How to Import ICS into Outlook

Step-by-step guide to import your converted CSV events into Microsoft Outlook

📋 Choose Your Platform

This guide covers importing ICS files into both Outlook Web (outlook.com) and Outlook Desktop app.

🌐 Outlook Web (Recommended)

Use outlook.com in your browser - works on any device

💻 Outlook Desktop

Microsoft Outlook application (Windows/Mac)

Step 1: Convert Your CSV to ICS Format

First, you need to convert your CSV events to ICS calendar format using CalendarMap:

  1. Go to CalendarMap CSV to ICS Converter
  2. Upload your CSV file with events
  3. Map your CSV columns to calendar fields
  4. Download the generated ICS file

💡 Tip: Ensure your CSV has columns for event title and start date/time. CalendarMap automatically detects common headers like "Subject", "Title", "Start Time", "Date", etc.

Step 2: Open Outlook Calendar

🌐 Outlook Web (outlook.com)

  1. Go to outlook.com
  2. Sign in with your Microsoft account
  3. Click on "Calendar" in the left navigation or app switcher
  4. Wait for the calendar interface to load completely

💻 Outlook Desktop App

  1. Open the Microsoft Outlook application on your computer
  2. Navigate to the Calendar view (press Ctrl+2 or Cmd+2)
  3. Ensure you're connected to your Microsoft account

Step 3: Access Import Options

🌐 Outlook Web

  1. Look for "Add calendar" in the left sidebar
  2. Click the "+" icon or "Add calendar" button
  3. Select "Upload from file" from the dropdown options

💻 Outlook Desktop

  1. Go to File menu at the top
  2. Select "Open & Export"
  3. Choose "Import/Export" from the submenu
  4. Select "Import an iCalendar (.ics) or vCalendar file"

Step 4: Select Your ICS File

For Both Platforms:

  1. Click "Browse" or "Choose file" button
  2. Navigate to where you saved the ICS file (typically Downloads folder)
  3. Select your .ics file downloaded from CalendarMap
  4. Click "Open" to select the file

⚠️ File Location: If you can't find your ICS file, check your browser's default download location. The file should have a .ics extension and the name you chose when downloading from CalendarMap.

Step 5: Configure Import Settings

🌐 Outlook Web Options

  • • Calendar name: Enter a name for the imported calendar
  • • Color: Choose a color to distinguish imported events
  • • Import to: Select existing calendar or create new one

💻 Outlook Desktop Options

  • • Import options: Choose how to handle duplicates
  • • Calendar folder: Select destination calendar
  • • Event details: Preview imported events before confirming

💡 Recommendation: Create a new calendar specifically for imported events (e.g., "Imported Events" or "CSV Calendar") to keep them organized and separate from your regular calendar.

Step 6: Complete the Import

  1. Review your import settings and file selection
  2. Click "Import" or "OK" to start the import process
  3. Wait for Outlook to process your ICS file (this may take a few moments)
  4. You should see a confirmation message indicating successful import
  5. The message will typically show how many events were imported

🎉 Success! Your events are now imported into Outlook. Navigate to your calendar view to see the imported events on their scheduled dates.

✅ Verify Your Import

Check Your Events:

  • Navigate to the date range where your events should appear
  • Look for events in your newly created or selected calendar
  • Verify event details like titles, times, and descriptions
  • Check that time zones are displaying correctly

Calendar Visibility:

  • Ensure the imported calendar is checked/visible in your calendar list
  • You can toggle calendar visibility on/off in the left sidebar
  • Each calendar can have its own color for easy identification

🔧 Troubleshooting

Import failed or no events visible?

  • Verify the ICS file isn't corrupted - try re-downloading from CalendarMap
  • Check that the file has the correct .ics extension
  • Ensure the imported calendar is visible/checked in your calendar list
  • Look for events in different date ranges - they might be in the past or future

Events showing at wrong times?

  • Check your Outlook timezone settings (File > Options > Calendar > Time zones)
  • When creating the ICS file in CalendarMap, ensure correct timezone selection
  • Some events may need timezone adjustment after import

Duplicate events after import?

  • Outlook may not automatically detect duplicates during import
  • You can manually delete duplicate events or entire imported calendar
  • For future imports, consider creating a fresh calendar each time

Desktop app-specific issues?

  • Ensure Outlook is fully updated to the latest version
  • Try importing through Outlook Web first to isolate the issue
  • Restart Outlook after importing to refresh the calendar view

🔄 Alternative Import Methods

Double-click Method (Desktop)

On Windows, you can simply double-click your .ics file to open it directly in Outlook.

  1. Navigate to your downloaded ICS file in File Explorer
  2. Double-click the .ics file
  3. Outlook will open and prompt you to import the events
  4. Click "Import" to add events to your default calendar

Email Method

You can email the ICS file to yourself and import from the email attachment in Outlook.

🎯 What's Next?

  • • Mobile sync: Your imported events will automatically sync to Outlook mobile apps
  • • Meeting invitations: Convert imported events to meeting requests if needed
  • • Recurring events: Set up recurring patterns for repeating imported events
  • • Sharing: Share your imported calendar with colleagues or family members
  • • Need help with CSV conversion? Check out our complete CSV to ICS guide