Microsoft Calendar is a popular application especially among Outlook users who use it to increase their productivity by scheduling meetings, setting deadlines and other things. As part of its recent redesign, Calendar has become more powerful and easier to use than ever. Let's take a look at some Microsoft Calendar tips and tricks for power users.
Contents1. Keyboard shortcuts2. Print it 3. Meteorological places4. No meetings5. World holidays6. Color codes7. Group calendars8. Email EventsTake control
Even if you're just starting out, you'll find this guide helpful.
Let's start.
Here are some nifty keyboard shortcuts for the Desktop Calendar app. Try them:
Here is the full list. Please add it to your favorites as it is quite a long list. If you are using the web version or Outlook.com, just press Shift+? to display all available shortcuts.
Here is an interesting trick that few people know. If you're accessing Microsoft Calendar from Gmail or Yahoo Mail, you can use the same keyboard shortcuts you used there. Open Settings and find Accessibility under Calendar option. Choose your preferred email provider there.
There are two ways to use this feature for maximum effect. The first is to print a blank calendar that you can then pin to your notice or bulletin board. Now you can use it to fill in important dates that will be visible even when you're offline. Many people still like the old method – paper and marker.
The second way is to print an already filled calendar. Again, useful if you're using the bulletin board for visual representation.
In the web view, there is a dedicated Print button on the right. In the desktop version, you will find the option under the File tab. Notably, there is an option to hide private appointment details visible just before giving the print command, in case you don't want others to snoop around.
Fly often? Want to know the weather conditions before you land or even plan? Open Settings and find Weather under Calendar option in web view, then quickly add all the locations you want to track.
On the desktop, click the weather icon in the calendar view to find the Add location option.
Quick tip:You can also add multiple time zones to the calendar from the settings. Try it. Microsoft recommends blocking time as "no meeting" or out of office (OOO) in your calendar to get things done. This will allow you to concentrate on the task at hand, signaling to others that you are away from the office or do not want to be disturbed.
You can set the event status as OOO (Out of Office) in the desktop calendar and Away in the web version. This feature is even more useful for those who use Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft Calendar supports holiday calendars. This means that you no longer have to remember holidays. Not only that, there are over 100 locations to choose from. If you work for a foreign client or travel frequently, this is for you.
Open the file and click Options. Under the Calendar tab, you will find Add holidays to Calendar option. Click it to select countries. Don't select too many or your schedule will look too full. The web version of Calendar does not yet offer this option.
Click Display Settings under the Display tab.
Click Conditional Formatting.
This is where you can create new rules for how calendar events will be marked with different colors and when.
Rules for Calendar and Email will be different but are accessible from the same menu. So don't confuse the two and name them accordingly.
Microsoft Calendar lets you work with multiple calendars, which is really cool. You can create one for your work, one for home, and maybe a shared calendar. You can easily group these calendars together to avoid confusion.
In the web version of Calendar, click the menu icon next to My Calendars to create new calendars or group existing calendars. You can then move a calendar to different groups through the same menu.
In the desktop version, click Calendar Groups under the Home tab to create one.
Fly somewhere? Want to stay up to date on flight status? Allow Calendar to scan your inbox to collect the necessary information. In the web version, open Settings and select Calendar Events under the Calendar option. As you can see, the calendar will also look for other events such as reservations, rental cars, etc. to keep you informed.
In the desktop version, you'll need to visit Outlook.com and sign in using your Office 365 account to make the changes.
Whether you use Microsoft Calendar as part of the Office 365 suite or use the free version on the web, these tips will help you be more productive. Did we miss something? Do you know more tricks? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below.
Then: Using Outlook on iPhone? Here are 15 tips to get the most out of it and work like a pro.
