How do you send a calendar invite in Outlook: Step-by-step

Calendar coordination sounds simple until someone doesn’t receive the invite, the wrong people get notified, or an update sends three unnecessary emails. If you use Outlook every day, getting this right matters.

Professionals spend a significant portion of their workweek in meetings. According to a 2023 CIPD study, time spent in meetings has increased dramatically over the past decade, especially for managers. That makes scheduling in Outlook a daily operational task, not an occasional one. When invites are clean, accurate, and controlled, teams move faster.

How do you send a calendar invite on Outlook email?

Sending a calendar invite in Outlook should feel straightforward. In practice, the small details matter. The buttons you click and the fields you complete determine who gets notified, how responses are tracked, and whether your meeting lands cleanly on everyone’s calendar.

Outlook desktop

If you’re using Outlook desktop, here’s how to send a calendar invite in Outlook:

Step 1: Open Outlook and click the Calendar icon.

Step 2: Click New Meeting.

Step 3: Add attendees in the “To” field.

Step 4: Enter subject, location, date, and time.

Step 5: Add details in the body of the invite.

Step 6: Click Send.

That’s it. Outlook sends a meeting request to all attendees, who can accept, decline, or propose a new time.

Using Scheduling Assistant

Before sending, click Scheduling Assistant in the ribbon. This view shows attendee availability based on shared calendars. It reduces back and forth and prevents time conflicts.

Outlook on the web

If you’re using Outlook desktop vs web, the layout changes slightly, but the flow is similar.

Step 1: Click the Calendar icon in the left sidebar.

Step 2: Select New event.

Step 3: Add attendees.

Step 4: Set date, time, and location or Teams link.

Step 5: Click Send.

Outlook on the web automatically treats events with attendees as meeting requests.

Outlook mobile app

For professionals on the move, here’s how to send a calendar invite in Outlook mobile:

Step 1: Tap the Calendar tab.

Step 2: Tap the + icon.

Step 3: Add title, time, and location.

Step 4: Add attendees.

Step 5: Tap the checkmark or Send icon.

Mobile invites sync instantly with desktop and web versions.

How do I resend a calendar invite in Outlook?

One of the most common issues: “I didn’t get the invite.” Unfortunately, Outlook doesn’t have a dedicated resend calendar invite Outlook button. Instead, you send an update:

1. Open Calendar.
2. Double click the meeting.
3. Click Send Update.

Even if you don’t change anything, Outlook treats it as an update and re-notifies attendees.

When you send an update, Outlook may notify everyone. That can create unnecessary inbox noise. Before clicking Send, confirm whether you actually need to resend or if the attendee can check their Deleted Items or Junk folder first.

How to send Outlook calendar invite to new attendees only?

This is a frequent search query for a reason. Nobody wants to re-notify 20 people just because you added one more.

1. Open the meeting.
2. Add new attendee(s).
3. Click Send Update.
4. Choose Send updates only to added or deleted attendees.

This option prevents everyone else from receiving another email.

Why can’t I see the “Send Update to new attendees only” option?

If you edited core details such as time, date, or location, Outlook may default to notifying all attendees. The selective option typically appears when only attendee lists change.

Our advice? Finalize your meeting details before sending the first invite. It reduces downstream notifications.

How do I forward a calendar invite in Outlook without sending to everyone?

Sometimes someone else needs to join, but you don’t want to modify the original meeting.

1. Open the meeting from your calendar.
2. Click Forward.
3. Enter recipient.
4. Click Send.

If you are the organizer, this adds the forwarded attendee formally. If you are an attendee, forwarding may notify the organizer. Some organizations restrict forwarding entirely.

How do I change a calendar invite in Outlook without notifying everyone?

Short answer: you can’t completely avoid notifications. Outlook is designed to keep attendees aligned.

You can limit who gets notified in certain cases.

1. Open the meeting.
2. Make your changes.
3. Click Send Update.
4. Choose Send updates only to added or deleted attendees, if available.

Minor edits to notes or attachments may still trigger updates depending on version and settings.

Can you create a calendar invite from an email in Outlook?

Yes. This is one of the most efficient features for professionals handling high volumes of scheduling. If your inbox is where meetings start, you don’t need to retype details into a new event. Outlook lets you convert an email directly into a meeting draft, saving time and reducing errors. It keeps the original context attached, which is especially helpful when you’re coordinating client calls, internal reviews, or executive briefings.

