Guides / Next-Up List and Calendar Actions
How do I show my agenda when I unlock my Mac?
macOS has no built-in setting that pops up your agenda when you unlock, so you need a workaround. The simplest options are a Calendar widget on your desktop or in Notification Center, or a menu-bar calendar app that surfaces the day's events. A menu-bar assistant that shows the agenda at your first unlock each morning is the closest match to what you are asking for.
What your Mac gives you without extra software
Your Mac has no setting that says "when I unlock, show me today's events." The lock screen is just a login prompt, and the first thing you see afterwards is whatever you left open yesterday. The built-in options are all passive.
- A Calendar widget on the desktop or in Notification Center shows today's events, but only if you look at it.
- Opening the Calendar app yourself works, but only on mornings you remember to.
- A menu-bar calendar app keeps the next event visible all day, though it rarely gives you a proper look at the whole day.
The gap is the moment you sit down. That moment is the unlock, and none of these put your day in front of you right then.
How Donna greets you with the day's agenda at first unlock
Donna is a Mac menu-bar assistant for meetings. Her Next-Up List and Calendar Actions feature does exactly this: the day's agenda greets you at your first unlock each morning, so before you open mail or Slack you already know what is on your calendar.
To get it running:
- Download Donna from the download page and install it on a Mac running macOS 13 (Ventura) or later.
- Connect your calendar by signing in with Google Calendar or dropping in an iCal link. Multiple accounts are welcome.
- Unlock your Mac the first time tomorrow morning. Your agenda is there waiting, and you are not the one who has to remember to look.
It is part of the Free plan, so there is no card to enter and no trial that runs out.
What the rest of your day looks like
The unlock greeting is the morning hello. After that, the menu bar does the work.
- Next three meetings, ranked. A live countdown sits in the menu bar, so you always know how long you have. There is a separate guide on getting a next meeting countdown in your menu bar.
- Nudges with Join and Snooze. A nudge arrives five minutes before a meeting. Join it, or snooze it if you need a few more minutes.
- RSVP and reschedule from the menu bar. You can answer an invite or move a meeting without opening your calendar.
- Calls open on time. At start time, Donna launches Google Meet, Zoom or Microsoft Teams in the right app and the right browser profile. You can turn auto-open off entirely.
Which calendars and Macs it works with
- Google Calendar: full two-way sync, multiple accounts and multiple calendars.
- Apple Calendar: any iCal/ICS feed, including Fastmail and more.
- Outlook / Microsoft 365 Calendar: planned, not available today. If your meetings live there, the agenda greeting will not see them yet.
- Macs: macOS 13 (Ventura) or later, on Apple silicon and Intel.
- Other platforms: Windows is listed as coming soon with no date. Donna is Mac only today.
Limits worth knowing
The agenda greeting is for the first unlock of the day. It is not a pop-up on every unlock, so for the rest of the day your menu-bar countdown and next-up list are what keep you oriented.
Donna reads your calendar, never your inbox. What she shows you is only as complete as the calendars you have connected, so add every account you take meetings on.
The next-up list, nudges, RSVP and reschedule are all free. Recording, transcripts and summaries are part of Pro, which you can read about on the pricing page. You do not need Pro to get your agenda at unlock. For the full picture of what Donna does, start at the home page.
Try Donna. Records, transcribes and summarizes your meetings on your Mac, with nothing sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
Does the agenda show every time I unlock my Mac?
The agenda greets you at your first unlock each morning. For the rest of the day, the live countdown and the ranked next-three list in the menu bar keep your schedule in view.
Do I need to pay to see my agenda at unlock?
No. The next-up list and the morning agenda are on the Free plan, which is $0 forever with no card required. Pro adds recording, transcripts, summaries and follow-up emails.
Can I use it with my Outlook calendar?
Not yet. Outlook and Microsoft 365 Calendar are planned, with no date. Today Donna works with Google Calendar and Apple Calendar through an iCal/ICS feed.
Can I RSVP or reschedule from the menu bar?
Yes. RSVP and reschedule are built into the menu bar, alongside the next-up list and the Join and Snooze nudges.
Does this work on my iPhone or Windows PC?
No. Donna runs on macOS 13 or later only. Windows is coming soon with no date, and there is no iPhone version.