How to Use Google Tasks on Mac and Windows Desktop
Google Tasks is a lightweight task manager you can use with the same account as Gmail and Google Calendar. However, there is no official desktop app for Mac or Windows.
This article compares four ways to use Google Tasks on your desktop, focusing on what each approach actually can and cannot do. If you just want the summary, jump to the comparison table.
There is no official desktop app
Google offers Google Tasks on the web, Android and iOS, but as of August 2026 it has not released a native app for Mac or Windows. Requests for a desktop app have been posted in the Gmail help forum for years, but Google has never announced plans to ship one.
So if you want it on your desktop, you will need to pick one of the approaches below. All of them work today.
Option 1: Use it in the browser
The simplest approach is to open tasks.google.com in your browser. It used to be available only as a side panel in Gmail and Google Calendar, but today it works as a standalone full-screen page.
While you are in Gmail or Calendar, you can also open Google Tasks from the icon in the side panel on the right. That is handy when you want to add a task while reading an email.
What works well
Nothing to install, and you always get the latest version. It also works on locked-down machines where you cannot install software.
What to keep in mind
It gets buried among your other tabs and takes a few steps to reach. There is no keyboard shortcut to bring it up quickly.
Option 2: Install it as a PWA
Google Tasks can be installed as a PWA (Progressive Web App). It then opens in its own window, separate from your browser tabs, and you can keep it in the Dock or on the taskbar — so it feels much closer to a regular app than a web page.
In Chrome
Open tasks.google.com, click the install icon on the right side of the address bar, and choose Install.
In Microsoft Edge
Open tasks.google.com, then choose the three-dot menu at the top right, then Apps, then Install this site as an app.
What works well
It is free and takes a couple of minutes. Just getting it out of your tabs already saves a lot of hunting.
What to keep in mind
It looks different, but it is still the web version underneath. It does not add anything the web version cannot do, so there is no full-text search and no global shortcut.
Option 3: Use a Chrome extension
The Chrome Web Store has a number of extensions that open Google Tasks in a popup or a separate window. You reach it in one click from the toolbar, which suits people who work mostly inside the browser.
What works well
If you are already in the browser, this is the fastest way to open it. Most extensions are free to try.
What to keep in mind
It requires a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Edge. Extensions also vary widely in quality, and they all share one limit: close the browser and they are gone.
Option 4: Use a dedicated desktop app
If you want it fully independent from the browser, or you want features the web version does not have, there are desktop apps built specifically for Google Tasks. ToDo for Google, which we develop, is one of them.
It syncs through Google's official API, so anything you edit in the app shows up in Google Tasks on the web and on your phone. It adds the following features that the web version does not have.
- Three-column full screen: see your task lists, your tasks and the details of a task side by side. Unlike the narrow side panel, you get the whole screen to compare the list and its contents.
- Keyboard shortcuts: create, search, complete and set due dates entirely from the keyboard, so you can clear tasks without reaching for the mouse.
- Global shortcut: press Command (Control) + Shift + A from any app to bring up a quick add popup, so you can capture a task the moment you think of it.
- Full-text search: search across every task by keyword, so you can find a task even when you have forgotten which list it went into.
- Due date filters: switch between Today, Tomorrow, After tomorrow, Past and All. Useful when you only want to see what is due today.
- Dark mode: switch between light and dark, or follow your system setting automatically.
On security, sign-in is limited to Google OAuth 2.0. Your password is only ever entered on Google's own pages — the app never receives it and never stores it. Your task data is not sent to any server other than Google's.
It is a free download for Mac and Windows. There is a 7-day free trial, and you only buy a one-time full license if you decide you like it. On Windows it is also available from the Microsoft Store, where it is listed as TasksDesktop.
Keyboard shortcuts you can use
ToDo for Google supports the shortcuts below. Because due dates are set with the number keys, working through a backlog goes quickly.
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Create a task | Command (Control) + N |
| Search tasks | Command (Control) + F |
| Complete / uncomplete a task | Space |
| Select the previous or next task | ↑ / ↓ |
| Set the due date to Today | 1 |
| Set the due date to Tomorrow | 2 |
| Set the due date to After tomorrow | 3 - 9 |
| Remove the due date | 0 |
| Add a task from any app | Command (Control) + Shift + A |
Comparing the four options
| Capability | Browser | PWA | Extension | Dedicated app |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shows lists and details side by side | No | No | Varies | Yes |
| Runs in its own window | No | Yes | Varies | Yes |
| Global shortcut to add a task | No | No | No | Yes |
| Full-text search across all tasks | No | No | Varies | Yes |
| Filter by due date (Today / Tomorrow / Past) | No | No | Varies | Yes |
| Works with the browser closed | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Installation | None | From the browser | From the store | Install the app |
Note: the Chrome extension column reflects general tendencies, since extensions differ a great deal from one another.
Which one should you choose
If you just want to try something, installing the PWA is the easiest. It is free, takes a couple of minutes, and you can simply uninstall it if you do not like it.
If you keep your browser open all day anyway, a Chrome extension gets you there in the fewest clicks.
On the other hand, if you want to capture tasks the instant you think of them, dig a specific task out of a long list, or see only what is due today, a dedicated app is the better fit. Those three things are exactly what the web version does not do, so a PWA or an extension will not solve them.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official Google Tasks desktop app?
Not as of August 2026. Google offers the web, Android and iOS versions only. To use it on your desktop you will need one of the approaches described above.
What is the difference between a PWA and a dedicated app?
A PWA shows the web version in its own window, so it can do exactly what the web version can do. A dedicated app is built separately on top of the Google Tasks API, which is how it can add things like a global shortcut and full-text search.
Is my task data safe?
With ToDo for Google, sign-in is limited to Google OAuth 2.0, so your password is only entered on Google's own pages. The app never receives or stores it, and your data is not sent to any server other than Google's. If you use another app or extension, it is worth checking that it uses OAuth in the same way and reading its privacy policy.
Is it free?
ToDo for Google is a free download on both Mac and Windows. You get a 7-day free trial, and you only buy a one-time full license if you decide you like it. It is not a subscription, so there is no auto-renewal and no extra charges. The browser and PWA options are free.
Does it sync with Google Tasks on my phone?
Yes. Every option here reads the same Google Tasks data, so anything you change on your desktop shows up in the Google Tasks app on your phone.
Try ToDo for Google
A desktop app for using Google Tasks full screen on Mac and Windows. Free to download.