Ab initio potential energy surface and rovibrational energies of H2F+

► The three dimensional potential energy surface of the astrophysically relevant H2F+ ion is obtained. ► A global analysis of the available high resolution data is performed. ► The potential energy function for the bending mode is retrieved and is consistent with a low barrier to linearity of 6290 cm−1. ► A line list of all transitions up to the second triad with J ⩽ 5 is built.