Google OAuth Setup Without Losing Your Mind

Let’s get this out of the way: Google OAuth setup is the most frustrating part of learning Make.com.

Not because the concept is hard. Not because Make.com does anything wrong. But because Google’s developer console was designed for software engineers building production apps – not for a small business owner who just wants to connect a spreadsheet to an automation.

The result is a setup process full of confusing terminology, scary-looking warnings, and screens that make you feel like you’re about to break something. You’re not. But I understand why it feels that way.

This guide walks through every single screen. Every click. Every “are you sure?” dialog. By the end, you’ll have a working Google connection in Make.com that handles Sheets, Drive, Gmail, and Calendar – and you’ll never have to do this setup again.

Why Google makes this so complicated

Most services (OpenAI, MailerLite, PDFShift) give you an API key: copy it, paste it, done. Google doesn’t work this way.

Google uses a system called OAuth 2.0, which is more secure but significantly more complex to set up. Instead of a single key, you need to create a “project” in Google’s developer console, enable specific APIs, generate credentials, and authorize Make.com to access your account.

The upside: OAuth is genuinely more secure. Your actual Google password never touches Make.com. Instead, Make.com receives a token that only grants the specific permissions you approved. You can revoke it anytime without changing your Google password.

The downside: the setup takes 15-20 minutes instead of 2 minutes, and Google’s interface changes frequently enough that screenshots from last year might not match what you see today.

Let’s get through it.

What you need before starting

• A Google account (the one that owns the Sheets, Drive, or Gmail you want to automate)
• A Make.com account (free tier is fine)
• 15-20 minutes of uninterrupted time
• This guide open in one tab

That’s it. No coding required. No credit card needed for the Google side.

Part 1: Create a Google Cloud project

Every Google API connection lives inside a “project.” Think of it as a container that holds your credentials and tracks which APIs you’re using.

Step 1: Open Google Cloud Console

Go to console.cloud.google.com

If this is your first time, Google might ask you to agree to terms of service. Accept them.

[IMAGE: Google Cloud Console landing page showing the dashboard with the project selector dropdown at the top of the page]

Step 2: Create a new project

Click the project selector dropdown at the top of the page (it might say “Select a project” or show an existing project name). Then click “New Project.”

[IMAGE: The project selector dropdown expanded, showing "New Project" button in the top right corner of the modal]

Give your project a name. Something like “Make.com Automations” works well. You don’t need to change the organization or location fields.

Click “Create.”

[IMAGE: New Project creation form with "Make.com Automations" typed in the Project name field, with the Create button highlighted]

Wait a few seconds. A notification will appear when the project is ready. Click “Select Project” in that notification (or use the project selector dropdown to switch to it).

Make sure you’re in the correct project before continuing. The project name should appear in the top bar. Everything you do from here applies to this specific project.

[IMAGE: Google Cloud Console top bar showing the project name "Make.com Automations" selected in the project dropdown, confirming you're in the right project]

Part 2: Enable the APIs you need

Your project exists, but it can’t do anything yet. You need to turn on the specific Google services you want Make.com to access.

Step 3: Open the API Library

In the left sidebar, go to “APIs & Services” and then “Library.” (If you don’t see the sidebar, click the hamburger menu icon in the top left.)

[IMAGE: Google Cloud Console left sidebar with "APIs & Services" expanded and "Library" highlighted]

Step 4: Enable each API

You’ll see a search bar. Search for and enable each of the following APIs. For each one, click on it, then click the blue “Enable” button.

The APIs you need:

• Google Sheets API – for reading and writing spreadsheets
• Google Drive API – for managing files and folders
• Gmail API – for watching and sending emails
• Google Calendar API – for creating and reading calendar events

[IMAGE: API Library search results showing "Google Sheets API" with the Enable button visible on the API detail page]

Enable them one at a time. After clicking “Enable” for each one, use the back button or navigate back to the Library to search for the next one.

