How to Share a Google Calendar on iPhone in 2025

Keeping family, friends, and coworkers in sync is easier when everyone can see your schedule. Sharing your Google Calendar on an iPhone is a bit tricky, since the Google Calendar app doesn’t have a built-in “Share Calendar” button. Fortunately, you can still share your calendar by using a web browser on your iPhone. In this guide we’ll cover step-by-step methods for sharing – whether you’re adding guests to an event in the app or sharing the whole calendar via the Google Calendar website – along with tips to fix common hiccups.

Sharing calendars is a powerful productivity tool. As one scheduling guide explains, “Sharing your calendar improves team communication and makes scheduling faster and easier.” . For example, a manager can see when you’re free for meetings, and family members can avoid planning events when you’re out of town. When you share a calendar, Google sends an email invite that your recipients must accept to see your events . In practice, this means once you grant access, your calendar will appear on their list in Google Calendar (or their Apple Calendar, if synced properly).

Before you begin: Make sure you’re signed into the correct Google account on your iPhone (this is usually the same Google account you use for Gmail). If you want to view Google Calendar events in Apple’s Calendar app, add your Google account under Settings > Calendar > Accounts and turn on Calendars. Also update to the latest version of iOS (iOS 18 or newer in 2025) and the Google Calendar app to ensure you have all current features.

Why Share Your Google Calendar?

Sharing your calendar can save time and prevent scheduling headaches. For work teams, it avoids the endless email tag of “When are you free?” Instead, teammates can glance at your availability and pick a meeting slot that works for everyone. As one productivity blog notes, a shared Google Calendar “minimizes the dreaded back-and-forth” of scheduling .

Even in personal life, shared calendars keep households running smoothly. Spouses can coordinate vacations and doctor appointments, and children can check the family calendar for school events. When everyone’s on the same page, you’re less likely to double-book or miss important dates.

By sharing (or subscribing to) calendars you’re demonstrating E-E-A-T (expertise, experience, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) in your personal and professional organization. Remember, you control who sees what. Google allows you to pick permission levels like “See only free/busy” or full edit rights . This way you can trust that recipients see only the information you intend.

Sharing Methods: App vs. Browser on iPhone

1. Using the Google Calendar App (Event Invites)

The Google Calendar iOS app itself doesn’t let you share your entire calendar. However, it does let you invite people to individual events. This is useful if you want to schedule a meeting or party and add guests by email.

• Create or open an event in the Google Calendar app. You’ll see your events listed by day.
• Tap the event, then tap the Edit (pencil) icon.
• Scroll down and find the Add people (or Guests) section. Tap it, then enter email addresses of anyone you want to invite.
• Adjust the Permissions for each guest (for example, whether they can modify the event or just view it).
• Tap Save or Done. Google will ask if you want to send email invites to the added guests – say Yes to notify them.

This invites users to that one event. They will receive an email and can add the event to their own calendar. But it doesn’t share your whole calendar.

Tip: If you only need to coordinate a single meeting or show someone one particular day’s schedule, inviting them to that event is quick and easy. Just remember this is event-level sharing, not sharing the calendar itself.

2. Using a Web Browser (Full Calendar Sharing)

To share your entire Google Calendar on iPhone, the most reliable method is via a browser:

• Open Safari (or Chrome) on your iPhone and go to calendar.google.com. Log into your Google account if needed.
• If the site tries to redirect you to the app or shows a simplified mobile view, switch to desktop view. In Safari, tap the “AA” icon in the address bar and choose “Request Desktop Website.” This ensures you see the full Google Calendar interface (it looks like the desktop site).
• Once in desktop mode, you’ll see the classic Google Calendar layout. In the bottom-left corner, look for the “My calendars” list.
• Find the calendar you want to share, and tap its name to highlight it (or hover over it). You should see three vertical dots (⋮) or a More menu appear next to that calendar name.
• Tap Settings and sharing from the menu that appears. This opens the sharing settings for that calendar.
• Scroll down to the “Share with specific people” section.
• Tap Add people and groups. Enter the email address of the person (or group) you want to share with.
• Choose a permission level from the dropdown: e.g. “See only free/busy”, “See all event details”, or “Make changes and manage sharing” .
• Finally, tap Send. Google will email the invite automatically.

