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.ICS·File Extension

ICS Data & Text — A .ics file is a ICS Data & Text. It is a text-based data format widely used for configuration files, data interchange and API payloads.

Data & Texttext/calendar

Quick facts

Extension.ics

File typeICS Data & Text

MIME typetext/calendar

CategoryData & Text

Charset—

Compressible—

What is .ics

What is a .ics file?

A .ics file is a ICS Data & Text. It is a text-based data format widely used for configuration files, data interchange and API payloads.

In the mime-db registry it maps to text/calendar. When serving .ics over HTTP, set the Content-Type header as shown in Developer info below.

Related entities: it maps to text/calendar and is used by iCalendar among others — and is delivered over HTTP via the Content-Type header.

How to open .ics files

Use VS Code or Notepad++ to open and edit .ics files.
Any text editor (Notepad, VS Code) can inspect the raw content as text.

Developer info

When served over HTTP, responses should set the following header:

Content-Type: text/calendar

Common software that reads/writes .ics:

VS CodeNotepad++Sublime Textjq

Relation chain

.icsextension of

format

ICS Data & Textserved as

mime type

text/calendarsent via header

http header

Related extensions

Related MIME types

Related programming languages

iCalendar

.ics .ical

Common uses

Configuration files
Data interchange between systems
API request and response payloads
Logs and data exports

How to edit .ics files

Open the file with VS Code, make your changes and save.
Most editors preserve the original formatting and encoding — avoid changing the charset.

How to create .ics files

Create a new file and save it with the .ics extension, or export this format from VS Code.

Frequently asked questions

What programs can open .ics files?

Common options include VS Code, Notepad++, Sublime Text. You can also open many of these files with built-in viewers or a browser.

How do I create a .ics file?

Create a new file in any text editor or the app that owns the format and save it with the .ics extension.

What is the relationship between .ics and the text/calendar MIME type?

text/calendar is the media type identifier used for .ics files during network transfer (for example in the HTTP Content-Type header).

Sources & standards

Updated 2026-08-18

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