How to sync Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar

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It’s no secret that Apple creates devices that are generally loved by consumers, most noticeably the iPhone and MacOS. On the other hand, Microsoft has one of the most used calendars by businesses and enterprises: the Outlook Calendar.

If you’re an Apple user and want to sync your Outlook Calendar with your Apple Calendar, this is the article for you.

Let’s explore the ins and outs of syncing Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar, the downfalls of each method, and our recommendations.

How to sync Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar through the Apple Calendar App

Given that Apple Calendar doesn't natively support importing other calendars via iCal (other means), it means that a real sync is not possible using the Apple Calendar itself.

The first method of syncing an Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar is by leveraging the Apple Calendar on macOS.

This method essentially leverages the ‘Add Account’ feature offered by the Apple Calendar app on macOS. By adding your Outlook Calendar to the Calendar App on your Mac, you can see it inside your Apple Calendar.

This is not a ‘real’ sync per se, as it doesn’t directly clone events from Outlook Calendar to Apple Calendar; it just adds your Outlook Calendar to your Apple Calendar, so you can see Outlook and Apple Calendar events in one place.

To truly achieve Calendar Sync, you’ll have to use a Calendar Sync Tool like OneCal, designed to sync calendars automatically in real-time.

To sync Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar through the Apple Calendar App, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Calendar App on your Mac: You can directly search the calendar by clicking Command + Space and typing Calendar.
    Apple Calendar App homepage on macOS
  2. Click Calendar on the toolbar: Once the Calendar app is focused, you can see the toolbar is visible and located on the top of the screen.
    Click Calendar on the toolbar
  3. Click ‘Add Account’: This menu allows you to connect different calendar providers, such as Outlook and Google Calendar.
    Click Add Account
  4. Click ‘Microsoft Exchange’: This option allows you to connect your Outlook Calendar to your Apple Calendar app.
    Click ‘Microsoft Exchange’
  5. Click Continue.
  6. Enter the email address associated with the Outlook account you want to add to Apple Calendar.
    Enter the email address associated with the Outlook account you want to add to Apple Calendar
  7. Click ‘Sign In’: You can either configure the sign-in manually or use the authentication flow provided by Outlook. We recommend the latter by clicking the ‘Sign In’ button.
  8. Sign in using your Outlook credentials: This secure screen is provided by Outlook. You must enter your Outlook email and password and select ‘Calendars’ as the app you want to connect to.
    Sign in using your Outlook credentials
  9. Your Outlook Calendar accounts are available to your Apple Account: Under the ‘Exchange’ section, you should be able to see all your Outlook Calendars.
    Your Outlook Calendar accounts are available to your Apple Account

Downfalls of syncing Outlook with Apple Calendar through Apple Calendar on macOS

  • Not a real sync: As mentioned, this method allows you to view your Outlook Calendar inside your Apple Calendar app. Still, it doesn’t clone Outlook events directly into your iCloud/Apple Calendar account.C
  • It only works for the macOS app you’ve connected to Outlook: Since you’re adding Outlook to the Apple Calendar app on macOS, this method only works for that specific macOS device. If you open your iPhone Calendar app, you won’t see the Outlook Calendar or events.
  • Does not block your time in Apple Calendar: Given that this method connects the Outlook Account to your Mac Calendar App, people booking a time with you through your iCloud Calendar account won’t be able to see your Outlook events, as it’s a separate account connected to one of your devices. This ultimately leads to double bookings.

To connect your Outlook Calendar to your iPhone, please read our article on How To Share iPhone Calendar with Outlook.

How to sync Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar using a Calendar Sync Tool

Calendar Sync Tools like OneCal offer real calendar syncing, meaning that events are cloned from one calendar to another in real-time, so events appear on all devices, whether you connect your source calendar or not.

For example, syncing Outlook Calendar with Apple Calendar would result in all Outlook events being cloned into your Apple Calendar account. It wouldn’t matter if you open your Apple Calendar account on macOS, iPhone, Web, or Windows; your Outlook events will always be in your Apple Calendar account.

outlook-apple-sync-illustration.webp

At the moment, OneCal only supports connecting and syncing Outlook and Google Calendars. We're considering adding Apple Calendar support, so reach out to contact@onecal.io if you'd be interested in us having Apple Calendar support. When reaching out please include your use case, so we better understand your needs and evaluate them accordingly.

Automatically sync your Calendars using OneCal

You can leverage the OneCal Calendar Sync to automatically sync all your Outlook and Google Calendars, avoiding double bookings and saving time.

Furthermore, you can use the easy-to-use Scheduling Links, which lets you share links with your availability so that others can book time with you.

You can Sign Up for OneCal for free, with no credit card needed to try out syncing Outlook and Google Calendars in real-time.