Question 1

How do I create an ICS file?

Accepted Answer

Fill in the form at the top of this page: give the event a title, choose when it starts and ends, and add a location, a repeat or a reminder if you need them. Click "Download .ics file" and open the file to add the event to your calendar. To create many events at once, paste your text into the box under the form instead.

Question 2

Is the ICS generator free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The form is free, with no sign-up and no limit on how many files you make — the file is built in your browser. Turning pasted text, PDFs, images or spreadsheets into events uses AI; that comes with some free events, and more can be bought as credits.

Question 3

What is an ICS file?

Accepted Answer

An ICS file (iCalendar file) is a universal calendar format defined by RFC 5545. It stores event details like title, date, time, location, and description in a plain-text format that all major calendar applications can read and import. "ICS", "iCal" and "iCalendar" file all mean the same thing.

Question 4

Can I import ICS files into Google Calendar?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Download the generated .ics file, then go to Google Calendar → Settings → Import & Export → Import. Select the file, choose which calendar to add it to, and click Import. You can also open the .ics file directly and Google Calendar will prompt you to add the event.

Question 5

How do I create recurring events in ICS?

Accepted Answer

In the form, choose how often the event repeats — every day, week, month or year — and, if you like, the date it stops. The file is written with a repeat rule (RRULE), so the event repeats in your calendar. In the text box you can simply describe it, for example "Team standup every weekday at 9am".

Question 6

Which time zone does the file use?

Accepted Answer

The one chosen in the form, which starts as your device's time zone. A one-off event is saved in universal time (UTC), so it shows at the right moment in any calendar anywhere. A repeating event keeps its local time and carries its time zone, so it stays at the same hour when the clocks change.

Question 7

Can I add a reminder?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Choose a reminder in the form — at the start, or 10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour or a day before. It is saved in the file as an alert. Some calendar apps apply their own default reminders to imported events instead.

Question 8

What's the ICS file format?

Accepted Answer

The ICS format is a plain-text standard for calendar data. Each file starts with BEGIN:VCALENDAR, contains one or more VEVENT blocks with properties like DTSTART, DTEND, SUMMARY, and LOCATION, and ends with END:VCALENDAR. Our generator handles all the formatting automatically, and "See the .ics text" under the form shows you the result.

Free ICS File Generator

Or paste text and create many events at once

How to create an ICS file

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