first?

–The answer is no. ICS only shares an uneditable version of the calendars.

2. It seems in the Outlook Android App, you have to go into Settings on the Outlook Mobile App, and under Mail Accounts select the respective Outlook Accounts and Toggle-On “Sync Calendars”? No? I did not see this step listed. If this is turned off I don’t believe Outlook Entries will show on the Google Calendar.

–The steps provided worked seamlessly, so not sure what is going on there.

3. As it relates to “Note: This method syncs your Google account (not just Calendar) to the Android Outlook app, but you can hide the mail and other data in the corresponding app if desired.” How do you actually turn off mail and just have the Google Calendar available?

–You go into your Android Outlook app and tap the mail profile icon in the top left section, then click on the “gear” icon at the bottom to access the settings. Next, go to the “Mail accounts” section and click on the Gmail account. Select “Delete Account” followed by “Delete from this device.” Last, you need to open Outlook Calendar within Outlook, then tap the email profile icon in the top left section again. Next, tap the same icon that now has a plus sign on it. Select “Calendars on device,” then check and uncheck Gmail calendars from the list. Now, whenever you go into settings within outlook, you’ll see that the “Mail accounts” section no longer has your Gmail but the “Local calendar accounts” section has the Google Calendar account.

Anne says:
All the options import only Outlook agenda into Google agenda. It does not synchronize it. So after adding the Outlook Calender to my Gmail Calender, and I add a new event in my outlook agenda. It does not appear automatically in my google agenda. Is that correct?
Steve Larner says:
As of March 21, 2023, the article has been updated to cover all current methods to sync Outlook Calendar and Google Calendar. If you use one of the mobile options, including iOS/iPhone or Android, they sync both ways and do it within minutes. The only other way to sync both directions and be editable in both apps is to use a third-party program, such as gsync, OGCS, or GAS-ICS-Sync.
Steve Larner says:
It does hours later since Google ICS sync does not initiate that frequently—usually after 24-48 hours.
Andrew says:
This worked. Except, if I want to create an event on my Outlook calendar using Google Calendar, I have to go back to Outlook to create it. How do I create it on Google Calendar?
Steve Larner says:
It depends on which method you chose. You can add Google’s “Private” ICS link to Outlook Calendar, and it will sync it one-way.
DiAnne Wood says:
I have been struggling with this for weeks. I searched Microsoft, and their help boards say the calendars are essentially static, and that Outlook would only be a snapshot, not a sync. I just used your very thorough and easy-to-follow technique and it worked like a charm. Holy crap, this was the best thing of my day. You are a problem-solver.
K Pev says:
Syncing my outlook 365 to google and its not syncing all the events. Why?
Steve Larner says:
The article was updated May 2023. If you have more than one calendar in Outlook, you have to add each one to Google. Check the sharing area in Outlook Calendar to see if you have a dropdown for more calendars. Also, in 2023, Google ICS sync functionality only works every 24-48 hours or so for calendars in the “Other” category.
Prashant says:
This is really helpful. Thanks for the effort and sharing it with the community.
Steve Larner says:
Thanks. We’re glad to hear it helped you!
Ian Gordon says:
Can you add an outlook calendar to Google Calendar on Android?
Steve Larner says:
You can’t add Outlook to Google on Android. You’d need a PC involved in the interactions. You can add Google to the Outlook App. Then, it will sync both ways when using mobile.
Raghav says:
I updated my google account in my outlook android app and I can see the google + outlook events there but it is not syncing back to my google calendar. Any suggestions?
Steve Larner says:
The best solution is to install a third-party program like OGCS or gsync, or use a Google script like GAS-ICS-Sync.
DrCrave says:
Thank you very much 🙂
Chad says:
Thank you this was VERY VERY helpfull!
zak says:
I love the first option to Sync Outlook Calendar with Google Calendar using the published outlook link. How long does this sync take? Looks like its definitely not immediate.
Steve Larner says:
The article has been updated as of March 21, 2023, but still, Google only updates ICS calendars every 24 hours or longer, and there is no way to change it. Check out the updated options below it.

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