Fantastical comfortably tops the list with the best user interface for any calendar app for the Mac. The animations are smooth, and the whole experience is quick, fluid, and responsive. My favorite function about Fantastical is the ability to create an event from the ‘+’ menu quickly. May 18, 2021 1 18 Best Time Management Apps and Tools (2021 Updated) 2 Master These 25 Mac Shortcuts to Work Faster and Smarter 3 7 Best Free Scheduling Apps That Make Scheduling Easier 4 20 Best To-Do List Apps to Keep You on Track in 2021 5 10 Best Calendar Apps to Stay on Track in 2021.
If you have a Google account, you automatically get free access to Google Calendar. But going to the website to check your calendar can take time. If you spend your workday on a desktop or laptop computer, you probably can easily see the benefits of being able to launch an app and see your upcoming events. There are three main ways you can get Google Calendar on your desktop:
- Downloading Shift
- Creating a shortcut to Google Calendar
- Using a separate desktop calendar client
Is there a desktop app for Google Calendar?
Like Gmail, Google Calendar was built to be a browser-based app, which means there’s not a desktop client available. The good news is that you can get to your Google Calendar from any device. If you’re on your smartphone, there’s an app for both Android and iOS, or you can simply type Calendar.Google.com into your phone’s browser.
On your computer, there are a couple of ways to get to Google Calendar. As with your phone, you can type Calendar.Google.com into your browser and it will pop right up. If you’re in your Gmail account, you can click on the dots next to your profile picture in the upper-right corner. There, you’ll see Google Calendar as one of the apps you can access.
If you spend much of your day in Gmail, Google Docs, and other G Suite apps, you might find it beneficial to add Google Calendar to the apps on the right toolbar of your Google screen. First, click on the arrow in the bottom-right corner of any G Suite app to show your side panel. When you click on the calendar icon, you’ll be able to see the day’s schedule without leaving the Google app you’re already in.
There are some alternate ways to get Google Calendar on your desktop, though. You’ll just need to use a third-party app to do it.
Best Free Calendar App For Mac 2020
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What is the best desktop email client for Google Calendar?
Shift provides an easy way to access Google Calendar alongside your other favorite apps. Everything you need to work throughout the day will be in one place, with icons lined up side by side.
To get Google Calendar on your desktop, first download Shift. Once you’ve opened the app:
- Find the Plus sign in the left toolbar and click on it.
- You’ll be given some options. Choose Add Account.
- Input your Gmail address and Add.
- Click Done.
Best of all, if you have calendars associated with multiple Google accounts, you can add them separately to check them. The same goes for your other Google accounts, including Gmail and Google Docs. Instead of having to log out and back in again throughout the day, you’ll have one-click access to the apps you use every day.
Once you’ve added your Google Calendar accounts, each one will be represented by the profile picture that you use for that account. You’ll be able to do everything the way you would if you pulled up your Google Calendar in your web browser.
As you add multiple Google accounts, one of the best things you can do is to make sure you have a distinctive profile picture for each account. This will make it easier, at a glance, to find the Google Calendar, Docs, or Gmail account you want. You’ll also get a different color for each account and, with regular use, you’ll start to associate that color with the calendar you’re using for that purpose.
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How to get Google Calendar on your Mac
The easiest way to get Google Calendar on your Mac is to download Shift for Mac. You can set it up so that you can easily access your various Google apps, including multiple login instances, directly on your Mac desktop.
But if you’re a Mac user, you also have a desktop email client built into your operating system. You can sync Google Calendar with your Apple Calendar account and check your calendar directly from your desktop.
It takes several steps to sync your Google Calendar and Apple Calendar:
- Go to System Preferences and click on Internet accounts.
- Look at the accounts listed on the left to see if your calendar is already there. If not, click Google and sign into the Google account associated with the calendar you want to sync.
- Check Calendar in the list of accounts you want to enable.
- When you go to your Apple Calendar, your Google Calendar should be listed on the left, with all your events displayed. If you ever want to toggle that calendar off, you can uncheck it.
How to get Google Calendar on your PC
Best Free Calendar For Mac Computers
The best way to get Google Calendar on your PC is to download Shift for PC. You can set it up so that you can easily access your various Microsoft apps, including multiple login instances, directly on your PC desktop.
For PC users that don't have Shift, the desktop client they need is already available: Outlook. You can sync your Google Calendar with your Outlook calendar and find all your appointments in the same place. First, you’ll need to subscribe to your Google Calendar in Outlook:
- Log into your Google Calendar.
- Look for My calendars in the left-hand column. Hover over the calendar you want to sync with Outlook and click on the three dots next to that calendar. Choose Settings.
- Scroll down to Integrate calendar and right-click on Secret address in iCal format, then click Copy.
- Open your Outlook desktop app and choose File, Account settings, and Account settings.
- Click on the Internet calendars tab and choose New.
- In the box that pops up, paste the address you copied from your Google Calendar and click Add.
