How to Fix Shared Calendar not Syncing with Outlook?

In Outlook, shared folders allow multiple users to access and update a calendar, send or receive messages, and ensure everyone stays on the same page. However, sometimes due to problem with the system, Outlook client, or Outlook data file, users may encounter issues where their shared calendars fail to sync with Outlook.

In this guide, you will learn the reasons why shared calendars are not syncing with Outlook and the solutions to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

Common Reasons for Shared Calendar not Syncing with Outlook Issue

Below are the common reasons behind the shared calendar synchronization issues.

• Poor network or internet connectivity
• Incorrect or misconfigured calendar-sharing settings
• Outdated Outlook or Windows
• Sync issues
• Oversized or inconsistent Outlook cache (.ost) and temporary files
• Conflict with other apps, such as antivirus
• Faulty or incompatible add-ins
• Damaged or corrupt Outlook profile
• Shared calendar permission issues

Solutions to Troubleshoot and Fix the Shared Calendar not Syncing with Outlook Issue

Below are the solutions you can follow to troubleshoot and fix the shared calendar syncing problem with Outlook.

Note: Follow the solutions in the given order to effectively resolve the syncing issues in Outlook and restore access to shared calendars.

Solution 1: Check Network and Internet Connectivity

Unstable network connection can disrupt the sync process between the shared calendar and Outlook. Follow the below steps to check and improve your network:

1. Sometimes, a simple restart of router or modem can resolve network connectivity issues. Simply power off the router, wait for 10 seconds, and then power it back on.
2. If you’re using a wireless connection (Wi-Fi), switch to a wired connection (Ethernet/RJ45) to eliminate any potential wireless interference that may be causing issues with your network connection.
3. If the internet is still not working, immediately reach out to your internet service provider. Ask them to check for any network outages or issues in your area and fix the internet connectivity.

Once you have a stable and consistent network connection, you can go ahead and follow the other advanced troubleshooting solutions.

Solution 2: Resync the Shared Calendar

By resyncing the shared calendar, you can resolve any temporary syncing issues. The steps are as follows:

• Open Outlook and click on the Calendar.
• Then, right-click on the shared calendar with which you are encountering the synchronization issue and select Delete Calendar.
• Confirm the deletion (if prompted) and close Outlook.

• Restart Outlook and go to the Calendar section.
• Click the Open Calendar button in the top ribbon menu and choose From Address Book.

• Locate and select the shared calendar you want to sync with Outlook and click OK.
• Then, go to Send/Receive tab and click Send/Receive all folders.

Check if the shared calendar is now syncing properly with Outlook.

Solution 3: Update Outlook and Windows

Using outdated version of Outlook or related software can lead to compatibility and sync issues. To ensure smooth synchronization, make sure to update your Windows OS and Outlook client. The steps are as follows:

• Open Outlook and go to File > Office Account > Update Options > Update Now. This will check for any available updates.

• Continue to follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the latest Outlook updates. If the update option is unavailable, download and install the latest Windows update. This may download the Outlook updates and fix the synchronization problem with shared calendars.
• After the update, restart your system and open Outlook. Check if the shared calendar is now syncing properly.

Solution 4: Clear RoamCache Files

Accumulated cache and temporary files can interfere with the Outlook synchronization process and lead to sync errors and issues. Clearing these files can help resolve the issue.

The steps to clear the temporary files are as follows:

• Close Outlook and all other related processes. Make sure Outlook or any of the linked apps, such as Skype for Business, Lync, etc. are not running in the background.
• Press Windows Key + R, type %temp% (without quotes), and press Enter.

• Select all files and folders in the Temp folder and delete them.
• Press Windows + R again, type %appdata% (without quotes), and click OK. Delete all the temporary files and folders related to MS Office.

• Press Windows + R one more time, type %localappdata/Microsoft/Outlook, and press the Enter key. This will open the location where you will find the RoamCache folder. Delete it or rename it to RoamCache_Old.

• Restart your computer and launch Outlook again. Check if the shared calendar is now syncing properly. If the issue persists, proceed to the next solution.

Solution 5: Verify the Calendar Sharing Settings

Incorrect or misconfigured Outlook settings for shared calendars can also prevent Outlook from syncing the shared calendar. To verify this and make necessary changes, follow these steps:

• Open Outlook and click the Calendar icon.
• Select the shared calendar that is not syncing and then click on Share > Calendar Permission.

