Mac Calendar "Server responded with an error" message

The server responded with an error (screen shot below)

it is referencing my Gmail account

2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

11.2.1 macOS

What should I do?

How can I fix it?



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Feb 11, 2021 9:51 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 19, 2021 8:05 PM

Okay here's how I fixed it, this assumes you have no On Your Mac calendars, so back those up ahead. Also backup any Mail account settings like extra email address aliases. Try this at your own risk.


  1. Close calendar
  2. Go to activity monitor and end the process CalendarAgent
  3. Delete your Google account in System Preferences
  4. Go to your Google account and revoke MacOS permissions from your 3rd party app access. https://myaccount.google.com/permissions
  5. Go to ~/Library and outright delete the Calendars folder
  6. In ~/Library/Preferences delete com.apple.iCal.plist
  7. Reboot your machine for good measure
  8. On reboot re-add your Google account
  9. Start-up Mail, Contacts, and Notes to get the resync started.
  10. Calendar should startup like it's a fresh install but will sync.
  11. I then used Caffeine to keep my Mac awake and left it to sync my massive Mail/Contacts/Calendar overnight (it was late but I had no errors so I figured it would take time).


After doing this, everything worked.

249 replies

Feb 22, 2021 11:41 PM in response to jasonflying

I have this issue too ... happened today and nothing I do fixes it. Interestingly, I just got this error as part of setup (trying to re-add Google account into my profile) - wondering if it's related at all - looks like apple is trying to confirm the gmail calendar access but the link is broken?

I'll share this with apple now

Feb 23, 2021 6:59 PM in response to jasonflying

I have the same issue. Just started today. Tried deleting the account and re-adding it, tried deleting the calendar agent and the library preferences and calendar data, reset the NVRAM, same issue. Calendar is just fine on Outlook. So clearly an Apple Calendar issue introduced in the last few days. Any other suggestions? Do we know if Apple is aware and working on it? I hate getting on the phone with another apple associate that doesn't know anything and follows a script.

Feb 23, 2021 7:01 PM in response to amg1957

Adding to the tally here. Starting having sporadic issues three days ago, then got worse. 11.2.1 upgrade didn't help. Did the @daviddrahos method and now nothing will show on the calendar at all, none of the above tricks to get even one account (I have one personal google and two business google accounts) to show in calendar. Completely blank with three error icons.

2018 MBP

Feb 23, 2021 9:02 PM in response to Sanjay Aiyagari

Ok this is not actually working. The calendars are not updating and the "!" is back.


Something is wrong with Apple SW division.


Since High Sierra (when everything was working smoothly and I kept that for a long time) - now I see the following:


  • Mail is dreadfully slow accessing Gmail on Google Apps (because it can't limit the downloads)
    • Result - switch to Postbox
  • iMessage still never handled group messaging well cross-platform despite years of advance notice
    • Result - switch to Signal
  • Reminders is not well integrated (except with Siri) and went through a nasty upgrade where you lose all your reminders (the iPadOS 14 upgrade so your family reminders are split between "old devices" and "new devices" so your kids and you can't share any more)
    • Result - switch to Trello
  • iPhoto changed to Photos and became incompatible meaning file-structure backups aren't compatible any more and you can't use tools like Adobe Bridge to manage it
    • Result - switch to Adobe Bridge
  • iTunes changed to Music and now forces you into Apple Music streaming even if you pay for Spotify streaming, and so long to your music library, it's not clear where it is or even if it is backed up, if you spent hours making sure it is high bit rate with lyrics, etc.
    • Result - switch to Plex
  • And now - to top it off - Calendar stops working with Google - the calendar that everyone actually uses for work. I don't think anyone other than Apple actually uses iCloud for an office calendar!
    • Result - don't know, but I am looking at Fantastical and I need to do something quickly! My family calendar is on iCloud so I need to see both at the same time.


Look at this - I have a Mac and my most important daily software is not from Apple!


Wondering why I should even get a Mac next time...

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Mac Calendar "Server responded with an error" message

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