Your colleague or family member will get a notice saying you shared a calendar with them. They’ll need to click “Add this calendar” in that email. Once they accept, your calendar appears under Other calendars in their Google Calendar app or website.

Visual cue: In desktop mode, the “My calendars” section is at bottom-left, and the three-dot More menu is right next to each calendar’s name . The Settings and sharing screen is a vertical page – look for the heading “Share with specific people” down the page.

3. Using the iPhone’s Calendar App or Links

If you use Apple’s built-in Calendar app, you don’t directly share a Google Calendar through it. But you can sync Google calendars to it (Settings > Calendar > Accounts > Add Google) , so shared Google calendars will appear there. In the Calendar app, tap Calendars at the bottom and make sure your Google calendars are checked. This lets you view the shared calendar on iPhone’s Calendar app once it’s been shared via Google.

Another method is to use a shareable link (ICS link). In the desktop Google Calendar’s Settings and sharing page, under “Access permissions for events”, there’s an option to make the calendar public and get a link. You can copy that link and send it to anyone; they can paste it in the iPhone Calendar app as a “Subscribed Calendar.” Note: Public calendars are visible to anyone and even appear in Google search results , so use that option carefully.

Example (advanced): If your friend doesn’t use Google, you can make your calendar public or get the secret ICS link in Google Calendar settings, then on their iPhone go to Settings > Calendar > Accounts > Add Account > Other > Add Subscribed Calendar, and paste the link. This subscribes them to your calendar.

Step-by-Step: Sharing a Google Calendar via Safari

Let’s walk through the browser-based method with more detail and visual cues:

1. Open Safari and go to Google Calendar. In the address bar type calendar.google.com and sign in. You might see a notice to open the Google Calendar app; ignore that and stay on the web. If the page looks simplified, it may still say “Google Calendar” at the top with a calendar view under it.
2. Switch to Desktop view. In the Safari toolbar at the top, tap the “AA” icon on the left side. Choose “Request Desktop Website.” The page will reload in the full desktop interface. (In Chrome for iOS, tap the three dots menu and select “Desktop site.”)
3. Locate “My calendars.” On the left side (bottom), you should see “My calendars.” If the list is collapsed, click any down-arrow or the label to expand it. You should see all calendars you own or manage.
4. Select the calendar to share. Tap the calendar name you want to share. Then tap the three dots (⋮) or More button next to its name. If you don’t see dots, tap the calendar name itself to highlight it, then look for a small gear or settings icon.
5. Open settings and sharing. In the menu that pops up, choose Settings and sharing. This may open in the same window or a new browser tab.
6. Find “Share with specific people.” Scroll down within settings until you see a section titled “Share with specific people or groups.” This is where you add collaborators.
7. Add people or groups. Click Add people and groups. A field appears. Enter the Google email address of each person you want to share with. You can also enter a Google Group email.
8. Set permission levels. On the same row, there’s a drop-down (often showing See all event details by default). Tap it to choose the level of access. For example: Choose what fits your trust level and needs.
   • See only free/busy (hide details) – they just see your busy times.
   • See all event details – they see event titles, locations, etc.
   • Make changes to events – they can edit your events.
   • Make changes and manage sharing – full admin control (rarely used).
9. Send the invitation. After adding all emails and permissions, click Send (or Share). Google will email the invite to each person.
10. Confirm on recipient side. The people you invited will get an email with an “Add this calendar” link. They must click it. Once they do, your calendar appears in their list. (If they don’t see it, ask them to refresh their calendar app or check the “Other calendars” section.)

