You can transfer your events from a different calendar application or Google Account to Google Calendar.
When you import an event, guests and conference data for that event are not imported.
Step 1: Export events
You can export your events from most calendar applications, such Outlook Calendar or Apple Calendar.
- Open the calendar application where your events are currently stored.
- Tip: It's usually easier to do this task from a computer than from a mobile device.
- Find an option to Export.
- Choose a file format:
- If you can choose from different file formats, choose CSV.
- If you use an Apple device, choose vCard.
For more help, check your calendar application's help center or try to use the words “export calendar” in your search.
Your file is stored on your computer where your downloads are usually saved or in the place you chose when you exported.
- On a computer, sign in to the Google Account that you want to export from. You can only export from a computer, not a phone or tablet.
- To export your calendar, follow these steps.
- When you export your calendar, download an .ics file to your computer.
- Sign in to the Google Account where you want to import.
- To import your calendar, continue to “Create or edit .csv and iCal files before you import.”
Tip: Imported events don't stay in sync between your 2 accounts. If you want your calendars to sync, share your calendar with the other account.
Step 2: Import events into Google Calendar
After you export your events, you can import them into Google Calendar. You can import with ICS and CSV files on a computer.
- Open Google Calendar.
- In the top right, click Settings Settings.
- In the menu on the left, click Import & Export.
- Click Select file from your computer and select the file you exported. The file should end in ".ics" or ".csv."
- Choose which calendar to add the imported events to.
- By default, events are imported into your primary calendar.
- Click Import.
-
If you have a .zip file, find it on your computer and open it. You'll find .ics files for each of your calendars. Take the individual files out of the .zip file, and import each .ics file individually.
If you import repeat events from a .csv file, they might not show up that way. They'll be on your calendar as a series of one-time events.
Advanced: Create or edit .csv or iCal files before you import
You can import .csv (comma separated values) files into Google Calendar. If you get an error when you import a .csv file, you might be able to fix the formatting.
Open a .csv file or create one with a spreadsheet editor like Google Sheets.
The first row of your new spreadsheet includes headers like “Subject” and “Start Date.” To import into Google Calendar, the headers must be in English. For the correct headers you need to import into Calendar, go to the list below.
Each row below the header row represents an event. For example:
Subject |
Start date |
Start time |
---|---|---|
Final exam |
|
|
When you're done, save the file as a .csv file. Then, to import the file into Google Calendar, follow the steps in “Import events into Google Calendar.”
Format headers & events in .csv files
Important: The headers must be in English as shown in this article. If any event details have commas (like the location example given), you can include them with quotation marks around the text.
Subject
(Required) The name of the event
Example:Final exam
Start Date
(Required) The first day of the event
Example:05/30/2020
Start Time
The time the event begins
Example:10:00 AM
End Date
The last day of the event
Example:05/30/2020
End Time
The time the event ends
Example:1:00 PM
All Day Event
Whether the event is an all-day event.- If it’s an all-day event, enter
True
. - If it isn’t an all-day event, enter
False
.
Example:False
- If it’s an all-day event, enter
Description
Description or notes about the event
Example:"50 multiple choice questions and two essay questions"
Location
The location for the event
Example:"Columbia, Schermerhorn 614"
Private
Whether the event should be marked private.- If it’s private, enter
True
. - If it isn’t private, enter
False
.
Example:True
- If it’s private, enter
These examples would create the following event:
- Event: "Final exam" on May 30, 2020 10:00 AM–1:00 PM
- Location: "Columbia, Schermerhorn 614"
- Description: "50 multiple choice questions and two essay questions"
- Private: Private event
- With a text editor application that can save .ics files, open an .ics file or create one.
- Format your file with the guidelines below.
- You can export an .ics file from Google Calendar to use as an example.
- When you're done, save the file as an .ics file.
Format iCalendar files
The first line in an iCalendar file must always be the header BEGIN:VCALENDAR
. Other header information, such as VERSION:2.0
and "PRODID:<
{enter ID information here}>"
, must follow this header. The last line of the file must be the footer END:VCALENDAR
. Between these lines, enter all the events in the calendar. Each event must be between BEGIN:VEVENT
and END:VEVENT
lines.
If you must manually edit an iCalendar file, make sure that each file contains the header and footer. If you're not sure where your header ends, copy and paste the text until one line above BEGIN:VEVENT
. This location is where your header ends and your event data starts.
Here's what an iCalendar file looks like. An iCalendar file can also have more information, but these are the required parts.
BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:<
{enter ID information here} >
{Other header information}
BEGIN:VEVENT
{Event details}
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
{Event details}
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR