Google Calendar Import: ICS and CSV Files, Step by Step

Here's the catch. When you import an event, its guests and conference data aren't imported. You get the event, its time and its details, but not the invite list or the meeting link that came with it. Repeat events can change shape too: if you import them from a .csv file, they might show up as a series of one-time events, not a single repeating one.

What you can import, and what comes across

Question	Answer, as of October 2026
File types	.ics or .csv
Where you can import	On a computer
Which calendar it lands in	The one you choose; your primary calendar by default
A .zip export	Unzip it and import each calendar's .ics file one at a time
Guests and conference data	Not imported
Repeat events from a .csv	May arrive as separate one-time events

How to import an ICS or CSV file

First export your events as a file from the other calendar application, or from a different Google Account. Then:

1. Open Google Calendar on your computer.
2. In the top right, click Settings, then Settings again.
3. In the menu on the left, click Import & Export.
4. Click Select file from your computer and pick the file you exported. It should end in .ics or .csv.
5. Choose which calendar to add the imported events to.
6. Click Import.

If your export came as a .zip file, open it on your computer first. Inside you'll find an .ics file for each of your calendars. Take them out of the .zip and import each one on its own, picking the right destination calendar each time, so work and personal events don't end up mixed together.

Moving from one Google Account to another

This is where importing earns its keep. If you move to a new Google Account, Google's advice is to import your events into the new Google Calendar. The export from your old account is in iCalendar format and carries the event start and end time, the frequency data for recurring events, invitees and their response statuses, the event title, description and location where there is one, and the creation and last modification time. Meeting breakout configuration comes in a separate JSON file.

Two things to know before you close the old account. Deleting a Google Account also deletes all the calendars you own, so export or transfer anything you need first. And on a work or school account, some data might not be available for download. If you'd like the other direction, here's how to export a Google Calendar.

Imported to the wrong calendar? Move or copy events

An import is a one-off copy, so fixing a mistake means moving events afterwards. You can move an event you own to another calendar of yours:

1. On your computer, open Google Calendar and select the event.
2. At the top right, click Edit event.
3. Next to Calendar, click the Down arrow and choose the calendar you want.
4. Click Save.

To leave the original in place, use Options on the event and choose a calendar to copy it to, then click Save. A few limits apply. You can't transfer events with more than 200 guests to another owner or calendar. You can't transfer your primary calendar either; only secondary calendars, meaning ones you create or group calendars shared with you, can change owner. When you do hand a calendar or event to someone else, they get an email with a link and have 60 days to accept, and you stay the owner until they do.

Handing imported events to someone else

Sometimes the import is for a colleague's benefit, and the events should belong to them. For an event you own, Google lets you change the owner:

1. On your computer, open Google Calendar and select the event.
2. At the top right of the event, click Options, then Change owner.
3. Enter the new owner and a message to send them.
4. Click Change owner.

A whole secondary calendar can be handed over too, from Settings and sharing under the calendar's Options: next to the person under Shared with, open the drop-down and select Transfer ownership. Only the current owner can do it, and on work or school accounts the new owner must be in the same organisation. Once they accept, your own permission changes to Make changes and manage sharing. If any of the events carry a Google Meet link, Google notes that the video conferencing policies for that event are affected by the transfer too.

Import or sync: pick the right one

Importing copies events in once. Syncing keeps Google Calendar connected to another application, such as Outlook or Apple Calendar, and Google offers two ways to do it: sync your Google Calendar to view and edit, since some applications let you edit events, or get your calendar to view only, using its secret or public address. If you want the two calendars to stay in step, you're after a sync, and here's how to sync Outlook with Google Calendar.

My verdict on importing into Google Calendar

I'd import when you're moving: a new Google Account, a calendar app you're leaving, or a one-off batch of events someone sent you as a file. Make a fresh calendar to import into, not your primary one, so a bad file is easy to tidy up. Skip importing if you need guests, meeting links or ongoing updates to come across, because they won't; a sync or a shared calendar is the better fit there.

Frequently asked questions

What file types can Google Calendar import?

Google Calendar imports .ics and .csv files on a computer.

Why are guests missing from my imported events?

When you import an event, guests and conference data for that event aren't imported. Only the event itself comes across.

Which calendar do imported events go into?

You choose the calendar during the import. If you don't change it, events are imported into your primary calendar.

How do I import a .zip file into Google Calendar?

Open the .zip on your computer, take out the .ics file for each calendar, and import each .ics file individually.

Why did my repeating events import as single events?

If you import repeat events from a .csv file, they might show up as a series of one-time events instead of a repeating event.