How To Show Holidays In Outlook

Outlook allows you to display public holidays from your region by adding an internet calendar subscription. If you’ve ever wondered how to show holidays in Outlook, this guide walks you through the process step by step. You’ll learn to add holidays for your country, manage multiple calendars, and troubleshoot common issues.

Holidays help you plan meetings, avoid scheduling conflicts, and stay aware of days off. Outlook makes it easy to import them, but the method differs slightly between versions. We cover Outlook for Windows, Mac, web, and mobile.

Why Add Holidays To Outlook

Adding holidays saves time and reduces errors. You don’t need to manually enter each date. The calendar automatically updates every year. You can also see holidays from different regions if you work with global teams.

Holidays appear as all-day events. They don’t block your time but show as busy by default. You can change this setting if needed. The feature works with both personal and work accounts.

This section covers the exact steps for each Outlook version. Follow the instructions that match your setup.

For Outlook On Windows (Microsoft 365, 2021, 2019, 2016)

Open Outlook and go to the File tab.
Click Options at the bottom of the left menu.
In the Outlook Options window, select Calendar.
Scroll down to the Calendar options section.
Click Add Holidays.
A dialog box appears with a list of countries/regions. Check the box next to your country.
Click OK and then OK again to close Options.
Go to your Calendar view. Holidays appear as all-day events with a small gift icon.

If you don’t see the Add Holidays button, your Outlook version might be older. Try updating to the latest release. You can also use the internet calendar subscription method described later.

For Outlook On Mac

Open Outlook for Mac.
Go to the Tools menu at the top.
Select Preferences.
Click Calendar.
Under Calendar options, check the box for Show holidays.
Click the Choose holidays button.
Select your country from the list.
Click OK and close Preferences.
Holidays appear in your calendar immediately.

Note: Mac version may not include all countries. If yours is missing, use the manual import method below.

For Outlook On The Web (Outlook.com Or Work Account)

Sign in to Outlook on the web (outlook.com or your organization’s portal).
Click the Settings gear icon in the top right.
Select View all Outlook settings at the bottom.
Go to Calendar > Holidays.
Check the box for your country or region.
Click Save.
Holidays appear in your calendar within a few minutes.

You can add multiple countries. Each set of holidays appears as a separate calendar in the left pane.

For Outlook Mobile (IOS And Android)

The mobile app doesn’t have a direct “add holidays” option. You need to add them on the desktop or web version first. They sync automatically to your mobile calendar.

If you use a personal iCloud or Google account, you can add public holiday calendars from those services. Then link them to Outlook.

Using Internet Calendar Subscriptions

Some countries or regions aren’t available in the built-in list. You can subscribe to an internet calendar that provides holidays. This method works for all Outlook versions.

Find a reliable source for holiday calendars. Many governments and organizations publish .ics files.
Copy the .ics link (URL) from the source.
In Outlook for Windows: Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings. Click the Internet Calendars tab. Click New. Paste the URL and follow prompts.
In Outlook on the web: Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Calendar > Shared calendars. Click Add a calendar > From internet. Paste the URL.
Name the calendar and click Save.

Subscribed calendars update automatically. You don’t need to re-add them each year.

Managing Holiday Calendars

Once you add holidays, you can customize how they appear.

Change Color Or Display Options

Right-click the holiday calendar in the left pane.
Select Color to change the event color.
Select Overlay to view holidays on top of your main calendar.
Uncheck the calendar to hide holidays temporarily.

Show Holidays As Free Or Tentative

By default, holidays show as “Busy.” To change this:

Open a holiday event (double-click it).
Change the Show as dropdown to Free or Tentative.
Click Save & Close.

This only changes one event. To apply to all holidays, you’d need to edit the calendar source. Some internet calendars let you choose the status.

Remove Holidays

In Windows: Go to File > Options > Calendar > Add Holidays. Uncheck the country and click OK. This removes all holiday events.
In Mac: Go to Tools > Preferences > Calendar. Uncheck Show holidays.
In web: Go to Settings > Calendar > Holidays. Uncheck the country and save.

