Google OAuth Setup

Connect Gmail, Calendar, and Drive to Rowboat

Rowboat requires a Google OAuth Client ID to connect to Gmail, Calendar, and Drive. This guide walks you through generating your Client ID correctly.

You do NOT need to publish your app - keeping it in Testing mode is perfectly fine for personal use.

Setup Process

1. Open Google Cloud Console

   Go to Google Cloud Console

   Make sure you’re logged into the Google account you want to use with Rowboat.

2. Create a New Project

   Visit the project creation page

   1. Click Create Project
   2. Give it a name (e.g. Rowboat Integration)
   3. Click Create

   Once created, make sure the new project is selected in the top project dropdown.

   

3. Enable Required APIs

   Enable these three APIs for your project:

   Gmail API

   https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/api/gmail.googleapis.com
   

   For each API, click Enable.

   

4. Configure OAuth Consent Screen

   Go to the OAuth consent screen page

   App Information:

   • App name: e.g. Rowboat
   • User support email: Your email

   Audience:

   • Choose External

   Contact Information:

   • Add your email address

   Click Save and Continue through the remaining steps.

   You do NOT need to publish the app - keeping it in Testing mode is fine for personal use.

   

5. Add Test Users

   If your app is in Testing mode, you must add users manually.

   Go to the test users page

   Under Test Users:

   1. Click Add Users
   2. Add the email address you plan to connect with Rowboat
   3. Save changes

   

6. Create OAuth Client ID

   Go to the credentials page

   Click Create Credentials → OAuth Client ID

   Application Type:

   Select Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

   • Name it anything (e.g. Rowboat Desktop)
   • Store ID can be anything (e.g. test)
   • Click Create

   Make sure to select UWP (Universal Windows Platform) as the application type. This is required for Rowboat’s authentication flow to work correctly.

   

7. Copy the Client ID

   After creation, Google will show:

   • Client ID
   • Client Secret

   Copy the Client ID and paste it into Rowboat where prompted.

   

Troubleshooting

”Access blocked” error

If you see an “Access blocked” error when trying to connect:

1. Make sure you added your email as a test user (Step 5)
2. Verify that all three APIs (Gmail, Calendar, Drive) are enabled
3. Confirm you’re using the same Google account that you added as a test user

Can’t find UWP option

If you don’t see the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) option:

1. Make sure you’re on the correct credentials page
2. Try selecting “Desktop app” as an alternative - it should work similarly
3. Contact support if issues persist

Security Notes

• Your Client ID and credentials are stored locally on your machine
• Rowboat never sends your Google credentials to any external server
• You can revoke access at any time from your Google Account settings