Time zone issue in Outlook email

Question

Time zone issue in Outlook email

Jeanine 0

Hi, I tried to save an event to my Outlook calendar and I noticed that the time zone is not captured by Outlook calendar. I reviewed the helpsite https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/manage-time-zone-settings-in-outlook-65239869-12e7-4a9d-bca1-76b0ad7ce273 but it did not fix the issue.

I see that there are multiple feedback by other people on the time zone issue. Will Microsoft fix this issue? Thanks.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Kal-D 7,175 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Jeanine,

Thanks for flagging this. I know time zone issues with calendar events can be especially frustrating. In Outlook.com on the web, this can sometimes occur when events are created using the Quick Add pop‑up, as it may not always capture all time zone information correctly.

What you can try:

Use the full editor: Create the event > select More options (full editor) > confirm the time and time zone (if shown) > Save. The quick add window can occasionally miss certain event details, including time zone.
Refresh the calendar time zone setting: Go to Settings (gear) > Calendar > View > Time zones. Save your current time zone, temporarily switch to a different one and save, then switch back and save again. This can help re‑apply the time zone setting at the account level.
If the issue persists, testing in an InPrivate/Incognito browser window can help rule out extensions or cached site data affecting event creation.

Regarding whether Microsoft will fix this: Submitting feedback directly from Outlook.com via Help > Feedback, along with the steps to reproduce and your browser details, is the best way to ensure it reaches the product team.

If you can share whether the time zone is missing at creation or changes after saving, and which browser you’re using then I can help narrow down the most likely next step.

Please let me know if this proves useful to you, or if you would like further assistance.

I'm looking forward to your reply.

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Jeanine 0 Reputation points

2026-03-12T08:38:22.5433333+00:00
Thank you for your reply. I tested this further and noticed the following behavior:

When I manually import the .ics file using the Import function in Outlook Web or the Outlook app, the calendar reflects the correct time.

However, when I double‑click the .ics file directly (which opens the Outlook app in a pop‑up window), the time does not display correctly.

Could you please confirm whether this aligns with what you are seeing on your side?

Additionally, does this mean that only the “Import” function in Outlook Web/Outlook App correctly interprets the event time?

Or is there any indication that the .ics file itself requires modification to work correctly when opened by double‑click the .ics file?
Kal-D 7,175 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-12T22:03:12.9833333+00:00
Hi Jeanine,

Does this align with what we see?

Yes, that pattern can happen. Outlook uses different parsing paths for Import versus opening an .ics file by double‑clicking, and the quick add / pop‑up flow can interpret time zone data differently. This is especially noticeable if the ICS uses a TZID that Outlook can’t map cleanly, or if the event time is “floating” without a clear time zone.

Does it mean only Import interprets it correctly?

Not strictly, but it does suggest that Import is the more reliable path for this particular file, since it processes time zone information more completely. The double‑click experience is more lightweight and can be less consistent with certain ICS formats.

Does the .ics need modification?

Possibly. For example:

DTSTART / DTEND without Z (UTC) and without TZID=... can be treated as local time differently depending on how the file is opened.

A non‑standard TZID or one that isn’t paired with a valid VTIMEZONE block may be handled inconsistently between import and open.

A common compatibility improvement is to use UTC times (with Z) or ensure TZID=... is paired with a valid VTIMEZONE definition.

Next step (to confirm which case applies): Could you paste just the lines for:

DTSTART

DTEND

And let me know whether the file contains a VTIMEZONE section (yes/no)?

With that, we can tell whether the ICS needs a small adjustment or whether continuing to use Import is the most consistent approach for this file.

Please let me know if this proves useful to you, or if you would like further assistance.

I'm looking forward to your reply.
Jeanine 0 Reputation points

2026-03-13T05:53:50.8333333+00:00

Thank you for your reply. I performed additional testing and identified a consistent pattern related to the handling of .ics files in Outlook.

1. Outlook desktop app (double‑click on the .ics file or using the Import function)

When opening or importing the .ics file directly through the Outlook desktop app, the appointment does not reflect the correct time.

2. Outlook Web (Import function)

When importing the same .ics file through Outlook Web, the appointment shows the correct time.

3. Observation on Daylight Saving Time (+1 hour)

I also noticed that this issue in the Outlook desktop app occurs after the +1 hour Daylight Saving Time change.

I have verified that my Outlook desktop app is fully up to date and the time zone setting are correct in my Outlook desktop app.

Because Outlook Web processes the .ics file correctly while the Outlook desktop app does not, could this be a potential bug in the Outlook desktop app?

Thank you.
Kal-D 7,175 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-15T21:53:48.2133333+00:00
Hi Jeanine,

Your testing does strongly suggest a difference in how Outlook desktop and Outlook on the web interpret the same .ics file, particularly around DST boundaries.

In other words, the file itself isn’t changing, but it’s being parsed differently by the desktop client versus the web import pipeline. Daylight Saving Time transitions are a very common point where those differences surface.

What’s most likely happening

This typically comes down to how time information is defined inside the .ics file, for example:

The event uses a TZID that Outlook desktop doesn’t map cleanly, or

The event time is effectively “floating” (no trailing Z and no TZID=), so Outlook desktop applies local/DST rules differently, or

The file includes a TZID= but no compatible VTIMEZONE, which can result in a one‑hour shift around DST.

Outlook on the web often “normalizes” these cases during import, which is why the same file can appear correct there even when desktop shows a DST offset.

What this means for next steps

Best immediate path

If you need a consistent result right now, your testing supports using Outlook on the web > Import as the more reliable path for this particular .ics file, especially around DST transitions.

Most reliable long‑term fix (if you control the ICS generation)

Ask whoever or whatever system generates the .ics to output either:

UTC times (DTSTART / DTEND ending in Z), or

A TZID= with a proper, compatible VTIMEZONE definition that Outlook desktop can interpret consistently.

Quick confirmation (optional) If you’re able to paste just the following from the .ics (with anything sensitive removed):

DTSTART...

DTEND...

Any TZID=...

Whether a VTIMEZONE section is present (yes/no)

I can tell you whether the file likely needs UTC timestamps or a VTIMEZONE/TZID adjustment.

Please let me know if this proves useful to you, or if you would like further assistance.

I'm looking forward to your reply.
Kal-D 7,175 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-16T21:56:03.59+00:00

Hi Jeanine,

I am writing to see how things are going with this issue.

If there’s anything else I can assist you with or if you need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to let me know, I’m here to help.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Answer 2

Outlook supports capturing and displaying time zones for calendar events, including in Outlook on the web and Outlook.com, and provides options to configure primary and additional time zones.

For Outlook on the web or Outlook.com, time zone behavior is controlled by the calendar time zone settings:

Open Settings.
Select Calendar > View.
Under Time zones, use Display my calendar in time zone to choose the time zone the calendar should use.
Optionally, select Add time zone under Other time zones to display additional time zones in the calendar.
Select Save.

If multiple time zones are displayed, Outlook can show them side by side and allows swapping their positions or removing them under Other time zones in the same Calendar > View settings page.

The provided context does not contain information about a known product bug where Outlook fails to capture the time zone of an event, nor does it contain any statement or commitment about future fixes or roadmap changes from Microsoft. Only the currently documented configuration and behavior of time zones in Outlook is available.

References:

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Time zone issue in Outlook email

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