Removing a holiday calendar deletes all its events. You can re-add them later.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes holidays don’t appear or behave oddly. Here are fixes for frequent problems.

Holidays Not Showing After Adding

Refresh your calendar view. Press F5 in Windows or swipe down on mobile.
Check the left pane. Ensure the holiday calendar is checked.
Wait a few minutes. Internet calendars can take time to sync.
Verify your internet connection. Some subscriptions require online access.

Wrong Holidays Or Missing Dates

You might have selected the wrong country. Re-add with the correct one.
Some holidays are regional (e.g., state holidays). Outlook only includes national holidays.
Update Outlook to the latest version. Older versions may have outdated holiday lists.

Duplicate Holiday Events

If you added holidays twice, you’ll see duplicates. Remove one set and keep only one. To remove duplicates:

Go to Calendar view.
Click the View tab (Windows) or Arrange (Mac).
Select Change View > List.
Sort by subject. Delete duplicate events manually.

This is tedious. Better to avoid duplicates by adding holidays only once.

Holidays Not Syncing To Mobile

Make sure your Outlook account is synced. Check the sync settings in your phone’s Settings app.
If you use a work account, your IT admin might block holiday calendars. Contact them.
For personal accounts, try removing and re-adding the account on your phone.

Alternative Methods To Show Holidays

If the built-in method doesn’t work, try these alternatives.

Manual Import From A File

Download a holiday .ics file from a trusted website (e.g., timeanddate.com).
In Outlook, go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
Choose Import an iCalendar (.ics) or vCalendar file.
Browse to the file and click OK.
Select Import to add events to your calendar.

This method doesn’t update automatically. You’ll need to import a new file each year.

Use Third-Party Add-Ins

Some add-ins provide holiday calendars. Search the Microsoft AppSource for “holidays.” Install one that fits your needs. Be cautious with permissions—only use reputable add-ins.

Create Your Own Holiday Calendar

If you need custom holidays (e.g., company days off), create a separate calendar in Outlook. Add events manually or import a list. Share it with your team.

In Calendar view, click Add Calendar (Windows) or the plus icon (web).
Select Create blank calendar.
Name it “Company Holidays.”
Add events by clicking a date and entering details.

This gives you full control but requires manual work.

Tips For Using Holidays Effectively

Combine holidays from multiple countries if you work internationally. Each appears as a separate calendar.
Use color coding to distinguish holidays from other events.
Share your holiday calendar with colleagues so everyone sees the same days off.
Set up automatic replies for holiday periods using Outlook rules.
Check holidays before scheduling meetings to avoid conflicts.

Remember that holidays are public. They don’t account for personal days or company-specific closures. Adjust your calendar accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add holidays for multiple countries at once?

Yes. In the Add Holidays dialog, check multiple countries. Each set appears as a separate calendar. You can toggle them on or off individually.

Why don’t I see the Add Holidays button in Outlook?

This button is only available in the desktop version for Windows. For Mac, web, or mobile, use the methods described above. If you’re on Windows and don’t see it, your Outlook might be a custom build or older version.

Do holidays update automatically each year?

Yes, for built-in holidays. Outlook updates them with new dates. For internet calendar subscriptions, the provider controls updates. Most update yearly.

Can I show holidays in Outlook without an internet connection?

Once added, holidays are stored locally. You can view them offline. But adding new holidays or syncing changes requires internet.

How do I remove a single holiday without deleting the whole calendar?

Open the holiday event and delete it. This only removes that one date. The rest remain. To restore it, you’d need to re-add the holiday calendar.

Final Thoughts

Now you know how to show holidays in Outlook across all versions. The process is simple once you find the right menu. Start with the built-in option for your country. If it’s not available, use an internet calendar subscription.

Managing holidays helps you stay organized and respect others’ time off. Take a few minutes to set it up. You’ll save hours of manual entry over the year.

If you run into issues, refer to the troubleshooting section. Most problems are easy to fix. And if all else fails, the manual import method works reliably.

We hope this guide made the process clear. Happy planning.