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Add a birthday calendar and reminder in Outlook

Birthday calendars are only available in new Outlook and web-browser versions of Outlook such as Outlook.com or Outlook on the web. In classic Outlook, reminders are added by default when you add a birthday or anniversary to your Outlook contact. 

If you're using new Outlook for Windows, Outlook.com, or Outlook on the web, follow the steps under the New Outlook tab. If you're using the desktop version of Outlook, select the Classic Outlook tab.

You can add a birthday calendar in Outlook. The birthday calendar uses the information in your contacts to help you keep track of birthdays.

Note: If the steps under this New Outlook tab aren't working for you, you may not be using new Outlook for Window, or the web versions of Outlook such as Outlook.com or Outlook on the web. Select Classic Outlook and follow those steps instead.

Add a birthday calendar

Before you can view birthdays, you need to add the birthday calendar. When you add the birthday calendar, events will be created for any birthdays already included in your contacts.

Note: It might take a few hours after adding the birthday calendar for birthdays from your contacts to be added to the calendar.

  1. Select the Add calendar button in the left pane of the calendar. 
    ...

  2. From the Add calendar pane, select Birthdays

  3. Under Birthdays, select or confirm the account you want to add the birthday calendar to. 

  4. Select Turn on the birthday calendar

To view the birthday calendar 

After adding the birthday calendar, you can add it to your active calendars.

  1. From the Navigation pane, select  CalendarCalendar to open the calendar view.

  2. In the left pane, select My calendars > Birthdays. When this is selected, any birthdays 

Manage birthdays

The birthday calendar is connected to your contacts in People.

  • If you add a birthday to an existing contact, the birthday will be added to your calendar.

  • When you add a birthday in Calendar, you’re adding a new contact.

Add a birthday to an existing contact

  1. From the Navigation pane, select Outlook.com People icon People.

  2. Find the contact you want to add a birthday to.

  3. Right-click the contact and select Edit.

  4. Scroll down the contact page, select Add others > Birthday.

  5. Enter the birthday and select Save.

Note: There might be a few minutes delay before the birthday is added to the birthday calendar.

Add a birthday through the birthday calendar

Adding a birthday directly to the birthday calendar will also create a new contact.

  1. From the Navigation pane select  CalendarCalendar.

  2. In the left pane, right-click the Birthday calendar from the account where you want and select New birthday.

  3. A new contact form will open.

    Enter the person's name and birth date, and select Create.

Note: There might be a few minutes delay before the birthday is added to the birthday calendar.

Edit the reminder for a birthday event 

Note: Birthday events have a default reminder of 6:00 AM the day before the birthday.

  1. From the Navigation pane select  CalendarCalendar.

  2. In the calendar, find and double-click the birthday you want to edit.

  3. In the Options group, select a reminder time from the Remind me dropdown list. Close the event window. Outlook automatically saves your changes.

Edit the contact associated with a birthday event

  1. At the bottom of the page, select Calendar to go to Calendar.

  2. In the Birthday calendar, select the birthday you want to edit, and then select Edit.

  3. Make the changes you want, then select Save.

Delete a birthday event

  1. At the bottom of the page, select Calendar to go to Calendar.

  2. In the Birthday calendar, select the birthday you want to remove, and then select Delete.

    Note: Deleting the birthday will remove the event from your calendar, but it will not delete the contact.

Birthdays and anniversaries can be tracked for each Outlook contact and are saved as all-day annually recurring events which appear in the calendar and To-Do Bar.

Enter a birthday or anniversary in People

  1. If this is an existing contact, from  Outlook.com People icon People, select a contact from the Contact list pane. Right-click and select Edit Contact. For a new contact, from the New group, select New Contact.

  2. On the Contact tab, in the Show group, select Details.

    Screenshot of Details icon to enter additional contact information.

  3. Enter the date in the Birthday or Anniversary box.

    Screenshot of Details view on contact card to add a birthday or anniversary

Reminders for birthdays and anniversaries

By default, Outlook's reminder for all-day events is set for 15 minutes before the event starts. This means that the reminder will display 15 minutes before the start of the calendar day, or 15 minutes before midnight.

If you want reminders for birthdays and anniversaries further in advance, open the series on your calendar and change the reminder time.

  1. In Calendar, press CTRL+G to jump to a specific date in your calendar. Then enter the date of the birthday or anniversary you want to change.

    The birthday or anniversary appears at the top of the calendar grid for the specified day.

  2. Double-click the birthday or anniversary to open the Open Recurring Item dialog box.

  3. Click Open the series, and then click OK.

  4. On the Recurring Event tab, in the Options group, change the Reminder time.

    You can click a reminder time of up to two weeks in advance of the event.

  5. Click Save & Close.

Learn more

Congratulate friends, family and co-workers with a birthday or anniversary template!

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