macOS wants access to your Google account

The number of very unhelpful (derogatory honestly) comments and statements here is beyond belief.

The bottom line is that when Apple releases an update to macOS they NEED to provide their loyal base details about what's IN the update! We WANT security updates, but if they keep surprising us with changes...we're going to be much LESS likely to take these updates.

I don't care about the details of the security fixes being included in the documentation, as Apple has always been cagy about detailing those. However, if you're going to introduce or include a NEW feature...they need to provide documentation so we are prepared to deal with the change.

For those who get blind sided by this issue the SOLUTION to is is to head over to System Preferences and uncheck the 'Safari Autofill' option under Touch ID as shown. Life returns to normal.

It’s Google who is asking. Need to either accept all (no significant risk to you) or shift all your calendars from Google.com to iCloud.com.

That is what I did. The only problem as you probably know is accessing icloud calendar from android devices but it just needs an app and a one-time password. I prefer to trust my data to Apple rather than google.

The first request is for MacOS and safari not Mail.

I just had the same thing happen and would really like an answer to this. The language sounds very heavy handed about what MacOS has the ability to do. Why is this necessary? Is there a work around?

Keep getting message that my google password is required...enter it in my internet accounts...when I do I get this ....macOS wants to access your Google Account

One final note, the options you select on your Mac mail setup (Sync contacts, calendar, email, notes) does not affect the access Mac OS requests from gmail. They seem to always ask for full access. I just authenticated with another gmail account that I only sync email, and it requested full access to everything (including chat), which isn't even an option.

This screenshot is the Mac OS authentication request when setting up just email syncing.

So if you want to use Mac mail with a gmail account and you on Mojave+, you need to allow full access and trust that Mac mail won't do anything its not supposed to do (which I do, more than other mac email clients). But Mac mail could be more selective of the access it is requesting.

Shahid, this is what access your Mac gets if you click yes.

It doesn't matter if you are only syncing calendars. Apple asks for it all, and there's no way to limit it. Unfortunate, but that's the way the chose to implement it. Hopefully they will change their policies if enough people complain.

But basically, why(!) Apple and 'macOS wants access to' anything besides of my operations with the machine? Any electronic communications, including my Gmail account (but not only) are my private dealings with Google and others. To be honest I start considering leaving Gmail in that situation.

As said before it is Google who is making the request. Same as I get gmails saying “xyz device just logged into your Google account, was this you?”

It’s not a Mojave request, it’s Google’s security. Ask them why they are so security conscious, or dump them. The only reason I keep my gmail address is that I have a Youtube channel, but I avoid signing into my Google account if at all possible, dumped my Droid devices and moved all my stuff to iCloud.

In fact you prompted me to download and archive my YouTube videos and delete my channel and my Google account. Google still has my stuff stored somewhere I suspect but of no further commercial use to them and at least they told me its all gone - browsing history, comments by me and comments about me, reviews, timelines, the lot.

If you obtain a hammer to drive in a nail then so long as it is in your grip nobody else can drive the nail in.

MacOS is a tool you are using, fully under your control. You are not giving Apple or anyone else the authority.

How is this from Google?

1- The *Apple message* explicitly specifies it's from *Apple* -- "macOS wants to access your Google Account" even clicking through macOS shows the original message is from "account_support@apple.com"

2- I usually see this from corporate email accounts, where you cede access to backend control so they can remotely scan/delete emails, e.g., if you access private health or financial emails from your phone

3- Last, to be cynical, Google, by definition, already has access to your Google email :) It's no secret that they scan people's emails for marketing. This is obviously from Apple, and only comes up when being setup through an Apple app (Calendar).

Yes. I get the exact same popup the OP did. I'm adding to the description--when he (and I) talk about the text that says macOS wants to access... "macOS" is expandable to show the origin of the request.

EDIT: Ah, I see the confusion. My comment was ambiguous: when I said "original message" I didn't mean from an email, I meant the macOS access "message"

Any message displayed on the screen is put there by the OS. It’s what OSs do.

Choice remains. Accept the request and use your Mac for your Google assets, or refuse and don’t use it, find another device or drop Google.

Agree 100% that it's the OS, and it's a choice to take it or leave it. But I don't think that was anyone's question.

It was more about, why did this happen after the 10.14.4 update? Did Apple change their security policy? Is it a bug? Why do they suddenly want access to non-Apple email when they didn't before?

Again, I'm in agreement: at the end of the day, it's a user decision. But it's fair to ask the question of why the sudden change.

I absolutely agree its a great question. I tried to give a laymans answer.

Do you have one to offer? Or you just don’t like mine?

Security was upped substantially with Mojave. I doubt it was only in the latest version but there are people on here who would know.