Show Declined Meetings in Outlook Calendar: 2 Easy Solutions
Key Takeaway
How do you make Outlook show declined meetings in your calendar? In the classic Outlook version, a declined event won’t show in your calendar unless you accept it back from the ‘deleted’ folder. However, the new Outlook version has this feature. To activate this, open your Calendar and select the ‘View’ tab. Next, search for ‘Calendar Settings,’ navigate to ‘Calendar’ > ‘Events and invitations,’ and turn on ‘Show declined events on your calendar’.
Introduction
Microsoft Office 365 and its suite of integrated apps have revolutionized productivity in the professional sphere. Among these pocket aces, Outlook stands tall as a go-to email client and personal organizer. But wait, there’s more! With its robust calendar management capabilities, Outlook serves more than a bread-and-butter role in your daily professional routine. But how many of us truly understand the ins and outs of this dynamic tool? Specifically, today, we will zero in on one of the nerve-wracking questions: How to make Outlook show declined meetings? Don’t let your heartbeat run awry; we’ve got you covered!
As an Outlook user, you might also have the question: Can My Manager See My Outlook Calendar? Read this article that simplifies Outlook Calendar’s sharing and permissions.
Why Do You Need to Show Declined Meetings in Outlook Calendar
Most people want to remove declined meetings from the Outlook calendar, and that’s understandable. But why, on god’s green earth, would someone want to show declined meetings in Outlook calendar, you might ask? Well, it’s not as bonkers as it sounds! Life is unpredictable, and professional life is even more so. Plans change, priorities shift, and what was once a meeting you could not attend may suddenly become feasible. Having declined meetings visible on your calendar allows you to keep a tab on events you had initially dismissed but may now wish to revisit.
Moreover, let’s consider the scenario where you have accidentally declined meeting series in Outlook, leaving you aching for any trace of it. In light of such situations, the prospect of keeping declined meetings in your Outlook calendar could become quite appealing. This way, you can conveniently revisit and accept a previously declined meeting if the necessity arises.
How Do You Make Outlook Show Declined Meetings
Roll up your sleeves because we will dive right into the nitty-gritty! It might sound like a daunting task but worry not. It’s as easy as pie once you know your way around.
Keep Declined Meetings in Outlook Calendar New Version
In September 2022, Microsoft announced a revamped new version of Outlook. The new Outlook for Windows now has a feature that lets you retain a meeting invite on your calendar, even after turning it down. To activate this handy trait, here’s your quick guide:
- Start by heading to your Calendar, and click the ‘View’ tab. From there, you’ll want to choose ‘Calendar Settings.’
- In the subsequent ‘Settings‘ pop-up that appears, navigate over to ‘Calendar‘ and then ‘Events and invitations.’
- Next up, look for ‘Save declined events,’ and flick the switch on ‘Show declined events on your calendar.’
Voila! From then on, Outlook will show any declined meetings on your calendar, though they’ll be marked as ‘free’ time. Now that’s a feather in your cap!”
You might also be interested in a simple 6-step guide to creating and using Outlook calendar templates: set up your next meetings in no time.
Show Declined Meetings in Outlook 365 Classic Version
Let’s face the bitter truth. Currently, there is no way to show declined meetings in Outlook 365 Classic Version. Only the events marked as accepted or tentative earn a spot on your calendar vista. Declined events go straight to the deleted folder leaving your calendar slot free. Worry not if you’ve been shaking your head thinking, ‘This should be a feature!’. There’s a procedure to directly send feedback to Microsoft about new features you’d like to see. Over at the ‘How do I give feedback on Microsoft Office‘ section, you can let them know a thing or two about easing the complications of our professional lives.
Whoa, don’t hit the panic button just yet. Even if you’ve declined an event, there’s still a way to get it on your calendar. Microsoft offers the flexibility to change a response from declined to accepted in Outlook. The event then makes its way back to your Outlook calendar. Interested to know how would you do that? Stick around; we’ll cover this in the next section.
