How to Add a Google Calendar to Apple Calendar

The simplest way: use iCloud sync

The easiest path is to let Google Calendar and Apple Calendar both sync to iCloud, so they stay in one place. You turn on calendar syncing in your Google account settings, then add that same Google account to your iPhone or Mac. Apple Calendar will then show events from both your Apple calendar and your Google calendar side by side.

This method works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The calendars stay separate — you can see which is which and choose which one to add new events to — but they all appear in the same app. Changes you make in Apple Calendar sync back to Google, and changes in Google Calendar show up in Apple Calendar within a few minutes.

Key Takeaways

Adding your Google account to Apple Calendar is the most reliable method and keeps both calendars visible in one app without manual syncing.
On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings > Calendar > Accounts > Add Account and choose Google, then sign in with your Google credentials.
On Mac, open System Settings > Internet Accounts > Add Account, select Google, and sign in with the same Google account.
After you add the account, toggle Calendar on in the account settings so Apple Calendar can access your Google events.
Events from both calendars appear in Apple Calendar, but they remain stored separately in Google and Apple's systems.

Adding Google Calendar on iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. Scroll down and tap Calendar, then tap Accounts, then tap Add Account. You will see a list of account types. Tap Google.

A Google sign-in screen will appear. Enter the email address for your Google account and tap Next. Enter your password and tap Next again. Google may ask you to verify your identity — follow the prompts on screen, which might include entering a code from your phone or approving the sign-in from another device.

Once you are signed in, you will see a screen asking which services to sync. Make sure Calendar is toggled on (it should be by default). You can also toggle on Contacts and Mail if you want those synced too. Tap Save at the top right.

Open Apple Calendar. Your Google Calendar events should now appear. If they do not show up right away, wait a few minutes and then close and reopen the Calendar app. You can tap the three-line menu icon at the top left and look for your Google Calendar in the list — it will be labeled with your Google email address.

Adding Google Calendar on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions). Click Internet Accounts in the sidebar.

Click the plus sign at the bottom left to add a new account. Select Google from the list. A browser window will open asking you to sign in to your Google account. Enter your email address and password, then follow any verification steps Google shows you.

Once you are signed in, you will return to System Settings and see a list of services to sync. Make sure Calendar is checked. Click Done. Open Apple Calendar from your Applications folder or Launchpad. Your Google Calendar events should appear within a few minutes.

Choosing which calendar to add events to

Once both calendars are visible in Apple Calendar, you can choose which one to use when you create a new event. When you create an event in Apple Calendar, look for a dropdown menu that shows which calendar the event will be saved to. The dropdown usually appears near the top of the event creation screen and shows the name of your currently selected calendar.

If you want a new event to go into your Google Calendar, click or tap that dropdown and select your Google Calendar (it will be labeled with your Google email address). If you want it in your Apple calendar, select that instead. Events you create in Google Calendar will still show up in Apple Calendar automatically.

Troubleshooting: events not showing up

If you added your Google account but your Google Calendar events are not appearing in Apple Calendar, first check that Calendar is toggled on in your account settings. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Calendar > Accounts, tap your Google account, and make sure Calendar is switched on. On Mac, go to System Settings > Internet Accounts, click your Google account, and make sure Calendar is checked.

If Calendar is already on, try signing out and signing back in. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Calendar > Accounts, tap your Google account, and tap Delete Account. Then add it again using the steps above. On Mac, go to System Settings > Internet Accounts, click your Google account, and click the minus sign at the bottom left to remove it. Then add it again.

If events still do not appear after 10 minutes, restart your device. Close Apple Calendar completely, then turn your phone or Mac off and back on. Open Apple Calendar again and wait a few minutes for the sync to complete.

What happens to events when you remove the account

If you remove your Google account from Apple Calendar, the Google Calendar events will disappear from Apple Calendar, but they will still exist in your Google Calendar. You can add the account back at any time and the events will reappear. Events you created in Apple Calendar will stay in Apple Calendar even after you remove the Google account.

If you delete events from Apple Calendar that came from Google Calendar, they will also be deleted from Google Calendar. Be careful when removing events — if you are not sure whether an event is from Google or Apple Calendar, check which calendar it belongs to before you delete it.

Using Google Calendar on Mac without adding the account

If you do not want to add your Google account to your Mac, you can still view your Google Calendar in Apple Calendar by subscribing to a calendar link. Open Google Calendar in a web browser, find the calendar you want to add, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Settings and sharing. Scroll down to Integrate calendar and copy the public calendar address (the long link that starts with https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r/settings/addbyemail).

In Apple Calendar on Mac, go to File > New Calendar Subscription. Paste the link you copied and click Subscribe. The calendar will be added as read-only, meaning you can see events but cannot edit them from Apple Calendar. This method is less reliable than adding your account because the calendar only syncs when you manually refresh it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changes I make in Apple Calendar show up in Google Calendar?

Yes, if you added your Google account to Apple Calendar. Events you create, edit, or delete in Apple Calendar will sync back to Google Calendar within a few minutes. The same is true in reverse — changes in Google Calendar show up in Apple Calendar automatically.

Can I add multiple Google Calendars to Apple Calendar?

Yes. When you add your Google account to Apple Calendar, all calendars in that Google account will appear in Apple Calendar automatically. If you have multiple Google accounts, you can add each one separately by repeating the account setup steps for each email address.

What if I share a Google Calendar with someone else?

Shared Google Calendars will appear in Apple Calendar once you add the Google account that owns or has access to them. If someone shares a calendar with your Google account, you may need to refresh Apple Calendar or sign out and back in to see it appear.

Does this work on Apple Watch?

Yes. Once you add your Google account to your iPhone, the calendar events will sync to Apple Watch automatically. You will see both your Apple and Google Calendar events in the Watch app, but you cannot create or edit events directly on the watch.

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