How to Import ICS to Office 365 Account in Easy Steps

Handling scheduled meetings and projects is perplexing enough in an already messy calendar. For example, when working with project stakeholders, you may use Google Calendar, use Apple Calendar for meeting invites, and manage team meetings in M365. With this, you can end up with a complex schedule. Hence, you need to import ICS to Office 365 to avoid missing events and organize all your schedules and meets. This guide provides some manual solutions and an ICS Converter for efficient import with a new way to look at it.

Import ICS File to Office 365: Overlooked Challenges

Most blogs state “ICS files are useful to transfer events”, but what they leave out is that ICS files can be less reliable than they appear. Depending on what platform you use to generate the ICS file from (Google, iCal, Thunderbird, etc.), there could be:

  • Missing detail (attendees, reminders).
  • Time zone issues resulting in events being off by hours in Outlook.
  • Duplicated events when imported multiple times.
  • Potential for group calendar conflicts when you import shared ICSs without regard for the shared organizational policy between M365.

Being aware of these hidden issues before the import process will streamline the migration and prevent potential scheduling issues.

User Query:

“I exported my Apple Calendar as an ICS file. But when I imported it into Office 365, duplicates were created, and a few didn’t show up at all. How can I import them correctly without losing data?”

This is a common concern for every user migrating from other calendars to Office 365. Let’s find the methods that can help with an easy, quick, and swift import.

Standard Methods to Free Import ICS to Office 365

There are three manual methods that are suited for this import. It involves the use of the Office 365 native email application, i.e., Outlook, too. Below you can find the detailed steps for these methods.

Note: If you want to test the handling of ICS across all platforms, go through the process to import ICS to Google Calendar. You can do it before migrating everything to Microsoft 365 for cross-reference.

Method 1: Web Import ICS to Microsoft 365 Calendar

  1. Log in to your Outlook on the web (OWA).
  2. Then, go to the Calendar section by pressing the icon.
  3. Further, select Add Calendar –> From file.
  4. Next, browse and locate the ICS file from your PC (Mac/Windows).
  5. Choose a calendar (existing or new) to import events.
  6. Finally, click Import.

Method 2: Import ICS to Outlook Desktop (Office 365 Account)

  1. Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer.
  2. After that, navigate to Open and Export in File –> Import/Export.
  3. Then, select Import an iCalendar (.ics) or vCalendar (.vcs). Tap Next.
  4. Later, locate and select the ICS file on your computer.
  5. Click on Import >> Yes so the events get imported to O365.

Method 3: Import ICS to Office 365 Group Calendar

  1. From Outlook, access the Office 365 Group Calendar.
  2. Next, use the Add Calendar –> From File option.
  3. Further, browse and import the ICS file.
  4. Events are now visible in the shared Group calendar for all members.

Do You Know?

There is even an alternative process to import ICS file to Office 365, suited for manual bulk imports. The steps for it are:

  1. Once you import ICS, use the Import/Export wizard to export the same data in PST format.
  2. Pick up Export to a File and subsequently, PST as your saving format.
  3. Later, browse a destination and save your PST on the system for bulk calendars.
  4. Click Finish to end. At last, import PST to Office 365.

Why are the Manual Methods not Enough?

There are various reasons why manual methods are not feasible in all situations and fall short. You can get to know about it by:

  • There are many processes, but all of them are tricky and take time.
  • All the methods have a chance of losing the data during the import.
  • These methods have no customization or duplicate removal option.
  • Users must be aware of the Outlook technicalities to do the import.

Advanced Method to Import ICS to Office 365

Manual imports work, but fail when importing ICS files with large file sizes from multiple sources. Or those with recurring schedules and large attachments. SysInfo ICS Converter here offers dedicated features to:

  • Bulk migrate ICS to Office 365.
  • Automatically deal with time zones and recurring events.
  • No risk of data loss or duplication of events.
  • Reliable syncs for shared and group calendars.
  • No need for Outlook installation and availability of smart features.

Tip: These are particularly helpful to enterprise teams that manage a wealth of shared schedules.

Import ICS to Microsoft 365 Calendar-Fast Procedure

  1. Initially, begin with the ICS File Converter Software.
  2. Then, click on either Select File or Select Folder and accordingly, add ICS.
  3. After that, tap Next and verify the files and folders you choose for the import.
  4. Click Next and opt for the Office 365 platform from the menu.
  5. Then, complete the sign-in and get back to the tool to select filters.
  6. In the end, tap Convert to complete your process to import ICS to O365 group calendar or others.

Conclusion

Import ICS to Office 365 from even the simplest manual method can lead to errors. Bringing together all your multiple schedules in one place is more than simply ease of planning. It allows teams to easily collaborate without confusion because all the schedules are in the Office 365 suite. If you regularly move between multiple platforms, then using the professional tool could lead to very successful outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is an ICS file?

Ans- ICS (Internet Calendar and Scheduling) File is the standard for calendars. It contains details of all the events, schedules, meetings, and more. This file format is supported by almost all calendars, like Outlook, Google, Apple Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, etc.

Q. Which method do you consider best to move calendar from ICS profiles to Outlook 365?

Ans- The best way is to use the ICS Import Tool. It has simple and easy-to-use steps with an intuitive interface. Moreover, bulk imports with no loss are possible within some time.

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About The Author:

Suman Rawat is a technical content writer and expert in the fields of email migration, data recovery, and email backup. Her passion for helping people has led her to resolve many user queries related to data conversion and cloud backup.

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