How to Accept a Declined Meeting in Outlook?
You’ve probably had a change of heart or did a double take on your schedule and want to hop back on that meeting you once dismissed. The question is – how do you do that? Boiled down, it’s a piece of cake – really!
- If the declined meeting request is still in your inbox, simply open the invitation and hit the ‘Accept’ button.
- If the declined meeting is not in your inbox, head to the ‘Deleted Items’ folder. The invitation is usually found there since Outlook automatically removes declined invites from the inbox.
- Found it? Great! Open the invite, click ‘Accept’, and you’re all set! The previously declined meeting is now accepted and shown in your Outlook calendar (and your time is booked as ‘busy’).
Step-by-step guide to make Outlook show declined meetings on Mac
Step 1: If you have declined a meeting in Outlook, it will not be shown in the calendar.
Step 2: First, accept it from the “Deleted items” folder.
Step 3: Now, it will appear in the calendar.
Step-by-step guide on how to accept a declined meeting on Outlook 365 web
Step 1: The classic Outlook doesn’t show a declined meeting in the calendar.
Step 2: Accept it from the “Deleted items” folder.
Step 3: Now, it will be shown in your calendar.
Step-by-step guide on how to accept and keep declined meetings in Outlook calendar on Windows
Step 1: Declined events go to the “Deleted Items” folder. So first, accept it from there.
Step 2: Now, it will be shown in your calendar.
Ever tried ‘Working Elsewhere’ status in Outlook? This guide on how to show Working Elsewhere in Outlook calendar and 4 ideal scenarios for its use will help you through.
A Few Common Issues and Their Solutions
Issue 1: Declined meeting still showing in calendar
When you decline a meeting in Outlook, it should be removed from your calendar by default. However, there could be a few reasons why a declined meeting might still appear on your calendar.
- Synchronization issue: It might be due to a synchronization issue with the Exchange server. A restart or re-sync may resolve this problem.
- Settings: The new Outlook has a feature to show declined meetings in the calendar. The feature is enabled from Calendar Settings > Calendar > Events and invitations and turning on ‘Show declined events on your calendar’. So, you need to turn off this option.
- System Glitch: Sometimes, a glitch in the system may cause this issue. A restart or updating of the Outlook application might help. If all the attempts fail, you can also contact Microsoft support.
Issue 2: Outlook declined meeting not in deleted items
When you decline a meeting invitation in Outlook, the meeting invitation is usually moved to the deleted folder. If you can’t find it there, it’s possible that it might have been entirely deleted from the deleted folder as well.
Conclusion
So there you have it! The seemingly labyrinthine concept of making Outlook show declined meetings isn’t as complex as it first appears. With a bit of practice, you’ll soon master using Outlook. Using its detailed features efficiently will greatly enhance your workflow. We hope this guide has shed some light on the practicality and process of handling declined meetings in Outlook. So don’t fret over missed opportunities or overbooked schedules – with Outlook, you can keep everything ship-shape and Bristol fashion. Remember, while technology can be challenging, it’s often as clear as a bell if you give it a chance. Happy organizing!
FAQs on Showing Declined Meetings in Outlook
Q1: Can you show declined meetings in Outlook?
Answer: You can show declined meetings in the new Outlook. First, open your Calendar and click on the ‘View’ tab. Look for something called ‘Calendar Settings.’ A ‘Settings’ window will pop up. In that, find ‘Calendar’ and go to ‘Events and invitations.’ Finally, find ‘Save declined events’ and turn on ‘Show declined events on your calendar.’ There you go; declined events will now stay on your calendar.
In the classic version of Outlook, there is no option to show a declined event in your calendar. But you can accept a previously declined event from the ‘deleted’ folder, and it will appear in your Outlook calendar.
Q2: How do I find Cancelled meetings in Outlook?
Answer: Finding canceled meetings in Outlook is similar to finding declined ones. Cancelled or declined events usually go to your mailbox’s ‘Deleted’ folder.
Q3: How do I decline a meeting in Outlook but keep it on my calendar?
