The Google Calendar window
The main GCal window displays the Google Calendar website. Signing in there gives the website its own cookies and session, just as it would have in a browser. It lets you view and edit Google Calendar in the main window, but it does not grant GCal’s native agenda access to that account.
The native agenda connection
The menu bar, Dock, widgets, notifications, Apple Shortcuts, and connected AI assistants use GCal’s native agenda. Connect Google accounts in Settings → Accounts, or enable calendars already connected to your Mac. Then choose the calendars and task lists you want under Calendar and Tasks.
Why the sessions stay separate
Keeping the sessions separate lets the embedded Google Calendar website follow Google’s sign-in behavior while native features use explicit read-only calendar and task permissions. Signing out of one does not automatically sign out of the other. If the main window works but native events are missing, check the Accounts and Calendar settings rather than signing into the website again.
Which connection a feature uses
- Google Calendar window and Calendar Sets: the website session.
- Menu bar, Dock, widgets, notifications, Shortcuts, and AI agenda tools: the native agenda.
- Calendar Sets: saved through GCal, but applied to the Google account detected in the main website window.
- Browser extension: the Google Calendar account signed in to that browser.