How to Forward a Meeting Invite in Google Calendar (2026)
Google Calendar doesn’t have a Forward button like Outlook does. The official path is to add the new attendee as a guest. There’s also a Gmail-based workaround that more closely resembles forwarding. Here’s how each works and when to use it.
1. The Recommended Path: Add the Guest
This is what Google considers “forwarding.”
- Open Google Calendar.
- Click the event in the grid.
- Click the pencil (Edit event) in the popover.
- In the right pane, find Guests.
- Type the new attendee’s email under Add guests and press Enter.
- Click Save.
- Choose Send in the “Send invitation emails?” dialog.
The new guest gets a calendar invite. Existing guests get an updated invite with the new attendee added.
2. Add Multiple Guests at Once
In the same Add guests field:
- Type each email separated by commas or spaces.
- Or paste a comma-separated list from another email.
- Press Enter after each (or after the whole list).
All emails register as separate guests. Save once.
3. The Gmail Forward Workaround
When you need to literally forward the original invite (preserves the .ics so the recipient can RSVP through Google’s machinery):
- Open Gmail.
- Find the original calendar invite email.
- Open it.
- Click the three-dot menu in the message header.
- Choose Forward.
- Send to the new recipient.
The .ics file stays attached. The recipient can click Yes/No/Maybe in the forwarded email and Google Calendar treats them as if they were invited directly.
Important caveat: if the event organizer has Guests can: Invite others turned off, the forwarded recipient gets the email but does NOT appear in the actual event guest list. They can show up to the meeting but no one else sees them on the invite.
4. iOS Calendar App
- Open the Calendar app.
- Tap the event.
- Tap the pencil (Edit).
- Tap Guests → Add people.
- Type email → tap Done.
- Save → Send.
5. Android Calendar App
- Open the Calendar app.
- Tap the event.
- Tap the pencil to edit.
- Tap Add people → type email → checkmark.
- Save → Send.
6. Email Guests (Different from Forwarding)
If you want to message current attendees but NOT add new ones:
- Open the event.
- Click the envelope icon next to the guest count.
- Type your message.
- Click Send.
This sends a plain email to the existing guest list. It does not invite anyone or change the event.
Workspace customers can also use the Chat with guests option (limited to events with under 200 guests).
7. The Guest Permissions That Matter
Three checkboxes in the event editor under Guest permissions control who can do what:
| Permission | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Modify event | Off | Lets attendees change time, title, description |
| Invite others | On (often) | Lets attendees add new guests |
| See guest list | On | Lets attendees see who else is invited |
If Invite others is unchecked, attendees see “The full guest list has been hidden at the organizer’s request” and cannot forward by adding guests. They can still try the Gmail forward workaround, but Google rejects the new attendee on the back end.
8. Allow Guests to Invite Others
If you’re the organizer and want to enable guest-driven forwarding:
- Open the event → pencil to edit.
- Find Guest permissions in the right pane.
- Tick Invite others.
- Save → Send.
Now attendees can add new guests themselves without going through you.
9. The Forwarded Recipient Can Change Your RSVP
A subtle gotcha: a recipient of a forwarded invite can sometimes change YOUR RSVP if they reply through the forwarded .ics. Google’s calendar engine matches the .ics back to the original event and updates whichever attendee’s email is in the From field.
Mitigation: when forwarding, don’t reply-to-self. Send fresh.
10. Resource Calendars (Rooms) Can’t Be Forwarded
Resources like meeting rooms can’t be added as guests via forward. To swap rooms:
- Edit the event.
- Remove the existing room from Guests or Rooms.
- Add a new room.
- Save → Send.
The original room booking is released; the new room is booked.
11. Workspace Tier Notes
- Email guests is universal across all tiers.
- Chat with guests inside an event is Workspace-only and capped at 200 guests.
- Admin policies (Calendar interop, external sharing restrictions) can silently strip externally added guests in regulated tenants. If a forwarded external attendee disappears from the guest list after Save, ask IT.
- Some orgs disable Invite others by default for compliance. Users can override on individual events unless the policy is locked.
12. Best Practices
- For internal team additions: just Add guests. Save → Send.
- For external recipients who need calendar context: Add guests if the organizer (you or someone else) allows it. Otherwise, Gmail forward.
- For “FYI” awareness without inviting: Email guests with a CC to the new person, or just send a regular email with the meeting link.
- For preserving the original invite text: Gmail forward keeps the original sender’s framing.
13. Quick Reference
| Goal | Path |
|---|---|
| Invite someone new (recommended) | Edit event → Add guests → Save → Send |
| Literal forward with .ics | Gmail → Forward |
| Message existing attendees | Event → envelope icon |
| Mobile: invite new guest | Edit → Guests → Add people |
| Allow attendees to forward | Guest permissions → Invite others |
| Swap a room | Remove old room → Add new room → Save |
If you’re constantly forwarding meetings to new attendees, Carly is an AI assistant that updates events and notifies guests in Gmail and Calendar — including handling cross-org attendees who can’t see your free/busy.
More on Google Calendar: How to cancel a meeting in Google Calendar · How to create a meeting poll in Google Calendar · How to find a time in Google Calendar · How to create a Google Meet link · Best AI personal assistants
Ready to automate your busywork?
Carly schedules, researches, and briefs you—so you can focus on what matters.
Get Carly Today →Or try our Free Group Scheduling Tool or Free Booking Page