Pro tip: Enable all four now, even if you only need Sheets today. The same OAuth connection works for all of them, so enabling them all upfront saves you from coming back later.

[IMAGE: The "Enabled APIs" dashboard showing all four APIs (Sheets, Drive, Gmail, Calendar) listed with green checkmarks or "enabled" status]

Step 5: Verify all APIs are enabled

Go to “APIs & Services” then “Enabled APIs & services” in the sidebar. You should see all four APIs listed. If any are missing, go back to the Library and enable them.

Part 3: Configure the OAuth consent screen

This is the part that scares people. Google needs you to set up a “consent screen” – the page that appears when you authorize Make.com to access your Google account. For personal use, this is straightforward. Just don’t overthink it.

Step 6: Open the OAuth consent screen settings

In the sidebar, go to “APIs & Services” then “OAuth consent screen.”

[IMAGE: Left sidebar showing "OAuth consent screen" option under APIs & Services]

Step 7: Choose user type

Google asks you to choose between “Internal” and “External.”

• Internal only appears if you have a Google Workspace (business) account. It limits access to users in your organization.
• External is available to everyone, including regular Gmail accounts.

Choose External. Even if you have a Workspace account, External works fine for Make.com connections. Click “Create.”

[IMAGE: OAuth consent screen showing "Internal" and "External" radio buttons, with "External" selected and the Create button below]

Step 8: Fill in the app information

Google wants details about your “app.” Remember – you’re not building a public app. This is just for your own Make.com connection. But Google requires these fields anyway.

Fill in:

• App name: “Make.com Automations” (or anything you’ll recognize)
• User support email: your email address
• App logo: skip this, it’s optional

Scroll down to “Developer contact information” and enter your email address again.

Click “Save and Continue.”

[IMAGE: OAuth consent screen app information form showing the App name field filled in as "Make.com Automations", user support email field, and developer contact email field at the bottom]

Step 9: Scopes (permissions)

This screen asks which permissions your connection needs. Here’s where it gets confusing – but you can actually skip this step entirely.

Click “Save and Continue” without adding any scopes.

Why? Because Make.com will request the specific scopes it needs during the authorization process. You don’t need to pre-configure them here.

[IMAGE: Scopes configuration screen showing an empty scopes list with the "Save and Continue" button at the bottom - no scopes added]

Step 10: Test users

This is important. Because your app is “External” and hasn’t been verified by Google (which is a process for public apps, not relevant for personal use), only “test users” can authorize it.

Click “Add Users” and add your own Google email address – the one that owns the Sheets, Drive, and Gmail you want to connect.

Click “Save and Continue.”

[IMAGE: Test users screen showing the "Add Users" button and an email address added to the test users list]

Step 11: Summary

Review the summary and click “Back to Dashboard.” Your OAuth consent screen is configured.

Part 4: Create OAuth credentials

Now you’ll generate the actual Client ID and Client Secret that Make.com needs.

Step 12: Go to Credentials

In the sidebar, go to “APIs & Services” then “Credentials.”

Click “Create Credentials” at the top, then select “OAuth client ID.”

[IMAGE: Credentials page with the "Create Credentials" dropdown expanded, showing "OAuth client ID" as one of the options]

Step 13: Configure the OAuth client

Application type: Select “Web application.”

Name: “Make.com” (or anything descriptive).

Now the critical part:

Authorized redirect URIs: Click “Add URI” and paste this exact URL:

https://www.integromat.com/oauth/cb/google-restricted

[IMAGE: OAuth client ID configuration showing "Web application" selected as the application type, the name field filled in as "Make.com", and the Authorized redirect URIs section with the integromat.com/oauth/cb/google-restricted URL added]

Wait – why integromat.com? Make.com used to be called Integromat. The redirect URL still uses the old domain. This is correct and expected. Don’t change it.

Important: Make sure there are no trailing spaces or extra characters in the URI. Copy and paste it exactly.

