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How to Sync Google Calendar with Desktop Outlook and Outlook.com
Question details
Understand how to link and synchronize Google Calendar with Outlook.com and Desktop Outlook, and determine whether two-way synchronization is supported.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to synchronize a Google Calendar with Outlook desktop and Microsoft 365 Family accounts for event management.
- Observed behavior
- IMAP only synchronizes emails and not calendars. Google Calendars added to Outlook behave as read-only subscriptions, preventing native two-way synchronization.
Determine whether you only need to view your Google Calendar events in Outlook or if you require full two-way synchronization, as this will dictate the setup method you must choose.
Add Google Calendar to Desktop Outlook as an Internet Calendar
Use this built-in method if you only need to view your Google Calendar events in Outlook without the need to edit them.
Log into your Google Calendar on the web, click the gear icon in the top right corner, and select 'Settings'.
Select the calendar you want to share from the left panel, scroll down to the 'Integrate calendar' section, and copy the URL listed under 'Secret address in iCal format'.
Open Desktop Outlook, go to the 'File' tab, click on 'Account Settings', and select 'Account Settings' from the dropdown menu.
Switch to the 'Internet Calendars' tab, click 'New', paste the copied iCal address into the prompt, and click 'Add' to finalize the subscription.
Set Up Two-Way Synchronization with a Third-Party Tool
Since Outlook and Microsoft 365 do not natively support two-way synchronization for Google Calendars via IMAP, a third-party tool is required to add, edit, and delete events seamlessly across platforms.
Looking for a Lighter Alternative to Microsoft Office?
If you frequently encounter frustrating synchronization limitations and complex setups in Microsoft 365, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and user-friendly productivity suite for all your daily tasks.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installer and follow the simple on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
- 3. Open and Edit Microsoft Files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Microsoft Office documents without worrying about format conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't IMAP synchronize my Google Calendar to Outlook?
IMAP is an Internet standard protocol designed specifically for retrieving and syncing email messages. It does not have the capability to support calendar, contacts, or task synchronization. To sync these items natively, an Exchange-based connection is required.
Can a Microsoft 365 Family subscription force a two-way sync with Gmail?
No. A Microsoft 365 Family subscription provides you with premium Office desktop applications and an Outlook.com mailbox, but it does not automatically host or establish a two-way synchronization bridge for external non-Microsoft mailboxes like Gmail.
If someone shares their Google Calendar with me, can I edit it in Outlook?
No. Even if your colleague or partner shares a Google Calendar with you and grants you full editing permissions on Google's end, adding it to Outlook via an Internet Calendar subscription will still only provide a read-only view within the desktop application.
Is it possible to keep my calendar on Outlook.com but use another provider for email?
Yes, you can manage your calendar entirely through the Outlook.com service while keeping your email hosted with another provider. Since Outlook.com uses Microsoft Exchange natively, any calendars stored directly on your Outlook.com account will synchronize perfectly across your devices without needing a third-party tool.
