Integration · Email

Connect Claude & ChatGPT to Gmail

Ask your AI what came in from a customer this week, to sum up a long thread, or to draft a reply. It searches with the same syntax as the Gmail search bar, reads whole conversations and attachments, writes drafts in the right thread, and archives or labels email for you. Sending is a separate step, so you can keep the final click.

Connect Gmail free

Free plan, no credit card. Takes about a minute.

Try asking

“Which unread emails from customers came in this week?”
The AI searches with Gmail search syntax, such as is:unread newer_than:7d, and reads the matching emails with sender, subject and date.
“Sum up my thread with Anna about the contract.”
It finds the conversation and reads every message in it, so the summary covers the whole thread.
“Draft a reply to Anna saying we can meet on Thursday.”
It creates a draft in the same thread. Nothing is sent until the draft is sent.

What your AI can do

Search and read

Search emails and conversations with Gmail search syntax, read full threads with headers and body, and download attachments.

Drafts and sending

Create, update and delete drafts, reply inside an existing thread, and send a draft when you are ready.

Labels and inbox

Create labels, add or remove labels to archive or mark as read, move email to Trash and back, and manage the out-of-office reply.

“Send the draft to Anna.”
It sends the existing draft. The email goes out right away and cannot be recalled.
“Archive last month's newsletters and mark them as read.”
It finds the emails and removes the INBOX and UNREAD labels, so they leave the inbox without being deleted.
“Turn on my out-of-office from Friday to Monday.”
It sets the auto-reply with subject, text and start and end time. Gmail then answers people who email you in that period.

20 tools for Gmail

These tools are switched on when you connect. You can switch any of them off, or require your approval before it runs.

create_draftChanges dataCreate a draft email. Put the full RFC 2822 email (To, Subject, blank line, body) base64url-encoded in `message.raw`; set `message.threadId` to draft a reply in an existing thread. Pass `user_id` = `me`. Nothing is sent.
create_labelChanges dataCreate a new label with a `name`. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
delete_draftDeletesPermanently delete a draft by `draft_id` (it does not go to Trash). Pass `user_id` = `me`.
get_attachmentDownload one attachment from an email: `message_id` plus the attachment ID from get_message as `document_id`. Returns base64url data. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
get_draftGet one draft email by `draft_id`. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
get_messageGet one email by `message_id`, with headers (from, to, subject, date), body parts and attachment IDs. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
get_profileGet the connected Gmail address and mailbox totals. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
get_threadGet a whole email conversation by `thread_id`, with every message in it. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
get_vacation_responderGet the out-of-office auto-reply settings. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
list_draftsList draft emails, optionally filtered with Gmail search syntax in `q`. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
list_labelsList all labels in the mailbox (system labels like INBOX, UNREAD, STARRED and the user's own) with their IDs. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
search_messagesSearch emails with Gmail search syntax in `q`, e.g. `from:[email protected] is:unread newer_than:7d`. Returns message and thread IDs only; use get_message for content. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
search_threadsSearch email conversations (threads) with Gmail search syntax in `q`. Returns thread IDs; use get_thread for the messages. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
send_draftVisible to othersSend an existing draft: pass the draft's ID as `id` and `user_id` = `me`. The email goes out to its recipients immediately and cannot be recalled.
set_vacation_responderVisible to othersTurn the out-of-office auto-reply on or off with `enable_auto_reply`, `response_subject`, `response_body_plain_text` and optional `start_time` / `end_time` (epoch ms). While on, Gmail sends this reply automatically to people who email you. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
trash_threadChanges dataMove a whole conversation to Trash by `thread_id`. It can be restored within 30 days. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
untrash_messageChanges dataRestore an email from Trash by `message_id`. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
update_draftChanges dataReplace the content of a draft by `draft_id` with a new base64url-encoded RFC 2822 email in `message.raw`. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
update_message_labelsChanges dataAdd or remove labels on one email by `message_id` using `add_label_ids` / `remove_label_ids`, e.g. remove UNREAD to mark read or remove INBOX to archive. Pass `user_id` = `me`.
update_thread_labelsChanges dataAdd or remove labels on every email in a conversation by `thread_id` using `add_label_ids` / `remove_label_ids`, e.g. remove INBOX to archive it. Pass `user_id` = `me`.

Set up in three steps

1
Pick the app
Create a free PipMCP account and choose Gmail from the app list.
2
Paste your key
Paste the OAuth client ID and client secret from your own Google Cloud project, then sign in with Google once. In the Google Cloud console create a project and enable the Gmail API (APIs & Services > Library). Set up the OAuth consent screen as Internal for Google Workspace, or as External and then click Publish app, because apps left in Testing get refresh tokens that expire after 7 days. Then go to Credentials > Create credentials > OAuth client ID > Web application, add the redirect URI https://pipmcp.com/oauth/callback and copy the client ID and secret. Because the app is your own and not verified by Google, Google shows a warning screen when you sign in. That is expected for your own app. PipMCP renews access automatically after that.
3
Add the link to your AI
You get a personal MCP link. Add it to Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor:
Click your name, then Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector. Paste your link as the Remote MCP server URL. Switch it on from the + menu in a chat.

Questions

What can the AI do in Gmail?

It can search and read emails and conversations, download attachments, and list your labels and drafts. It can create, update, send and delete drafts, create labels, add or remove labels on emails and threads, move email to Trash and restore it, and read or change your out-of-office reply.

Does the AI see my Gmail credentials?

No. Your OAuth client secret and the access from your Google sign-in are encrypted at rest and never shown to the AI. After you save them, they are not shown again, not even to you. The AI only sees the results of the tools it calls.

Can I control what the AI is allowed to do?

Yes. You choose which tools are switched on, so you can start with search and read only. A sent draft cannot be recalled, a deleted draft is gone for good, and the out-of-office reply writes to people automatically, so these tools can require your approval before they run. Every tool call is logged.

Does it work with ChatGPT?

Yes. In ChatGPT go to Settings › Apps & Connectors › Advanced and turn on Developer mode, then add your PipMCP link. Developer mode needs a paid ChatGPT plan: Plus, Pro, Business or Enterprise. The same link also works in Claude (Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector), Cursor and other MCP clients.

What does it cost?

Gmail connects with OAuth, and OAuth connections need the PipMCP Pro plan or above. PipMCP also has a free plan with no credit card, but it does not include this connection. Paid plans bill per completed task. You also need your own Google account.

Can the AI delete my email permanently?

No. PipMCP asks Google for the gmail.modify scope, which covers reading, sending and labels but not permanent deletion. The AI can move email to Trash, and it can be restored until Gmail empties Trash after 30 days. Drafts are the exception: deleting a draft removes it permanently.