How to add Google calendar to Outlook: subscribe, import, two-way sync

Step 1: Get the Google Calendar link

Before you can add your Google Calendar to Outlook, you'll need to obtain its iCal link from Google Calendar. Here's how to do this:

1. Open Google Calendar at calendar.google.com.
2. In the left pane, under My Calendars, open the Options menu (vertical three dots) next to the calendar you wish to add to Outlook, and then click Settings and sharing.
3. Under the calendar settings in the left panel, select Integrate calendar.
4. Copy the Secret address in iCal format link by clicking the Copy to clipboard icon next to it.

That's it for the Google Calendar side. Next, you'll add the copied iCal link to Outlook to create the calendar subscription.

Step 2: Add the Google calendar iCal link to Outlook

Once you've copied the iCal link from Google Calendar, the next step is to add it to Outlook. You can do this in Outlook online or desktop – it will connect to Google Calendar either way.

The below steps apply to the new Outlook app and Outlook on the web. If you use the classic Outlook application (365 – 2016), then follow these instructions.

1. Open the new Outlook desktop app or sign in to Outlook in browser.
2. In the navigation pane, select Calendar.
3. In the folder pane, click Add calendar.
4. In the pop-up window, choose Subscribe from web.
5. Paste the iCal link (with the .ics extension) you copied from Google Calendar.
6. Enter a name for the calendar. Optionally, choose a color and charm (icon) to easier identify its events.
7. Choose the calendar group where you want to add your Google Calendar. By default, Outlook places it under Other calendars in your primary account.
8. Click Import.

If all goes well, Outlook shows a small confirmation message near the bottom of the window. The pop-up window remains open in any case, ready for you to add other calendars. Close it and you'll find your Google Calendar under Other calendars or another group you selected.

Now, you can choose how to view your calendars in Outlook: side by side (Split View) or all events in one calendar (Overlay view).

Step 1: Export your Google Calendar

The first step is to export your Google calendar data as an .ics file that Outlook can import.

1. Open your Google Calendar.
2. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner and select Settings.
3. In the left-side panel, click Import & export.
4. In the main panel, under the Export section where your calendars are listed, click Export. This will download a ZIP file containing all of your Google calendars. It is not possible to export only a specific one at this point.

Step 2: Extract the exported ICS files

Before importing your Google calendars into Outlook, you'll need to extract the ICS files from the downloaded ZIP archive.

1. In File Explorer, open your Downloads folder (or another folder where you saved the export).
2. Find the downloaded .zip file, typically named something like gmail.com.ical.zip.
3. Extract the contents of the .zip file.
4. Make a note of the folder where the ICS files are extracted, as you'll need it in the next step.

Step 3: Import Google calendar into Outlook

With the ICS files ready, you can now import the desired Google calendar into Outlook.

The instructions below apply to the new Outlook app and Outlook on the web. If you're using classic Outlook (365 – 2016), then follow these steps.

1. Open the new Outlook desktop app or sign in to Outlook on the web.
2. In the navigation pane, select Calendar.
3. In the folder pane, click Add calendar.
4. In the pop-up dialog box, select Upload from file.
5. Click Browse, navigate to the folder containing the extracted ICS files, and select the calendar you want to import. The files are typically named after the corresponding calendars, so there should be no problems identifying the needed one.
6. Choose the Outlook calendar where you want to import the events. By default, the main calendar of your primary account is selected.
7. Click Import.

After the import is complete, the selected Outlook calendar will be populated with the events from your Google calendar. Keep in mind that importing creates a one-time copy of the data. The Google and Outlook calendars remain independent, so any changes made later in either calendar won't be reflected in the other.

Adding Gmail account to Outlook

If you regularly use both email clients, adding your Gmail account to Outlook may be the most convenient option. When you connect the email account, your Google calendar is automatically added to Outlook as well.

Unlike calendar subscriptions or imports, this setup lets you view and edit Google Calendar events directly from Outlook. And any changes you make are usually reflected in the other calendar almost immediately. For a closer look, see How to add Gmail account to Outlook.

Third-party tools for syncing Google and Outlook calendars

There are many third-party tools and services that can keep Google and Outlook calendars synchronized in both directions. Most are paid, though a few free options are available. For example:

Outlook Google Calendar Sync – a free open-source application for two-way syncing that runs on your desktop. It is pretty easy to install and set up, and includes a handful of useful features:

• Choosing the sync direction: Outlook to Google, Google to Outlook, or two-way sync.
• Setting how often updates are checked and transferred.
• Defining how many past and future days to sync.
• Selecting which event details to transfer: locations, descriptions, attendees, categories, reminders, etc.
• Excluding certain event types, such as private, tentative, or all-day appointments.

Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook – Google's own synchronization tool. It also supports two-way syncing and works with various items, including calendar, mail, contacts, tasks, and notes. However, this tool is available only for paid Google Workspace subscriptions and does not work with free personal Gmail accounts.