How to Change Shared Outlook Calendar Permissions After an Employee Leaves
Question details
The organization needs to reassign permissions (such as owner, viewer, or author) for a shared Outlook calendar originally created by an employee who has since left the company.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing shared resources and ensuring continuous team access to important calendars after an employee departs the organization.
- Observed behavior
- The shared calendar exists and is accessible via the former employee's mailbox, but new users need to be granted appropriate permission levels to manage or view it.
Ensure you have Microsoft 365 or Exchange administrator privileges, as you will need delegated access or direct login credentials to the former employee's mailbox.
Update Sharing Permissions via the Former Employee's Mailbox
Access the departed employee's account directly or via admin delegation to modify the calendar's sharing settings and assign new roles.
To modify the permissions of a shared calendar, the changes must be made directly from the mailbox of the original calendar creator. If the account is still active, an IT administrator can temporarily grant you Full Access to the mailbox.
Open the former employee’s Outlook desktop client or log into their account using Outlook on the web.
Click on the Calendar icon located in the lower-left navigation pane to view the user's calendars.
Right-click the specific shared calendar that needs updating, and select 'Sharing Permissions' from the context menu.
Click the 'Add' button to open the directory, then search for and select the colleagues who need access to this calendar.
Select each newly added user from the list and choose their required role (such as Owner, Author, or Viewer) from the permissions drop-down menu, then click 'OK' or 'Save'.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer ownership of an Outlook calendar without logging into the former employee's account?
Typically, no. You need to access the calendar creator's mailbox (either directly with credentials or via IT admin delegation) to change the sharing permissions and assign a new Owner.
What happens to the calendar if the former employee's Microsoft 365 account is deleted?
If the mailbox is permanently deleted, any shared calendars associated with it will also be deleted. It is highly recommended to migrate the calendar data to a Shared Mailbox or a Microsoft 365 Group before removing the user account.
How do I get delegated access to an employee's mailbox?
A Microsoft 365 administrator can grant delegation access by logging into the Exchange admin center, selecting the former employee's mailbox, navigating to Mailbox delegation, and adding your account under 'Full Access'.
Why can't I select 'Owner' from the permissions list?
If the 'Owner' permission is unavailable in the drop-down list, it is likely restricted by your IT department's Exchange sharing policies or you do not have sufficient administrative privileges to assign that role.
