# Set up GCal on your Mac

Open Google Calendar, connect your agenda, and choose how GCal fits into your day.

These guides cover GCal 4.0.0 for Mac.

Source: [Set up GCal on your Mac](https://soriian.com/help/getting-started/)

## Open your calendar

1. Download GCal from the [Mac App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1107163858?mt=12), then open it from Applications. You need macOS 13 or later and an internet connection for Google Calendar.
2. Complete the welcome screens and open Google Calendar. Sign in with the Google account you want to use in the main window.
3. Use Google Calendar to create or edit an event as usual. Your Google account’s calendar permissions still apply.

## Connect the menu-bar agenda

The main window and the native agenda are connected separately. The window displays Google Calendar; the menu bar, Dock, widgets, and notifications use the calendar sources you enable in GCal.

1. Open **GCal → Settings → Accounts**. Choose **Add Google Account** and complete Google’s permission screen for Calendar and, if wanted, Tasks.
2. To include calendars already connected to macOS, turn on **Calendars on This Mac** and allow calendar access when macOS asks.
3. Open **Settings → Calendar** and select the calendars you want included. For Google Tasks, choose your lists under **Settings → Tasks**.

The native Google connection reads calendar and task data. It does not edit events through the Google API. Editing in the main Google Calendar window is a separate workflow.

![GCal Accounts settings showing Calendars on This Mac, Manage Accounts, and Add Google Account.](https://soriian.com/assets/images/help/accounts.png)

Connect a Google account or enable calendars already connected to your Mac in Settings → Accounts.

## Make it part of your day

1. In **Settings → General**, choose whether GCal appears in the Dock and menu bar.
2. If you want GCal ready when you sign in to your Mac, enable **Launch at Login**.
3. Add a widget or choose a calendar background when you are ready. You can return to Settings at any time.

You should now see your Google Calendar in the main window. After connecting the agenda, selected upcoming events should also appear in the menu bar. If they do not, start with [Find missing calendars or events](https://soriian.com/help/missing-calendars/).

![GCal General settings showing Launch at Login, Icon in Dock, and Icon in Menu Bar.](https://soriian.com/assets/images/help/general.png)

Choose your Dock and menu-bar options, and whether GCal opens at login, in Settings → General.

## Related guides

- [Use multiple Google accounts](https://soriian.com/help/multiple-google-accounts/)
- [Add and configure widgets](https://soriian.com/help/widgets/)
- [Find missing calendars or events](https://soriian.com/help/missing-calendars/)

## Support

Contact [GCal support](mailto:contact@soriian.com) with your GCal and macOS versions, what you are trying to do, and what happens instead.