If Microsoft Outlook is your go-to app for checking email, it’s probably where you like to keep your calendar organized as well. However, a lot of people tend to share calendar updates and invites via Google Calendar. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it can be a bit frustrating when you pull out your Galaxy Z Flip 6 and have to open two different apps to see all your upcoming appointments.

Even if you prefer looking at your schedule on your laptop, having to switch tabs or apps can be annoying, not to mention that it could cause you to possibly double book appointments. If you have the new version of Outlook, you probably already have calendar sync in place naturally. But if not, then fortunately, adding Google Calendar to Outlook is actually a pretty simple and straightforward process.

Whether to sync or export

There are technically two ways of bringing all your appointments over from Google Calendar to Outlook, and that is to either sync them or export Google Calendar and import it into Outlook. The former will make it so that changes in Google Calendar are reflected in Outlook on an ongoing basis, while the latter takes a current snapshot from the Google side of things and uploads it to Microsoft’s email app. However, the new Outlook app is a bit buggy at the moment and has somehow missed out on some legacy features, such as a button to press for uploading iCal files (the files that contain all your calendar information).

Because of that, as well as the ongoing benefits, we recommend that you sync your Google calendar instead of importing that snapshot. The snapshot method may come to mind if you’re trying to protect some appointments from more public viewing, for instance, if you share that Outlook account and don't want everything to sync all the time. If you still want to keep some appointments private though, you can switch their visibility to private in the event window and use the steps for maintaining their secrecy in the public address mentioned below.

If you’re hoping for two-way integration, you’ll unfortunately need a third-party app. You might be able to see updates in Outlook, but you won’t see Outlook calendar events in Google. Because of this and other issues with the new Outlook, some have been moving to alternate programs altogether. If you’re okay with making Outlook your primary way of viewing your calendar, follow the steps below to go ahead and sync that Google calendar.

How to sync Google Calendar to Outlook

Before we show you how to sync your calendar, you should prepare by making sure you have access to both your Google account and Microsoft Outlook. We recommend you log into both before getting started.

1. Open your Google Calendar by entering calendar.google.com in the URL bar.
2. Now, go to the calendar name you want to sync, click the triple-dotted icon that appears, and click on Settings and Sharing.
3. Or, if you already have your Gmail account open, you can get to your Google Calendar by clicking on the dotted grid in the upper right corner of your Gmail account in the web browser, then select the Calendar icon.
4. With the calendar view open, press on the settings wheel, then press Settings.
5. Click on the calendar name that you want to sync.
6. Both routes should lead you to the Calendar Settings page. Scroll to the bottom.
7. You’ll see Public address in iCal Format and the fully-private Secret address in iCal Format near the bottom. If you have private events that you don’t want to sync into a shared Outlook, then copy the public link which will maintain your privacy designations. If you want to make sure to get everything synced up between calendars and don't need to differentiate between public & private events, then copy the secret address link, which you can do by pressing the Copy to Clipboard icon.
8. It’s time to open Outlook. To do so, click on the Calendar icon on the left bar and then click on Add Calendar.
9. A new window will open with a left menu bar offering options. Click on Subscribe from the Web.
10. There are some customizable options here, such as Calendar Name, Color, Charm, and which Outlook calendar to Add to. Select your preferred options and then press Import. Your Google calendar should now be fully synced with Outlook.

How to add Google Calendar using the ICS file

If you just want to upload a snapshot of your Google Calendar to Outlook, steps 1 and 2 from above are the same. The steps are a little more involved, but they’re really not that difficult if you take them one at a time.

1. Go into Google Calendar.
2. Click on Settings.
3. Instead of scrolling to the bottom, press the Export calendar button near the top.
4. Click Save, and note the location where it downloads.
5. Go to the folder where you downloaded the iCal file, right-click it, and then click Extract all.
6. In the new, uncompressed folder, you’ll find the iCal file with the file suffix .ics. Right-click it and hover over Open with… A new menu will pop up.
7. Click on Outlook (new) or Outlook.
8. If neither is an option, go to Choose another app.
9. Scroll to the bottom and click Choose an app on your PC.
10. Type in Outlook into the search bar in the upper right-hand corner. Select Outlook when it pops up.
11. When Outlook pops up or opens, the app will also open an Upload from file window. Click Browse.
12. The search window should open to the folder the iCal file is in. If not, navigate towards it. Select the file and press Open.
13. Finally, select Import.

How to get the new Outlook

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription and don’t have the new Outlook yet, which was released in September 2022 (so not that new), you can quickly download it through the Microsoft store. We recommend you do so in order to take advantage of all its updated features, and also because it will allow you to automatically connect and sync with your Gmail account including the Calendar, letting you skip the steps above.