Sync Google Calendar with Outlook

Choose which calendar should receive copies

Start with one pair. If your work meetings live in Outlook and you want them visible in Google, Outlook is the source and Google is the destination. Reverse that direction to send Google events into Outlook.

For availability on both sides, choose Busy blocks, both ways. This creates two directional rules. Each calendar receives private copies of the other calendar's original events.

If you only need to see both calendars in one app, try the calendar app's combined view first. Sync My Cal is useful when another calendar needs its own event copy to represent your availability.

Connect your accounts and create a rule

1. Connect Google and Microsoft. Create your account, open Calendars, and connect each provider. Select the calendars you want to use from each account. Your organization may require an administrator to approve access.
2. Choose the source and destination. Open Syncs and create a sync between the selected calendars. The destination must allow writes; a read-only calendar can't receive copies.
3. Pick the copy detail. Choose Busy blocks for availability only. Use Full mirror when a calendar you control needs the title, description, and location. Attendees are never copied, including in full mode.
4. Review the filters. The busy-block presets skip all-day and declined events. Change those settings if they should reserve time too. A working-hours filter can also exclude evening appointments you meant to block.
5. Preview, then create. Review the rule before saving it. Creating a rule starts the first sync; connecting an account alone doesn't write events. Check Activity for the result.

Want to see the app first? Open the product tour. It uses sample calendars and doesn't connect your accounts.

Test with an event you can recognize

Create a short timed event on the source calendar, inside the rule's sync window. Open the destination in Google Calendar or Outlook and check the time, title or Busy label, and visibility. Don't rely only on the combined agenda view.

Next, move the original event. The destination copy should move too. Delete the original when you're finished and confirm that its copy disappears. For a two-way setup, repeat this with a new original event on the other calendar.

Provider notifications normally trigger updates. A safety sweep runs every 15 minutes if a notification is late or missed. You can also use Sync now on the dashboard.

Keep editing the original event

Two-way sync means originals can flow in both directions. It doesn't make the copied event a second editable original. Changes you make to a copy aren't sent back to the source; make lasting changes on the calendar where the event began.

Recurring meetings are copied occurrence by occurrence. Moving or canceling one week changes that occurrence. Copies have reminders turned off and don't carry attendees, so they don't send duplicate meeting invitations.

For client or employer calendars, use private busy blocks unless the destination should receive meeting details. Check the destination calendar's sharing permissions too.

Evaluating another sync tool? Read the CalendarBridge comparison for differences in calendar capacity and controls. If you're automating rule setup, the calendar sync API documentation covers the available endpoints.

If the first copy is missing

• Check that the rule points in the intended direction and isn't paused.
• Check all-day, declined-event, keyword, working-hours, and future-window filters. An excluded event won't produce a copy.
• Open the rule and choose Test this rule. The dry run explains exclusions and missing copies before any repair writes data.
• If a connection needs attention, reconnect it from Calendars. If Microsoft or Google requires admin approval, ask your organization's administrator.

The troubleshooting reference covers delayed copies, reconnection, and cleanup. For an unresolved error, contact support with the approximate time and the affected provider.