• Make sure that the calendar has the correct sharing permissions set. If necessary, adjust the permissions to allow syncing with Outlook.

• Then, click on the Synchronization tab to check filters. Then, click Apply > OK to save the changes and exit.

• Finally, restart Outlook. Check if the shared calendar is now syncing properly.

Solution 6: Repair or Reinstall Outlook (MS Office)

By repairing or reinstalling MS Office, you can fix any issue with the Outlook program files or DLL files that might be missing or damaged, leading to the synchronization issues in the Outlook program.

To repair Outlook (MS Office), follow these steps:

1. Open the Control Panel and navigate to Program & Features > Uninstall a program.
2. From the list of programs, choose Microsoft Office and click Change.
3. Continue to follow the onscreen prompts to repair the Microsoft Office and Outlook.   

If repair didn’t fix the error, you should uninstall Outlook and do a fresh install.

Solution 7: Disable Add-Ins

Faulty or incompatible add-ins are one of the most common reasons for conflicts and issues in Outlook. The shared calendar synchronization issue may have occurred due to this problem. To find out, follow these steps:

• Close Outlook (if running), press Windows + R, type Outlook.exe /safe, and click OK to open Outlook in safe mode.
• Then, navigate to File > Options.
• Go to Add-ins in the left-hand sidebar and then click Go.

• Make sure to untick all the listed add-ins and then click OK to disable the add-ins.
• After disabling the add-ins, restart Outlook normally.

Once done, check if the error is resolved. If the shared calendar is syncing, then find and remove the faulty add-in to fix the issue permanently.

Open Outlook normally and then activate one add-in. Restart Outlook and check if the synchronization is working. If the synchronization stops just after activating any of the add-ins, that’s the culprit. Remove it from Outlook.

Solution 8: Create a New Profile

By creating a new Outlook profile, you can replace your corrupt or damaged profile that may be preventing Outlook from synchronizing the shared calendar items. The steps to create a new profile in Outlook are as follows:

• Close Outlook and openthe Control Panel.
• Go to User Accounts > Mail.
• Click on the Show Profiles button and then click Add.

• Type any name for this new profile. Click OK.

• Sign in using your same email account by following the onscreen instructions.
• After the sign-in, restart Outlook.
• From the dropdown, choose your new profile and click OK.

Outlook will load a new fresh profile and synchronize all mail items from the mailbox server. If the synchronization starts working, you can remove the old profile from Outlook.

Solution 9: Rebuild Outlook (OST) Data File

If creating a new profile did not work for you, try rebuilding the OST file. Outlook stores all mail items in an offline storage table (OST) file. If this file becomes too large (oversized) or inconsistent, you may encounter issues in Outlook, such as synchronization problem with shared calendars. By rebuilding the OST file, you can replace the inconsistent one and fix the issue. The steps are as follows:

• Close Outlook (if running) and press Windows + R.
• In the Run dialog box, type Control Panel and press the Enter key or click OK. This opensthe Control Panel.
• In the Control Panel, go to User Accounts > Mail (Microsoft Outlook).
• Click on the Data Files tab and choose the Outlook (.OST) data file or email account where you are having issues with shared calendar synchronization and click Open File Location.
• You will see a new File Explorer window opening and showing the OST file location.
• Find and delete or rename this default OST file.

Tip – Add the .bak extension at the end of the OST file to create a backup copy of the original OST file.

• After this, close all the windows and start Outlook.
• Outlook will create a new OST file and synchronize/download all mail items, such as emails, contacts, attachments, and calendar items, from the mail server.

Once all mail items are downloaded and synchronized, you should see the updated shared calendar.

Conclusion

Shared calendar syncing issues with Outlook are critical issues that can lead to missed meetings, appointments, or scheduled calls with the team, customer, or client. Therefore, it’s critical to resolve the issue as soon as possible. This detailed guide shared some effective solutions to troubleshoot and fix the shared calendar not syncing with Outlook issue. In case your OST file becomes inaccessible, you can restore all the mail items, including the shared calendar items, with the help of an OST to PST converter software, such as Stellar Converter for OST.

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About The Author

Eric Simson

Eric Simson is an Email Platform Consultant and is associated with Stellar Data Recovery from last 6 years. He writes about the latest technology tips and provides custom solutions related to MS Outlook, MS Exchange Server, Office 365, and many other Email Clients & Servers.