How to Fix SharePoint Calendar Events Showing as Busy in Outlook
Question details
Users need a way to change the status of SharePoint calendar events synced to Outlook from 'Busy' to 'Free' or other statuses.
- Product
- SharePoint and Microsoft Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Syncing SharePoint calendar events, such as holidays or approved time off, to the Microsoft Outlook desktop client.
- Observed behavior
- Synced SharePoint events automatically default to 'Busy' in Outlook because the SharePoint event form lacks a 'Show As' or 'Free/Busy' status field.
Ensure your SharePoint calendar is actively connected to your Outlook desktop app and that you have the necessary permissions to edit your personal calendar views.
Change the Event Status Manually in Outlook
Since SharePoint does not support a Free/Busy field, you must manually adjust the status within your connected Outlook client for each event.
Outlook automatically defaults all incoming events without a specified status to 'Busy'. To prevent holidays or team leave from blocking your availability, you can manually adjust the 'Show As' setting directly in your Outlook calendar.
Launch Microsoft Outlook and navigate to your Calendar view. Locate the synced SharePoint calendar under the 'Other Calendars' section in the left pane.
Double-click the specific SharePoint event, such as a holiday or leave entry, that you want to modify.
In the Event ribbon at the top of the window, locate the 'Options' group. Click the 'Show As' dropdown menu and change it from 'Busy' to 'Free', 'Working Elsewhere', or 'Out of Office'.
Click 'Save & Close' in the top-left corner to apply the new availability status to your Outlook view.
Submit a Feature Request to Microsoft
Request the addition of a Free/Busy status field directly within the browser-based SharePoint event form.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do SharePoint events default to Busy in Outlook?
SharePoint calendar forms currently do not include a 'Free/Busy' or 'Show As' data field. Because Outlook requires a status to map your availability, it automatically assigns its default 'Busy' status to any imported or synced SharePoint event.
Can I change the status of multiple SharePoint events at once in Outlook?
Outlook does not natively support bulk changing the 'Show As' status for synced SharePoint calendars in a single click. You must change them individually or consult the Microsoft Outlook support community for advanced VBA macros or specialized workarounds.
Will changing the status in Outlook update the SharePoint calendar?
No, changing the 'Show As' status (e.g., from Busy to Free) in your local Outlook application only affects how the event appears in your personal Outlook view. It does not sync a 'Free' status back to SharePoint, as the SharePoint platform does not support that specific field.