Answer: In the classic version of Outlook, you cannot keep a declined event in your calendar. If you have declined an event but still want to keep it in your Outlook calendar, you must accept it first. Outlook generally moves declined meeting invites to the ‘Deleted’ folder. So, go to the ‘Deleted Items’ folder and hit ‘Accept.’ Now that the declined meeting is accepted, it will appear in your Outlook calendar, and the meeting time will show as ‘busy.’
However, in the new Outlook, you can show declined meetings in the calendar. First, open your Calendar and click on the ‘View’ tab. Look for something called ‘Calendar Settings.’ A ‘Settings’ window will pop up. In that, find ‘Calendar’ and go to ‘Events and invitations.’ Finally, find ‘Save declined events’ and turn on ‘Show declined events on your calendar.’ There you go; declined events will now stay on your calendar.
Q4: How do I change a response from declined to accepted in Outlook?
Answer: To change your response from declined to accepted, find the meeting request email in your mailbox’s ‘Deleted’ folder and click ‘Accept’. The status of the meeting should now be updated in your Outlook calendar.
Q5: How do I view declined meetings in Outlook 365?
Answer: Outlook generally moves declined meeting invites to the ‘Deleted’ folder. So, if you want to view the declined meetings in Outlook 365, check the ‘Deleted Items’ folder. If you want to show them on your calendar, ‘Accept’ the event. Now that the declined meeting is accepted, it will appear in your Outlook calendar, and the meeting time will show as ‘busy.’
Q6: How do I change the RSVP response in Outlook?
Answer: Changing the RSVP response in Outlook is fairly simple. Look for the meeting in your Outlook calendar and open it. Options to ‘Accept’, ‘Tentative’, or ‘Decline’ will pop up, choose the option that best suits you. But if the meeting was declined initially, you must search in the ‘Deleted’ folder, as Outlook generally moves declined meeting invites here. Then you can ‘Accept’ or ‘Tentatively accept’ the event as usual.
Q7: How do you propose a new time for a declined meeting in Outlook?
Answer: If you initially declined a meeting but have changed your mind to propose a new time for a declined meeting in Outlook, search in the ‘Deleted’ folder as Outlook generally moves declined meeting invites here. Then you can propose a new time for the declined meeting.
Q8: Can you change your acceptance status in Outlook?
Answer: Yes! To change your acceptance status, find the meeting in your Outlook calendar, click to open it, and there you’ll see options to ‘Accept’, ‘Tentative,’ or ‘Decline’. Simply select the response that suits your needs.
Q9: How to accept a declined meeting in Outlook 365?
Answer: Find the email with the meeting invitation in your mailbox’s ‘Deleted’ folder (Outlook generally moves declined meeting invites to the ‘Deleted’ folder) and click ‘Accept’. The meeting status will now show as accepted in your Outlook calendar.
Q10: How to show declined meetings in Outlook calendar?
Answer: You can show declined meetings in the new Outlook. First, open your Calendar and click on the ‘View’ tab. Look for something called ‘Calendar Settings.’ A ‘Settings’ window will pop up. In that, find ‘Calendar’ and go to ‘Events and invitations.’ Finally, find ‘Save declined events’ and turn on ‘Show declined events on your calendar.’ There you go; declined events will now stay on your calendar.
In the classic version of Outlook, there is no option to show a declined event in your calendar. But you can accept a previously declined event from the ‘deleted’ folder, which will appear in your Outlook calendar.
“Hey there, welcome to UplifeWay.com! I’m Rifat Hossain, a Microsoft 365 certified trainer with a background in Advanced Engineering Management. Currently, I’m navigating the tech landscape as the Digital Services Manager at Coats, providing a unique perspective on technology in the professional world.
My journey, fueled by a passion for helping others, has led to the creation of this blog. UplifeWay.com is your go-to source for mastering Microsoft Office applications and elevating your digital literacy. Join me on the exciting journey of smart productivity at UplifeWay.com – let’s explore the world of tech together!”
