ownCal documentation

1. Download ownCal from the App Store and open the app.
2. When macOS asks, allow access to your calendars. ownCal needs this permission to display and manage events.
3. Look for the ownCal date in the menu bar and click it to open the calendar.
4. Open Settings to choose your preferred appearance, week layout, time format, and menu bar display.

If you previously denied calendar access, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Calendars and enable ownCal.

Click the date in the menu bar to open ownCal. The month grid shows event indicators, and the list below groups upcoming events by date and calendar color.

• Select a date to focus the event list on that day.
• Move between months using the calendar navigation controls.
• Use the Today action to return to the current date.
• All-day and timed events are displayed using their source calendar color.

Create an event from the add action, then enter its title, date, time, calendar, location, and notes. You can also mark an event as all-day.

Select an existing event to review or edit it. Changes are written through Apple Calendar and sync according to the settings of the event’s calendar provider.

ownCal connects through Apple Calendar (EventKit). iCloud, local calendars, and other accounts already available in Apple Calendar work without a separate ownCal account.

• Add or remove calendar accounts in macOS Internet Accounts or Apple Calendar settings.
• Choose which calendars are visible from ownCal settings.
• Sync timing and availability are controlled by macOS and the calendar provider.
• Your calendar content is processed locally by ownCal and is not uploaded to an ownCal cloud service.

• Choose an accent color and appearance.
• Select the first day of the week.
• Switch between 12-hour and 24-hour time.
• Show or hide lunar calendar information.
• Customize the date displayed in the macOS menu bar.

ownCal can expose a local API server for tools such as Raycast, Alfred, and personal automations. The server runs on your Mac and should only be enabled when needed.

Keep access limited to trusted local tools. Review the integration settings before sharing any endpoint or automation with another person.

• No events appear: verify calendar permission and confirm the calendar is enabled in ownCal.
• The menu bar item is missing: make sure ownCal is running and that the macOS menu bar has enough space.
• Events are not syncing: open Apple Calendar and check the affected account there first.
• A setting does not update: quit and reopen ownCal, then confirm you are using the latest version.