Click “Create.”

Step 14: Copy your credentials

Google shows you two values:

• Client ID – a long string ending in .apps.googleusercontent.com
• Client Secret – a shorter string starting with GOCSPX-

Copy both of these immediately. You can also access them later from the Credentials page, but it’s easier to copy them now.

[IMAGE: The "OAuth client created" modal showing the Client ID and Client Secret with copy buttons next to each value - both partially blurred for security]

Store these somewhere safe (a password manager is ideal). You’ll paste them into Make.com in the next step.

Part 5: Connect Google to Make.com

You’re past the hard part. Now you bring everything together.

Step 15: Add a Google module in Make.com

Open Make.com and create a new scenario (or open an existing one). Add any Google module – Google Sheets, Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Calendar. It doesn’t matter which one, because the connection works across all of them.

For this example, let’s use Google Sheets – “Search Rows” or “Add a Row” – any action will do.

Click on the module, then click “Add” next to the Connection dropdown.

[IMAGE: Make.com Google Sheets module configuration panel with the Connection dropdown showing "Add" button to create a new connection]

Step 16: Enter your credentials

Make.com opens a connection dialog. Fill in:

• Connection name: “Google – [your name]” (something you’ll recognize)
• Client ID: paste the Client ID from Step 14
• Client Secret: paste the Client Secret from Step 14

Click “Sign in with Google” (or “Save” – depending on the module).

[IMAGE: Make.com Google connection dialog showing fields for Connection name, Client ID, and Client Secret, with the "Sign in with Google" button at the bottom]

Step 17: Authorize in Google

A Google sign-in window pops up. Select your Google account (the one you added as a test user in Step 10).

Here comes the scary screen.

Google shows a warning: “Google hasn’t verified this app.” This is normal. It appears because your app is in testing mode, which is exactly what you want for personal use.

Click “Continue.”

[IMAGE: Google's "Google hasn't verified this app" warning screen with the "Continue" link at the bottom left - highlighting where to click to proceed]

Step 18: Grant permissions

Google shows a list of permissions Make.com is requesting. These will vary depending on which Google services you enabled, but typically include:

• See, edit, create, and delete spreadsheets
• See, edit, create, and delete files in Google Drive
• Read, compose, and send Gmail messages
• See, edit, share, and delete calendars

Click “Continue” (or “Allow”).

[IMAGE: Google permissions consent screen showing the list of requested permissions with checkboxes, and the "Continue" button at the bottom]

Step 19: Verify the connection

Make.com should now show your new connection in the dropdown, with a green checkmark or “Verified” status. If you see this, you’re done. The connection works.

[IMAGE: Make.com module configuration showing the new Google connection selected in the dropdown with a green verification indicator]

Test it: If you added a Google Sheets module, try selecting a spreadsheet from the dropdown. If your spreadsheets appear in the list, the connection is working perfectly.

Part 6: The redirect URI problem (and how to fix it)

This is the single most common error in the entire setup process. If something goes wrong, it’s almost always this.

The error

When you click “Sign in with Google” in Make.com, Google shows:

“Error 400: redirect_uri_mismatch”

[IMAGE: Google error screen showing "Error 400: redirect_uri_mismatch" with the error details explaining that the redirect URI doesn't match the authorized ones]

Why it happens

The redirect URI you entered in Step 13 doesn’t exactly match what Make.com is sending. Common causes:

• You typed the URL instead of copying it
• There’s a trailing space after the URL
• You used http:// instead of https://
• You used make.com instead of integromat.com
• You added the wrong redirect URI path

How to fix it

1. Go back to Google Cloud Console – APIs & Services – Credentials
2. Click on your OAuth client ID (the pencil/edit icon)
3. Check the “Authorized redirect URIs” section
4. Make sure it contains exactly: https://www.integromat.com/oauth/cb/google-restricted
5. Delete any incorrect URIs
6. Save
7. Go back to Make.com and try the connection again

Note: After changing the redirect URI, it can take a few minutes for Google to propagate the change. If it still fails immediately after fixing, wait 2-3 minutes and try again.