- You’ll then need to give the folder a name. This is where your Google Calendar will appear in Outlook.
- Once connected, when you open your Outlook Calendar, it will automatically pull in your Google Calendar.
To have your Google Calendar appear side by side with your Outlook events, you’ll need to import your Google Calendar.
- Go back to your Google Calendar and click on My Calendars on the left.
- Click on the down arrow next to the calendar you want to import into Outlook and Calendar settings.
- Under Private address, click on ICAL.
- Under Calendar address, you’ll see the address for this particular Google Calendar.
- In the box that pops up, choose Open to import the calendar into Outlook.
- You’ll then see your calendar next to your Outlook Calendar when you open it. By subscribing, you’ll ensure you have the latest version. Otherwise, you’d have to import it every time to get the latest version.
How to create a desktop shortcut for Google Calendar
Sometimes what you really want is a way to get to your Google Calendar from your desktop. You don’t need an app to do that. You can create a shortcut that takes you directly to your Google Calendar account in your favorite web browser.
To create a shortcut to your Google Calendar in Chrome:
- Go to your Google Calendar in Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of your screen.
- Choose More tools, Create shortcut.
- Give your shortcut a name before clicking Create.
If Safari is your browser of choice, here are the steps to create a desktop shortcut:
- Go to your Google Calendar in Safari.
- Shrink the browser window so you can see your desktop.
- Select the URL for your Google Calendar in the address bar.
- Click and drag it to your desktop.
Once you’ve created this desktop shortcut, when you want to go to your Google Calendar, you simply click on it. It will open the calendar in your browser, but it’s a quick way to put it where you can find it.
Is there a Google Calendar app for Windows?
Shift is a great desktop app for Windows 10. If you have multiple Google accounts, it’s the best way to click between those accounts without having to go through the nuisance of logging in. Simply download Shift for Windows 10 and add your Google accounts.
As with Mac’s built-in calendar, you can also integrate your Google Calendar with the calendar that comes with Windows 10. Here are the steps to link up the two calendars:
- Click on the Windows icon in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop.
- Search for the Calendar App. Click to open it.
- Click on the wheel icon to get to settings.
- Choose Account and Add account.
- You’ll then be prompted to enter the password associated with the Google account you want to connect.
- Once you’ve accepted the terms, you’ll be able to check your Google Calendar from the built-in Windows calendar.
How to Manage Multiple Google Calendar Accounts on Desktop
What happens if you have more than one Google Calendar? If you have a Google account for work, as well as Gmail for your personal emails, for instance, it can be easy to see why you’d want to toggle between each of them on the same computer. But you may also have separate Google Calendars for the work you do with various clients or colleagues or projects.
Shift is the best way to manage multiple Google accounts. Whether it’s your Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, or another app, moving between accounts takes time and multiple steps. You’ll have to log in and out each time. With Shift, you can click on the icon of the app you need with the account you need. For calendars, that means you’ll be able to keep an eye on things in one place.
Related Post:How to Manage Multiple Google Calendars
What is a desktop calendar app?
At one time, when you needed software, it was installed directly on a computer. In those earlier days, each computer had a calendar that you used when you were logged in. If it was your work computer, you could only see the calendar when you arrived at work and logged in for the day.
But the internet brought a new option: cloud software. Thanks to the internet, you can now see your emails, calendar, and other information from anywhere. This includes your mobile devices. The information is always updated in real time, so you’re getting the latest data no matter where you’re viewing it from.
But there’s a problem with that. The best thing about the old ways of doing things was that you could always get to your calendar from your desktop. Just a couple of clicks and you were there. A desktop app can give you the best of both worlds. You can not only stay on top of your calendar wherever you are, but you can also easily pull up your calendar throughout the day. You can even keep an icon on your taskbar, where you can see it at all times.
Why use a desktop calendar app?
There’s another way a desktop calendar app can help. You can boost your productivity and keep your desktop more organized when you aren’t relying on your browser. Instead of having multiple browser tabs open all the time, you can keep your calendar in a separate app that you pull up from your taskbar or keep running in the background.
In addition to streamlining things, a desktop app also creates a mental separation. Your messages are in a dedicated space away from your other online activities. That means that when it’s time to check your calendar, it’s its own activity.
But perhaps the biggest reason to use a desktop app for your calendar is that Google doesn’t make it easy to toggle between accounts. If you have only one calendar you use, that’s probably fine. But if you’re trying to keep one or more personal or work calendars, logging out and back in again will quickly grow tedious. For your Google Calendars, as well as your other accounts within Google Suite, you can get everything you need with Shift.
Get started with Shift - the Google Calendar App for Desktop
There are many ways to get Google Calendar on your desktop. But you can keep things simple by downloading Shift and adding all your Google accounts one at a time. Google isn’t the only app you can add so that you can enjoy convenient access on your desktop. We have a full list of app integrations that will help you ensure that you line up all the applications you need to remain productive.
