How to Import ICS Calendar Files

How to use ICS calendar files in Google Calendar and Apple Calendar

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Updated on March 7, 2020

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Following the contents of multiple calendars is bound to lead to missed events. Avoid schedule confusion by importing your information from all your calendars to one application. Whatever the format or age of your calendar applications, there's a good chance that they can export your events and appointments in an ICS file. Most calendar applications — including Google Calendar and Apple Calendar — can import ICS files.

Information in this article applies to Apple Calendar and Google Calendar, but most calendars support the import of ICS files.

After you export your calendar entries as an ICS file with a .ics extension, you can import it into your preferred calendar. There, you can merge the entries with your existing calendar or have the events appear in a new calendar within the application you use.

Import ICS Calendar Files Into Google Calendar

Open Google Calendar at calendar.google.com.
Select the gear icon to the left of your profile image on the top of Google Calendar.
Choose Settings in the drop-down menu.
Select the Import & export option from the options on the left side of the screen.
Choose Import under Import & export. Choose the option called Select file from your computer in the Import section. Find and open the ICS file you want to use.
Select the calendar you want to import the ICS events to in the Add to calendar drop-down menu.
Choose Import.

To make a new calendar that you can use the ICS file with, go into Settings and choose Add calendar. Fill out the new calendar details and then finish making it with the CREATE CALENDAR button. Then, select that calendar during the Import process.

Import ICS Calendar Files in Apple Calendar

Like Google Calendar, Apple Calendar also makes it easy to import ICS files.

Open Calendar on your Mac. Click File on the menu bar and select Import from the drop-down menu.
Locate and highlight the desired ICS file and click Import.
Select the calendar to which you want the imported events added or select New Calendar to create a new calendar for the imported schedule.
Select OK.

All your calendar entries are now consolidated in the Apple Calendar application.

About the ICS File Format

The ICS file format is a universal calendar format used by calendar and email programs, including Outlook for Microsoft 365, Google Calendar, Yahoo Calendar, and Apple Calendar. ICS files are plain text files that contain information such as the title, time and attendees of meetings.

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