Keeping your schedule in sync across devices is almost a must if you use both Google Calendar and Apple Calendar. Many of us juggle an iPhone or Mac for personal use while relying on Google Calendar for work or shared events. In this guide, you’ll learn how to sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar on both iPhone and Mac in no time.

Along the way, we’ll also show an optional next step: connecting your Google Calendar to Notion so your meetings, notes, and tasks live together.

Table of contents

Sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar on iPhone (iOS)

This method adds your Google account to iOS so events appear in the built-in Calendar app. It’s a true two-way sync as long as you save new events to your Google calendar.

  1. Open Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Add Account → Google.
  2. Sign in to your Google account and complete verification.
  3. Enable Calendars (you can disable Mail/Contacts if you only want calendar data). Tap Save.
  4. Open the Apple Calendar app. Tap Calendars (bottom) to show/hide specific Google sub-calendars you want visible.

➡️ Make new events go to Google: When creating an event, tap Calendar and choose your Gmail calendar. To set a default, go to Settings → Calendar → Default Calendar and pick your Google calendar. If your edits aren’t showing in Google, double-check that Default Calendar is set to your Gmail calendar.

❗Optional: You can install the Google Calendar app on iPhone, but it doesn’t merge with Apple Calendar. The steps above are the best way to view and edit everything in the native app (Siri, widgets, etc.).

⚡ See your meetings where you plan your day

Sync Google Calendar with your Notion workspace so notes, tasks, and events stay aligned automatically.

Sync Notion to Google Calendar

Prefer tasks? Sync with Todoist or Google Tasks.

Sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar on Mac (macOS)

This connects your Google Calendar to the Calendar app on your Mac (formerly “iCal”).

  • Open the Calendar app → Calendar menu → Settings (or Preferences) → Accounts → + → Google.
  • Sign in and ensure Calendars is checked (you can leave Mail off).
  • Choose refresh interval if needed (Automatic is fine). Close Settings and tick the Google calendars you want shown in the sidebar (you control visibility by checking/unticking calendars there).

🤔 Alternative route: System Settings → Internet Accounts → Google, then toggle Calendars on. Same end result.

How can I connect Apple Calendar to Google Calendar?

You can make your iCloud (Apple) calendar appear in Google Calendar by sharing a public iCloud calendar link and adding that link to Google Calendar.

🪧 This method is view-only. You’ll see updates in Google, but you can’t edit those events from Google. For true two-way editing across devices, add your Google account to iPhone/Mac instead (see the sections above for iOS and macOS setup).

Step 1: Get a public iCloud calendar link

  1. On a Mac or browser, open iCloud Calendar and select the calendar you want to share.
  2. Click the Share icon next to the calendar name, turn on Public Calendar, and copy the webcal:// link. (Anyone with this link can view the calendar.)

Step 2: Add the link in Google Calendar (web)

  1. Go to Google Calendar on the web (left sidebar) → Other calendars → + → From URL.
  2. Paste the webcal:// link and add the calendar. It will appear under “Other calendars.”

Google fetches changes from subscribed .ics/webcal feeds on a schedule. Updates can take hours—and in some cases up to 24 hours to appear in Google Calendar. There’s no manual refresh for these subscriptions.

🕵️ Privacy note: iCloud’s “Public Calendar” creates a read-only link intended for sharing a view of your calendar. Avoid publishing sensitive calendars this way; anyone with the link can view them.

💡 Note: For most people, the two-way account method is simpler. If you’re weighing ecosystems overall, see Google Calendar vs. Apple Calendar.

Accessibility and quality-of-life tips

  • Color-code calendars so Google and iCloud are easy to tell apart. On Mac: open Calendar → Control-click a calendar in the sidebar → Get Info → choose a color.
  • Time zone support (traveling?): On iPhone, you can schedule or display events in a different time zone: see Calendar → Settings → Time Zone Support (or enable from Calendar settings).
  • Show/hide calendars quickly from the sidebar (Mac) or the Calendars list (iPhone) to declutter when you’re heads-down.

Conclusion

You now know how to sync Google Calendar with Apple Calendar on both iPhone and Mac, plus a one-way option from iCloud to Google (with the caveat that updates to subscribed calendars can take up to a day to appear). Keep new events on the right calendar, show only the lists you need, and set smart alerts so you never miss the important stuff.

Beyond Apple Calendar: Sync Google Calendar to Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, docs, and projects. Pairing it with your Google Calendar means your meeting notes, action items, and deadlines stay organized in one productivity suite. Native options are limited, so a two-way sync with 2sync is currently the best way to connect both apps.

  • See tasks next to meetings: Centralize work in a Notion database; keep dates aligned with your calendar.
  • Two-way updates: Change the time in Notion or Google and keep both in lockstep.
  • Granular control: Map only the fields you care about and filter what syncs.

When you’re ready to centralize meetings, notes, and tasks, connect your calendar to Notion and let the sync run in the background. It’s a small setup that pays off every day.

⚡ Make your calendar your command center

Connect Google Calendar to Notion in a few clicks and keep dates, notes, and action items synced both ways.

Sync Google Calendar ↔ Notion

FAQ

Can I sync Apple Calendar (iCloud) with Google Calendar two-way?

Not natively. You can add iCloud to Google as a public, view-only feed (one-way) and it may take up to 24 hours for updates to appear. For editable, two-way workflows, use Google Calendar as the source on iPhone/Mac (steps above).

Do I need the Google Calendar app on iPhone?

No. Adding your Google account to iOS syncs events into the built-in Apple Calendar app. The Google app is optional if you prefer Google’s UI.

My events aren’t showing on iPhone. What should I check?

In Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Gmail, make sure Calendars is on. In the Calendar app, tap Calendars and tick the ones you need. Also, set the Default Calendar to your Google calendar.

Will edits in Apple Calendar sync back to Google?

Yes, as long as the event is saved to a Google calendar (not a local ‘On My iPhone’ or iCloud calendar).

How do I get alerts for every event?

On iPhone, go to Settings → Calendar → Default Alert Times. On Mac, set alerts per event or adjust your defaults.

I use Notion. Can I connect it to Google Calendar?

Yes. Notion doesn’t push dates to Google by itself, but a two-way sync can keep events and pages aligned. You can do it easily with 2sync.

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