[Explained]How to Use Google Calendar on Mac?

Summary: This post introduces Google Calendar, a free online calendar service, it answers whether you can download Google Calendar on Mac and how to use Google Calendar on Mac including syncing it with Apple Calendar.

Using a Mac calendar can be helpful, especially for managing your time, staying on top of appointments, and organizing events. If you already use Google Calendar or another calendar service (like iCloud or Outlook), syncing it with your Mac can streamline your schedule and keep everything in one place.

In this post, we will dive into the Google Calendar and elaborate on how to use it on your Mac.

Google Calendar overview

Google Calendar is a free, web-based calendar service provided by Google. It helps you manage and organize your schedule by allowing you to create events, set reminders, and track important dates. It syncs across devices, so you can access your calendar on your phone, tablet, or computer, making it easy to stay on top of your commitments wherever you are.

Key features of Google Calendar are event creation, reminders & notifications, recurring events, shared calendars, multiple calendars, integration with Google services, time zone support, and public calendars & event discovery.

Is there a Google Calendar app for Mac?

Google offers a dedicated Google Calendar app for both iOS (available on the App Store) and Android (pre-installed or available via the Play Store). However, Google doesn't offer an official standalone Google Calendar client for Windows or macOS.

But there are ways to use Google Calendar efficiently on your Mac. You can either use the web version via a browser or sync Google Calendar with the macOS Calendar app.

How to get Google Calendar on Mac?

When it comes to managing your schedule, two popular options on the Mac are Google Calendar and macOS Calendar (also known as Apple Calendar). Both are powerful tools, but they cater to different needs depending on your workflow, preferences, and the ecosystem you're invested in.

You may want to use Google Calendar on Mac if you work across multiple platforms (macOS, Android, Windows) or use Google services heavily, need robust integration with third-party apps and services like Zoom, Google Meet, and Google Docs, and need flexible features for collaboration, smart scheduling, and custom notifications.

Using Google Calendar on a Mac is pretty straightforward! You have a few different options, depending on how you want to access and manage your calendar. Here's how you can use Google Calendar on your Mac:

Using Google Calendar in a web browser

The simplest way is through the web version. Here's how:

Open Safari (or any browser you prefer).
Go to calendar.google.com.
Sign in with your Google account if you're not already signed in.

You can now create events, view your calendar, and manage everything directly from the browser.

Using the Google Calendar app (through web version) on macOS

If you prefer using an app-like interface, you can create a shortcut to the Google Calendar website:

Open Google Calendar in Safari.
Click on the Share button (the square with an arrow) in the Safari toolbar.
Select Add to Home Screen (this adds it like an app on your Mac).
You'll now have quick access to Google Calendar directly from your Mac, just like an app.

Sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar

If you prefer using the native Apple Calendar app on your Mac but want to sync it with Google Calendar, follow these steps:

Click on the Apple menu (top left of your screen), and select System Settings.
In the System Settings window, select Internet Accounts from the sidebar.
Click the Add Account button and choose Google from the list of options.
Enter your Google account credentials.
After signing in, you'll be prompted to choose which Google services you'd like to sync. Make sure Calendars is checked.
Close the settings window, and your Google Calendar should start syncing automatically with the Calendar app on your Mac.

Now, whenever you open the Calendar app, your Google Calendar events will be visible, and you can manage them directly from there.

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