iCalendar is a computer file format which allows Internet users to send meeting requests and tasks to other Internet users, via email, or sharing files with an extension of .ics. Although Windows Phone 8 supports meeting requests and calendar appointments sent by Exchange (and compatible systems), .ics format used by Google Calendar is not supported out of the box.
But thanks to some great developers in the Windows Phone store who have third party apps which supports .ics format on Windows Phone 8. In this article, we will cover the two best apps to import and view .ics files in Windows Phone 8.
1. Add to Calendar:
This is one of the most popular and best app to import .ics format to Windows Phone. The app can open .ics files from your email or browser and copy them to your calendar. The app does not feature an interface (except for about page), but if you try to open an .ics file from the email app or IE then the app opens to adds it to your calendar. Add to Calendar will be automatically launched if you try to open a .ics file from your email or download one via your browser.
2. iCalendar Import:
This is yet another app which imports iCalendar events into your Windows Phone calendar. It supports .ics files in Internet Explorer, Email, Bluetooth and the Office hub. Using this app, you wont have issues opening .ics formats on your Windows Phone 8. The main issue with this app is that it is import only, which means if the meeting details change your calendar, it will not be automatically updated and also the calendar appointment will have no information about attendees.
What a shame that Microsoft does not provide any means to open the ics file from the phone internal disk.