Desktop method: Drag and drop

This method is quick and intuitive once you know it exists. It’s ideal when you want to turn a confirmed time or request into a meeting without switching screens or copying text.

1. Open the email.
2. Drag it to the Calendar icon in the navigation pane.
3. Outlook creates a new meeting draft with the email subject and body included.
4. Add attendees and click Send.

Because the original message content carries over, you preserve context. That reduces follow up questions and keeps everyone aligned.

Desktop method: Reply with meeting

If the email is part of an active thread, Reply with Meeting is often the cleaner option. It keeps the conversation linked while converting it into a formal Outlook meeting request.

1. Open the email.
2. Click Reply with Meeting from the ribbon.
3. Adjust time, location, and attendee list.
4. Click Send.

This method automatically addresses the meeting to the original sender and any recipients you choose to include. It works well for sales professionals booking client calls or team leads confirming internal check ins.

Outlook web version

The web version offers similar functionality with slightly different navigation. It’s designed to be fast and accessible from anywhere, which is useful for remote teams and professionals working across devices.

1. Open the email.
2. Click More actions.
3. Select Create event.

Outlook on the web automatically pulls in the email subject and body content into a new event draft. From there, you can add attendees, set the time, and send the invite. It keeps your scheduling in Outlook streamlined without requiring extra copying or manual setup.

How do I schedule a meeting for someone else in Outlook?

If you have delegate access, you can schedule directly on someone else’s behalf. This is common for executive assistants, chiefs of staff, and operations leads who manage complex calendars.

Here’s how it works:

1. Open their calendar from your calendar list.
2. Click New Meeting.
3. Add attendees, subject, location, and time.
4. Click Send.

The meeting request will show as sent on behalf of the calendar owner. Attendees will see that it was organized for that person, even if you initiated it. This keeps communication clear and maintains a single source of truth for the executive’s schedule.

If you don’t see the option to send on someone’s behalf, you likely need delegate permissions granted in Outlook settings. Once enabled, it becomes one of the most powerful tools for structured scheduling in Outlook.

Make Outlook scheduling smoother with the right workflow

Sending the calendar invite is the visible part of scheduling. The real time drain often happens before that, in the email thread where you’re proposing times, answering availability questions, and coordinating across time zones.

Fyxer works inside your inbox to simplify that process. When an email comes in with a meeting request, Fyxer drafts a response in your tone and can include your scheduling link so recipients can choose a time that works for them. Instead of suggesting three options and waiting for replies, you send one clear message and let them book directly on your calendar.

It also organizes meeting requests using categories, so important scheduling emails don’t get buried. After the meeting, Fyxer prepares summaries and drafts follow ups, so nothing slips through the cracks.

You open your inbox and see draft responses ready to review. Scheduling links are included where relevant. Meeting notes are structured. Follow ups are prepared.

That’s how Outlook scheduling becomes consistent and controlled, without adding more admin to your day.

Outlook meeting invite FAQs

Can I cancel a meeting without notifying everyone?

No. Canceling a meeting automatically sends cancellation notices to attendees. Outlook keeps calendars aligned intentionally.

Can I delay sending a meeting invite in Outlook?

You can delay email delivery in Outlook desktop using Delay Delivery under Options. Meeting requests follow similar behavior depending on version. For precise control, create the meeting and send at the desired time.

How do I recall a calendar invite in Outlook?

You cannot fully recall a meeting invite once it’s been sent. Outlook doesn’t offer a true recall function for calendar invites the way it sometimes does for emails.

If the details are wrong, the cleanest option is to open the meeting, click Cancel Meeting, and send the cancellation to all attendees. Then create and send a corrected version with the accurate time, location, or agenda. Acting quickly helps reduce confusion, especially if attendees rely on mobile notifications or automatic calendar syncing.

What’s the difference between an event and an appointment in Outlook?

An appointment is for you. It lives on your calendar and doesn’t notify anyone else.

An event with attendees becomes a meeting. It sends a meeting request, tracks responses, and updates everyone if changes are made.

If you’re blocking time for focused work, create an appointment. If you need other people there, create a meeting so Outlook can handle the invites and RSVPs for you.