What is a .ICS file?
ICS is an iCalendar event or calendar. Opened by Google Calendar, Outlook and Apple Calendar.
- Did you know
- iCalendar (RFC 5545) is the standard behind the calendar invites apps send each other.
- iCalendar was created in 1998 by an IETF working group, authored by Frank Dawson of Lotus and Derik Stenerson of Microsoft.
- It descends from the earlier vCalendar (.vcs) format, and its current definition is RFC 5545, which superseded RFC 2445 in 2009.
- What Analyser reads
- Open personal-information files: iCalendar .ics/.ical and .vcs (events, times, recurrence, organiser/attendees), vCard .vcf contacts (fields + inline base64 photo), LDIF directory exports and Windows .contact - with Outlook .msg/.pst, IBM Notes .nsf, Exchange .edb and Outlook Express .dbx identified. Email messages (.eml/.emlx/.mbox) now open in a full viewer - see Email above.
- Depth of analysis
- .ICS is an identification-grade format: Analyser recognises it from its bytes and decodes the header metadata it carries, rather than opening it in a full viewer. Formats that do get a full viewer are marked "Full" on the formats page.
- Open a .ICS file
- Drag a .ICS file onto the Analyser home page (or tap to pick one). It is identified entirely in your browser - nothing is uploaded, there is no account, and it works offline once installed.