Introduction
If you need a better way to view multiple Outlook calendars in one place, Calendar Groups in Outlook can help. A Calendar Group lets you organize and display multiple calendars side by side, making it easier to compare schedules and manage time across teams, departments, family, your work team, or personal commitments.
This calendar management guide will walk you through how to create, customize, and use a Calendar Group in the Outlook desktop app. While Calendar Groups do not create shared Outlook calendars, they are a powerful tool for viewing and managing your existing calendars in one place, similar to our unified calendar view feature, but without any synchronization.
Other Helpful Outlook Guides from CalendarBridge
Looking for something else? Browse our Calendar Tips section.
Step by Step Guide for Windows Users
Follow the steps below to create a new group calendar in Outlook with your Windows Outlook desktop app. Note: Currently, Calendar Groups are only available in the Classic Outlook for Windows.
Launch Outlook and click on the Calendar icon at the bottom of the navigation pane.
- In the left pane, under My Calendars, right-click on Calendar Groups
- Select New Calendar Group
- Enter a name for the group (for example: Marketing Team, Project X, Family Schedules)
After creating the group, Outlook will prompt you to add calendars. You can:
- Add people from your organization (type in their names and select from the directory)
- Add existing calendars you already have access to
- Add shared calendars or public calendars if available
Once added, their calendars will appear together in your new group for easy viewing.
How to Use a Calendar Group in Outlook
Now that your group is created, you can use it to quickly compare schedules.
View Calendars Side by Side
Check the box next to each calendar in your group. Calendars will display side by side by default, letting you see overlaps and availability.
Overlay Calendars for Simpler Comparison
Click the arrow on a calendar tab to overlay it on top of another. This creates a combined view that highlights scheduling conflicts or free time.
Toggle Between Groups
You can create multiple Calendar Groups for different purposes and switch between them using the left sidebar.
How to Edit or Delete a Calendar Group
To rename or remove a calendar group:
- Right-click the group name in the left pane
- Select Rename Group or Delete Group
Deleting a group does not delete the calendars themselves, only the group view.
Our Tips for Using Outlook Calendar Groups Effectively
Calendar Groups in Outlook are a simple way to reduce scheduling confusion and increase productivity, especially if you manage multiple calendars or need to coordinate with many people. While they are not collaborative tools, they are a useful feature for anyone who juggles multiple schedules.
Here’s a few tips to make them work better for you:
- Label groups clearly based on team or purpose
- Overlay calendars to simplify comparisons
- Remove inactive calendars to keep your view clean
- Use color coding within each calendar for better visual organization
How CalendarBridge Improves on Outlook Calendar Groups
If you’re juggling calendars across multiple platforms like Google, Microsoft 365, iCloud, or even shared team calendars, Outlook’s built-in tools can only go so far. Calendar Groups are great for viewing calendars side by side, but they don’t offer real-time syncing, cross-platform compatibility, or availability management.
That’s where CalendarBridge comes in.
With CalendarBridge, you can:
- Two-way Sync Outlook and Google calendars
- Combine work and personal availability into one unified calendar view
- Create a booking page that reflects your real availability, even if it’s spread across multiple calendars
- Avoid double-bookings without manually comparing schedules
If you’re tired of toggling between different calendar groups or tools, try CalndarBridge for free and learn how we simplify calendar management.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Calendar Group is a feature in Outlook that allows users to group multiple calendars together. These can include your own calendars, shared calendars, or calendars you have access to from coworkers, departments, or external accounts.
Important: A Calendar Group is not a shared calendar. It does not give others access or allow collaboration. It is a personal organization tool for your calendar view. Learn more about
As of now, Calendar Groups are only available in the Classic Outlook for Windows. The New Outlook for Windows does not currently support creating or managing Calendar Groups. If you’ve switched to the New Outlook interface and don’t see the option, that’s why.
If Calendar Groups are important to your workflow, you may need to switch back to Classic Outlook. Microsoft has acknowledged missing features in the new version and is gradually adding them, but there is no confirmed timeline for Calendar Group support.
Tip: To check which version you're using, look in the top right corner of the Outlook window, if you see a toggle labeled "Try the new Outlook", you're on Classic. If it says "New Outlook" with no toggle, you're already using the new version.
With a Calendar Group, you can:
- View multiple calendars side by side or overlay them
- Easily toggle between calendar views
- Compare schedules across multiple people or resources
No. A Calendar Group only displays existing calendars together for viewing. If you need a shared calendar where everyone can add or edit events, you'll need to create a Shared Outlook Calendar or a Microsoft 365 Group Calendar.
Calendar Groups created in the Outlook desktop app for Windows do not automatically sync to Outlook Web or mobile apps. You’ll need to reconfigure them on each platform, or use an app like CalendarBridge to synchronize your calendars.
Outlook does allow you to import some calendar subscriptions (like ICS feeds), but it does not support full two-way syncing with Google or Apple calendars natively. For that, you’d need a tool like CalendarBridge.
Outlook doesn’t have a strict limit, but adding too many calendars can clutter the view and slow down performance. It's best to stick to the most relevant calendars.
Final Thoughts
f you regularly manage multiple calendars in Outlook, creating a Calendar Group is a simple but powerful way to keep everything organized. It’s not a collaborative tool, but it can help you stay on top of busy schedules by giving you a cleaner view of what matters most.
Just remember, Calendar Groups are best for viewing and comparing. If you need cross-platform calendar syncing, better availability control, or a true shared scheduling solution, consider adding a tool like CalendarBridge into your workflow. It’s the next step up when Outlook’s built-in tools aren’t enough.
