Setup guide

Email MCP Setup Guide

A complete walkthrough for connecting your email inbox to any MCP-compatible AI client using Connect My Email. Works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and more.

For: Anyone setting up an email MCP server for the first time.

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Setup

Get connected

Create a CME account

Go to connectmyemail.com and sign in with Google or email. Free — no credit card.

Connect your first inbox

From the dashboard: Add inbox → choose your provider. Gmail and Outlook use OAuth (one click). iCloud, Yahoo, Fastmail, ProtonMail, Zoho, and AOL use app passwords.

Get your MCP URL

Dashboard → Keys tab → copy your personal MCP server URL. It looks like: https://mcp.connectmyemail.com/sse/cme_xxxxx

Configure your AI client

Paste the MCP URL into your AI client's MCP settings. Here's the format for Claude Desktop:

// ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS)
// %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows)
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "connectmyemail": {
      "url": "https://mcp.connectmyemail.com/sse/YOUR_KEY_HERE"
    }
  }
}

Restart your AI client

Restart Claude Desktop (or your chosen client) to load the new MCP server. You should see CME tools available in the tool list.

Test the connection

Ask your AI: 'What tools do you have for email?' — it should list CME's email tools. Then try: 'How many emails are in my inbox?'

Available tools

MCP tools

read_emailsRead email content by ID or searchfree

search_emailsNatural language inbox searchfree

list_labelsList labels/folders with countsfree

get_threadGet full email threadfree

sweep_inboxSimulate and execute bulk cleanuppro

bulk_deleteBulk delete with previewpro

apply_labelApply labels/folderspro

draft_replyDraft replies for approvalpro

send_emailSend emails (requires explicit confirmation)power

unsubscribeBulk newsletter unsubscribepro

Provider support

CME supports 9 email providers via a single MCP URL: Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, Fastmail, ProtonMail, Zoho, AOL, IMAP. Connect multiple inboxes — all accessible from one MCP endpoint.

FAQ

Common questions

How long does setup take?

Under 5 minutes for most users. Gmail and Outlook connect in one OAuth click. App-password providers take 2-3 minutes.

Do I need to edit JSON config manually?

Only for Claude Desktop — and only if you prefer the manual method. Most users use the in-app settings UI.

Can I connect multiple inboxes?

Yes — connect as many inboxes as you want. All are accessible through your single CME MCP URL.

What if my MCP client isn't listed?

Any client supporting the MCP protocol works with CME. Paste your MCP URL into the server configuration and it will auto-discover CME's tools.

Email MCP overview →Setup guide →All MCP tools →Tool catalog →Pricing →Connect email to Claude →

Plug your inbox into your AI.

Free tier. No credit card. Connect in under 5 minutes.

Start free →View docs →