A desktop calendar software is a must have for every PC out there. Are you looking for a suitable one for your desktop? Now, the market is packed with many such software programs but then not all would be equally compatible with you. This is why we have come up with a great roster of the best desktop calendar software programs we have today so that you don’t have to survey each of them individually.
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Rainlendar
You are getting a good customizable calendar software here which stays invisible but will always have all the user’s important tasks & events visible on the desktop. Another great thing about the software is the alarm system which will remind you about the due event so that you never forget your role.
Lightning Calendar
A calendar will enable you to stay organized with your schedule & the important events of your life in an easy way. The software would be integrated with Seamonkey and Thunderbird email. As a user, you would be able to manage several calendars, create the everyday to-do list, subscribe to the public calendars & invite your buddies to events.
SkWire Empire
If keeping tab on birthdays is a huge deal for you, this software would be your savior. You are getting a straightforward simple application here that would enable to keep tab on birthdays on friends, family members & clients. There are even checkboxes that track whether the user has sent a gift or a card to the birthday girl or boy that year.
Desktop Calendar
This is a small yet powerful calendar & event reminder software which will unobtrusively sit on the user’s desktop & can be used whenever you wish to. It does not take much memory given its small size and will enable you to enter as many reminder you want daily. You can customize fonts, colors & tooltips.
Efficient Calendar
As the name suggests, this is actually a very efficient desktop calendar software which also acts as a scheduler, planner & reminder. It works cross-platform and with it you can manage time in PCs & mobile phones. You will multi calendar views here, accompanied by list views to arrange & track the events.
Osmo
You are getting an easy personal organizer program here that includes calendar, along with address book, task manager & notes modules. You are getting an in-built full-year calendar here with day notes, advanced reminder and alarms for the tasks ahead, birthday browsing facility from your contact list and so on.
Interactive Calendar
It’s a wonderful fusion of calendar & day planner software available at free of cost. It will show the monthly calendar as well as the scheduled appointments right on desktop wallpaper to ensure that you do not miss out on the meetings ahead. The software can even change the wallpaper of your desktop at scheduled intervals.
Desktop Calendar Software for Various Platforms
There is a wide range of desktop calendar software applications for various platforms. However, this is to remind here that not every such software programs are meant for all operating systems as there are some software applications that only work for specific OS. The one you go for must be compatible with your system’s OS.
Free Desktop Calendar software for Windows
If you are looking for a reliable free desktop calendar software for Windows, Desktop iCalendar Lite would be a good choice for you. The program assures easy management of events & to-do list right on your desktop. The program further allows subscription to Google calendar for holidays or election
Free Desktop Calendar Software for Mac – MagiCal
If you have been in search of a Free desktop calendar software for Mac, MagiCal would anyday be a good option for you. The menu-based clock & calendar program comes with a wide scale of easy configuration options to decide on how date and time would be displayed. It will reside in your system’s menubar.
Most Popular Desktop Calendar Software for 2016 – VueMinder
If you are looking for an efficient desktop calendar software, VueMinder software is the program for you. The software is designed to define tasks & sub-tasks, schedule appointments so that you know when to meet whom beforehand, offers calendar views in multiple overlays such as day, month, week, year & timeline views.
If you want to know about most popular desktop calendar software for 2016, VueMinder would be a good name for you. Not only it shows you calendar and your scheduled events but it even allows you to define tasks & split up the big tasks into sub-tasks. There are even customizable reminders so that you don’t forget your due tasks.
What is Desktop Calendar Software?
A desktop calendar software is the one which shows calendar for your desktop. But such software programs are more than showing you just calendars- in fact, they are equipped to help you in scheduling your tasks and events so that you know what to do when. Some of the most advanced desktop calendar software applications can even split the big tasks into smaller sub-tasks.
The leading ones allow you to pin your important notes to specific dates to the calendar. In most of the cases, the calendar will run in an unobtrusive way on your desktop but your schedules and tasks would stay visible.
How to Install Desktop Calendar Software?
To install desktop calendar software, follow the download link of the software you are taking to. Now, before you actually download it, do not forget to check the software’s compatibility with your system’s OS. When the download is complete, you will have the installation link as well as the needed installation instructions.
Benefits of Desktop Calendar Software
A desktop calendar software is much needed for every desktop. On one hand, it keeps you updated on time and on another hand it makes your life more organized.
As mentioned earlier, the desktop calendar software applications are also designed to schedule your tasks & events- this way these programs act as your personal assistant that will keep on reminding you of what tasks you have ahead so that you don’t forget the appointments and don’t miss out on the deadlines.
Some of the advanced options come with reminder or alarm facilities. Then, there are some desktop software applications that can even change your wallpaper at scheduled intervals.
Anybody who understands the significant of an organized life and is looking forward to eliminating risks of missing out on important meets or tasks would be benefited with a desktop calendar software. These software programs are a breeze to operate and anybody, with just basic computing skill would be able to use it.