How To Create Ics File On Mac

We go through great lengths here at Event Wizard® to bring you features that make it easy to create and manage your event. One such feature is the ability to automatically create and include a downloadable calendar file, (.ics) that your registrants can add to just about any digital calendar app. While this is sufficient most of the time, you may find the need to customize and/or include extra event details in your calendar files, or just include a download link in your confirmation emails. This is where creating custom .ics files comes into play.

Getting Started

There are multiple ways to create .ics files in various applications and online services, but for this example we are going to cover the two most popular ones:

Outlook (Windows)

While this method varies slightly depending on which version of Outlook you're using, the basic process is as follows:

Start by creating an Appointment in Outlook by going to the Calendar panel and selecting "New Appointment".
Enter the event title, location, start/end date and times, time zone, and any other information you wish to include, then click Save.
With the new Appointment selected, click the File menu, then Save As.
In the "Save As" dialog, navigate to the desired folder, give it a file name, ensure "Calendar Format (*.ics)" is selected for the file type, and click the Save button.

iCal/Calendar (Mac)

The .ics creation process is much simpler in the Mac-native Calendar app:

Start by double-clicking the date in question.
Enter all the event's information in the popup, (title, location, time(s), etc.) and click anywhere outside of the popup to save the details.
Then, simply drag and drop the newly-created event on to your desktop to automatically create the .ics file.

Alternative Methods

If you don't happen to have a Mac or have Outlook on your PC, you can try one of the many online third-party .ics generators, such as:

https://ical.marudot.com/
https://jennamolby.com/tools/ics-link-generator/
http://www.icalmaker.com/

NOTE: Event Wizard® has no affiliation with the above sites. They are simply examples and are to be used at your own risk.

Using Your .ics File

Once you have your new .ics file, you'll need to upload it to My Files in Event Wizard® so you can reference this link later. You can use this download link in things like confirmation emails, site pages, or anywhere else you'd like to share it. This process has already been covered in another blog post, so in case you missed it, you can check it out here.

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Mike Schumann
Category : Event Wizard® & Event Wizard® Tips
Tagged : ,calendar, confirmation email, My Files