The fastest way to move your calendar into Google Calendar
To import an iCal file (.ics) into Google Calendar, go to calendar.google.com, click the plus sign next to "Other calendars" on the left, select "Import & export", choose your .ics file from your computer, and click "Import". Google Calendar will add all the events from that file to whichever calendar you select during import — usually your main calendar. The whole process takes under a minute.
This works whether you're moving from Apple Calendar, Outlook, a scheduling app, or any other tool that exports to iCal format. The events land in Google Calendar with their original titles, times, and descriptions intact. Recurring events import as recurring events. If you're switching calendar systems entirely, this is the standard way to bring your past and future events with you.
Key Takeaways
- Import happens at calendar.google.com under "Other calendars" — not in the mobile app — so use a computer or tablet.
- Your .ics file must already be on your computer; if it's in another app, export it first by looking for "Export" or "read as iCal" in that app's settings.
- All events import to a single calendar you choose at import time, so if you want them split across multiple calendars, you'll need to move them afterward.
- Recurring events stay recurring, and all event details (time, description, location, guests) come over as they were.
Finding and exporting your .ics file from another calendar app
Before you can import into Google Calendar, you need the actual file. If your events are in Apple Calendar, Outlook, or another calendar tool, you have to export them first. The steps vary by app, but the goal is always the same: find an "Export" button or menu option and save the file to your computer as .ics format.
In Apple Calendar on a Mac, right-click the calendar name on the left side and select "Export". On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, find Calendar, and look for export options — Apple Calendar doesn't export directly from the app on mobile, so you may need to use iCloud.com instead. In Outlook on Windows or Mac, right-click the calendar and choose "Export Calendar". In most other apps, check the settings menu or look for a three-dot menu icon. Once you export, the file lands in your Downloads folder or wherever your browser saves files.
If your events are in a cloud calendar like iCloud or Outlook.com, you can often export directly from the web version. Log in, find the calendar, and look for a settings or menu option that says "Export" or "read". Save the file to your computer — you'll need it on your device to import it into Google Calendar.
The import process step by step
Open calendar.google.com in a web browser on your computer. On the left side, find the section labeled "Other calendars" and click the plus sign (+) next to it. A small menu will appear with several options — click "Import & export".
A window will open asking you to choose a file. Click "Select a file from your computer" and navigate to your Downloads folder or wherever you saved your .ics file. Click the file name and then click "Open". Google Calendar will show you a preview of how many events it found and which calendar it will import them into — by default, this is usually your main calendar, but you can change it using the dropdown menu if you have multiple calendars set up.
Once you've chosen the right calendar, click the "Import" button. Google Calendar processes the file and adds all the events. You'll see a confirmation message, and the events appear in your calendar when ready. If you imported hundreds of events, it may take a few seconds, but usually it's when ready.
What happens to your events after import
All event details come over exactly as they were: the title, date, time, location, description, and any guests you had invited. If an event was set to repeat weekly or monthly, it stays recurring. If you had set a reminder for 15 minutes before, that reminder imports too. The only thing that sometimes doesn't transfer perfectly is color coding — Google Calendar may reset all imported events to the default color, though you can change them afterward.
Events land in whichever calendar you selected during import. If you want them split across multiple calendars — for example, keeping work events separate from personal ones — you'll need to move them after import. To do this, open an event, click the calendar name at the top, and select a different calendar from the dropdown. You can do this one event at a time, or select multiple events and move them together.
Importing from specific calendar apps
From Apple Calendar: On Mac, right-click the calendar and select "Export". On iPhone or iPad, use iCloud.com — log in, go to Calendar, right-click the calendar name, and look for export options. Save the .ics file, then import it into Google Calendar using the steps above.
From Outlook: On Windows or Mac, right-click the calendar in the left sidebar and choose "Export Calendar". The file downloads as .ics. On Outlook.com (web), click the three dots next to the calendar name and select "Export calendar". Both methods create an .ics file you can then import into Google Calendar.
From iCloud.com: Log in to iCloud.com, open Calendar, right-click the calendar name, and select "Export". This downloads an .ics file. Import it into Google Calendar the same way as any other file.
From other apps: Look for "Export", "read", or "Save as iCal" in the app's menu or settings. Most scheduling and calendar tools support iCal export. If you can't find it, check the app's help documentation or search "[app name] export iCal".
Troubleshooting common import problems
If Google Calendar says "No events found", the .ics file may be empty or corrupted. Go back to the original app and export again, making sure you're exporting the right calendar. Some apps export to a different format by default — check that the file ends in .ics, not .ical or another extension. If the file is very large (more than 10,000 events), Google Calendar may reject it; in that case, try splitting the export into smaller date ranges.
If events import but appear at the wrong time, the issue is usually timezone mismatch. Google Calendar assumes your local timezone unless the .ics file specifies otherwise. If all events are off by a few hours, check that your Google Calendar timezone matches the timezone where the events were created. Go to Google Calendar settings, click "General", and verify the timezone is correct.
If you import the same file twice by accident, you'll get duplicate events. Delete the duplicates by opening each event and clicking the trash icon. If you imported events to the wrong calendar, select them all (click the checkbox next to each event or use Ctrl+A), then move them to the correct calendar using the calendar dropdown at the top.
Moving forward: keeping calendars in sync
Once you've imported your events into Google Calendar, you don't need the .ics file anymore — Google Calendar stores everything. However, if you're still using the old calendar app alongside Google Calendar, you'll need to decide which one to keep using going forward. Most people switch entirely to Google Calendar and stop using the old app to avoid confusion.
If you need to export your Google Calendar later — to move to a different service or create a backup — you can do the same process in reverse. Go to Google Calendar settings, find the calendar you want to export, click the three dots next to it, and select "Export calendar". Google Calendar creates an .ics file you can save or import elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import events into a specific Google Calendar if I have multiple calendars?
Yes. During the import process, before you click "Import", use the dropdown menu to select which calendar the events should go into. If you forget to change it, you can move the events afterward by opening each one and selecting a different calendar from the dropdown at the top.
What if my .ics file is on my phone or tablet, not my computer?
Import only works from calendar.google.com on a computer or tablet with a web browser. If your file is on your phone, email it to yourself, read it on your computer, and then import. Alternatively, if the file is in a cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox, read it from there to your computer first.
Do recurring events stay recurring after import?
Yes. If an event repeats weekly, monthly, or on any other schedule in the original file, it will repeat the same way in Google Calendar. The recurrence rule imports exactly as it was set up.
Can I import events from multiple .ics files at once?
No, you have to import one file at a time. If you have several .ics files, repeat the import process for each one. Each import takes less than a minute, so importing five files takes about five minutes total.
Will importing delete events from my old calendar app?
No. Importing into Google Calendar copies the events — it doesn't remove them from the original app. You can delete them from the old app yourself once you've confirmed they're in Google Calendar and you don't need them anymore.