That’s it! You’ve shared your Google Calendar. The new users can now see it on their iPhone (either in the Google Calendar app or in Apple Calendar if synced).

Visual cues: The Google Calendar settings page is long and can scroll. Use the scrollbar to find “Share with specific people.” You’ll see a small Add button and a permissions menu. On iPhone Safari desktop mode, the interface may be a bit cramped, but it functions the same as on desktop.

Troubleshooting and Tips

Even after you share, you might run into some common issues. Here are tips to resolve them:

• Calendar not visible in app? In the Google Calendar app on iPhone, tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top-left, then scroll the calendar list. Make sure the box next to your shared calendar’s name is checked . If it’s unchecked, you won’t see any events. This step ensures the calendar is “visible” in the app.
• No invite email received? Check spam or promotions folders. The invite comes from Google Calendar. If it still doesn’t appear, make sure you entered the email address correctly. You can also try resending the invite by removing and re-adding the person in your calendar settings.
• Permission denied or grayed-out? If you’re trying to share a work or school calendar, your Google Workspace admin might restrict sharing options. In that case, you may see limited choices or no ability to share. Contact your admin if you suspect this. (This is noted in Google’s help: some accounts have sharing disabled by policy.)
• Changes not syncing? After sharing, events may take a moment to appear. If the person still doesn’t see the calendar, ensure both of you have stable internet and that your Google Calendar app is updated. Have each person try pulling down to refresh the calendar view.
• Can’t switch to desktop mode? If Safari’s desktop mode seems hidden, try scrolling to the bottom of calendar.google.com and tapping the “Desktop” link (some screens have a small “Desktop” button at the bottom). Otherwise, use the “AA” menu as described.
• Double-check the right account: It’s easy to be logged into multiple Google accounts. Make sure you’re editing the sharing settings for the correct calendar under the correct account. The calendar owner’s email is usually listed at the top of the Settings page.
• Event privacy settings: Remember, private events show up as “Busy” to others by default. If a friend can only see free/busy, they will see a “Busy” block on your private events but no details. This is normal Google behavior, not a bug.

By following these steps and checks, you should be able to share calendars smoothly. If one method fails, try the other: for instance, if Safari is glitchy, open Chrome on your iPhone and repeat the steps there.

Tips for iPhone Users

• Sync Google Calendar to Apple Calendar (optional): If you prefer using Apple’s Calendar app, add your Google account in iPhone Settings (Settings > Calendar > Accounts > Add Account > Google) . After signing in, turn on Calendars. Then open the Calendar app, tap Calendars, and enable the Google calendars you want to view. This way, any shared Google calendars will show in the iOS app under your account.
• Using Google Groups: For family sharing or team sharing, you can create a Google Group or Family Group and share the calendar with that group email. All members will get access at once. (Clean.email’s guide suggests creating a Google Group for family sharing, which you can then add in the “Add people” field .)
• Public or link sharing: As a last resort, you can make a calendar public (Settings and sharing > Make available to public) and email someone the public URL . They can then subscribe via that link. Keep in mind this means literally anyone with the link (or who finds your calendar online) can view it.
• Use a third-party calendar app: Some calendar apps like Microsoft Outlook or Readdle’s Calendars app have their own sharing features. Readdle’s blog notes you can export your calendar to PDF and share it (for one-time snapshots) , but for continuous sharing the Google method above is best.

Summary

Sharing your Google Calendar on iPhone is not as straightforward as clicking a button in the app, but it’s definitely doable. The key steps are: open Google Calendar in Safari/Chrome, switch to Desktop view, then use the “Settings and sharing” menu for your calendar to add people . Google then sends invites that recipients must accept.

If you only need to share individual events, the Google Calendar app on iPhone can invite guests to those events. Otherwise, use the browser method for whole-calendar sharing.

With these instructions, you can keep everyone on the same schedule in 2025. Happy scheduling, and may your calendar be ever in sync!