How to Create "Add to Calendar" Links

Summary

For events, we often add “Add to Calendar” links to communications to enhance the registrant experience. Below details the steps to create the links for two platforms: Google Calendar and .ics calendar files, which are universal and will work with desktop versions of Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook and others.

Steps

For a single occurrence

For both .ics and Google:

1. Use a calendar link generator like Parcel
2. Populate the fields appropriately, selecting America/New York as the time zone. For virtual events, put the link to the event in the location and description. For in-person events, include the event location and address under location and address.
    
3. Scroll and copy the link for Google Calendar and click Download .ics. Use discretion when including other links for less popular platforms. Note: Outlook.com will not work for the desktop application and is not recommended.
4. The Google calendar link is ready to be used as is. The .ics file will need to be added to Google Drive to share with the audience. Instructions to create an automatic download link for the .ics file are below:
   • Upload the .ics file to Google Drive and give an appropriate name (ex: 2024-25_DIGIT-MI.ics)
   • Change the general access sharing permissions to “Anyone with the link” can view
     
   • Copy the share link and paste it into this generator. The conversion happens directly in your browser using a script and it’s not stored on the site. 
     • If this site ever stops working, this can also be done manually by taking the file ID, the part between /d/ and /view, and appending it to a direct download link: 
     • https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sz10Pkf7hw_3AaqdrEFVbdOuNGIQbTKZ/view?usp=sharing    https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1sz10Pkf7hw_3AaqdrEFVbdOuNGIQbTKZ
5. Use the links wherever needed.

For recurring meetings happening on the same date of the month, once per week, daily or annually (first of the month, Friday mornings, etc.):

For both .ics and Google:

1. Use a generator like Stripo, which has a recurring option, to generate a calendar link
2. Populate the fields selecting America/Toronto for the time zone. For virtual events, put the link to the event in the location and description. For in-person events, include the event location and address under location and address.
3. Under repeat, choose “Custom” and select the correct rate of recurrence and the correct end date
4. Scroll and copy the link for Google Calendar and click Download .ics. Use discretion when including other links for less popular platforms.
5. Follow the above instructions to share the link and create a .ics link that will automatically download

For recurring meetings happening on a specified day of the month (ex: the second Monday of the month, last Thursday of the month, etc.)

This requires a multi-step approach, using two generators to create individual links

For .ics only:

1. Use a generator like Marudot, which can create a recurring .ics file
2. Click + New. A popup will appear. Populate the fields accordingly. For virtual events, put the link to the event in the location and description. For in-person events, include the event location and address under location and address
    
3. Under Repeats, select the appropriate option
4. Click Export Events
5. Follow the above instructions to create an automatic download link

For Google Calendar only:

1. Use a calendar link generator like Parcel 
2. Populate the fields appropriately, selecting America/New York as the time zone. For virtual events, put the link to the event in the location and description. For in-person events, include the event location and address under location and address
    
3. Copy the Google Calendar URL and paste it in a text editing document (Google Docs, Word, Text Edit, etc.)
4. Use an RRule generator to create your parameters for repeating and an end date
5. Paste &recur=RRULE: to the end of the Google Calendar URL
6. After the colon, paste the RRule created by the RRule generator to end the URL
7. Use as needed

BONUS READ: The Anatomy of a Google Calendar URL

To better understand how to create these links, it can be helpful to understand what comprises a Google Calendar URL.

Below is a breakdown of a calendar URL for a recurring meeting:

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/render?action=TEMPLATE&dates=20240909T170000Z%2F20240909T180000Z&details=Thank%20you%20for%20registering%20for%20the%20DIGIT-MI%202024-25%20season.&location=https%3A%2F%2Fumich.zoom.us%2Fj%2F93118631357&text=DIGIT-MI&recur=RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=1;BYDAY=2MO;UNTIL=20250609T000000Z

1. Base URL for Google Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/

2. Tells Google to use the end of the URL as a template to populate a new event: render?action=template

3. Establishes the date of the first instance of the calendar event: &dates=20240909T170000Z%2F20240909T180000Z

4. The description/details of the event: &details=Thank%20you%20for%20registering%20for%20the%20DIGIT-MI%202024-25%20season.

5. The location of the event: &location=https%3A%2F%2Fumich.zoom.us%2Fj%2F93118631357

6. The name of the event: &text=DIGIT-MI

7. Recurrence and Recurrence Rule: &recur=RRULE:FREQ=MONTHLY;INTERVAL=1;BYDAY=2MO;UNTIL=20250609T000000Z

Resources

• Tools mentioned in this article:
  • Parcel Link Generator
  • Google Drive Direct Link Generator
  • Stripo Calendar Link Generator
  • Marudot iCal Link Maker
  • iCalendar.org RRule Tool
• Additional tools:
  • Calendar Link Generator
  • Event URL Generator
  • Calendar Link Generator
  • Open Tools Calendar Link Generator

About the Author

Sarah Acree is a Communications Specialist at the University of Michigan Eisenberg Family Depression Center. Sarah has worked across the non-profit sector helping organizations develop and execute strategic communications to engage with their desired audiences. At the Depression Center, she develops strategy, creates promotional materials for new and ongoing Center initiatives and standardizes communications processes to improve efficiency, effectiveness and autonomy.   |   |   |   |