Troubleshooting other common problems

“Access blocked: This app’s request is invalid”

This usually means the OAuth consent screen isn’t fully configured. Go back to APIs & Services – OAuth consent screen and make sure you completed all steps, including adding yourself as a test user.

“This app is blocked” or “Unverified app” refusing to continue

Some Google Workspace organizations restrict access to unverified apps. If you’re using a company Google account and can’t proceed past the warning screen, you may need to:

1. Ask your Workspace admin to allow unverified apps for your account
2. Or use a personal Gmail account for the connection instead

Spreadsheets or files not showing up in Make.com

If the connection works but you can’t see specific spreadsheets or drive files:

• Make sure the Google account you authorized is the owner (or has access to) the files you’re trying to reach
• If you enabled APIs after creating the connection, try disconnecting and reconnecting

“Token has been expired or revoked”

Google tokens expire periodically, or if you change your Google password. In Make.com:

1. Go to Connections in the left sidebar
2. Find your Google connection
3. Click “Reauthorize”
4. Sign in again

[IMAGE: Make.com Connections page showing a Google connection with an error status and the "Reauthorize" button/option visible]

This fixes expired tokens without having to redo the entire setup.

The connection works for Sheets but not Gmail

Each Google API needs to be enabled separately (Part 2). If Sheets works but Gmail doesn’t, go back to the API Library and confirm Gmail API is enabled for your project.

What about the “Verified app” process?

You might read online that Google requires app verification and wonder if you need to do this. Short answer: no.

App verification is for developers who build apps used by thousands of people. For your personal Make.com connection, “testing mode” with yourself as a test user is all you need.

The only limitation: you can add up to 100 test users. Since this is just your own Google account connecting to your own Make.com account, that’s not an issue.

You can safely ignore:

• Warnings about app verification
• Messages about publishing your app
• Prompts to submit for review

None of these apply to personal Make.com connections.

Quick reference: the whole process in 60 seconds

Once you’ve done this, here’s the cheat sheet for next time (or to share with someone):

1. Google Cloud Console – Create project
2. Enable APIs (Sheets, Drive, Gmail, Calendar)
3. OAuth consent screen – External – add your email as test user
4. Credentials – Create OAuth client ID – Web application
5. Add redirect URI: https://www.integromat.com/oauth/cb/google-restricted
6. Copy Client ID + Client Secret
7. Make.com – Add Google module – Create connection – paste credentials
8. Sign in with Google – Click through “unverified app” warning – Allow permissions

That’s the entire process. First time: 15-20 minutes. If you ever need to do it again: 5 minutes.

One connection, all Google services

The best part: you only do this once. The same connection works for Google Sheets, Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Calendar across every scenario in your Make.com account.

In the course, you set up Google OAuth in Workflow 2 (Gmail + Google Drive) and then reuse the same connection in Workflow 3 (Calendar), Workflow 6 (Sheets for the AI Quote Generator), Workflow 7 (Sheets for the SEO Article Writer), and Workflow 8 (Sheets for the Sales Funnel).

One setup. Every Google integration, forever.

Key takeaways

Google OAuth setup is the hardest credential configuration you’ll face in Make.com – but it’s a one-time process. The most common failure point is the redirect URI, and the most confusing part is the “unverified app” warning (which is completely normal for personal use).

Enable all four Google APIs upfront. Add yourself as a test user. Copy the redirect URI exactly. And once you see your spreadsheets in Make.com’s dropdown, you’re done.

If you want this exact walkthrough as a video – including every screen, every click, and real-time troubleshooting of the most common errors – the Make.com Automation Course covers it in Workflow 2. You set it up once, and use it in 5 of the 8 workflows that follow