gmail

The Gmail MCP Bridge lets you control Gmail actions directly from Claude without using Google Cloud credentials, OAuth, or API keys. It runs a local MCP bridge server that communicates with a Chrome extension, allowing Claude to read, search, and compose Gmail messages through your existing Chrome session. The server exposes a set of MCP-enabled commands you can invoke from Claude, including reading emails, searching using Gmail's syntax, sending replies, and managing multi-account contexts. You can manage the MCP server via the included CLI and use Claude prompts like “Check my latest emails” or “Send an email to person@example.com” to trigger Gmail actions through the bridge.

Once installed, you typically interact with two components: the MCP bridge server running locally and the Chrome extension that authenticates with Gmail through your browser session. The combination enables low-latency, browser-session-bound Gmail automation for AI assistants without exposing API keys or requiring cloud projects.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js 18+ (and npm)
• Google Chrome (latest)
• Claude Desktop with MCP enabled

Installation steps:

1. One-command install (recommended) ./bin/gmail-mcp install

2. Manual setup cd gmail-mcp-extension/mcp-server && npm install

3. Run the MCP server (if not using the installer command) node gmail-mcp-extension/mcp-server/server.js

Notes:

• The project is designed to run locally and bind to your Chrome session. Ensure Chrome is signed in to the Gmail account you want to automate.
• If you clone or download manually, install dependencies in the mcp-server directory and start the server as shown above.

Tips and considerations:

• No Google Cloud, OAuth screens, or API keys are required thanks to Chrome-session-based operation.
• The Chrome extension must be installed and enabled for Gmail automation to work.
• If you encounter connectivity issues, verify that the MCP bridge server is running and that the Chrome extension is loaded and connected to the local server.
• Common environment considerations include ensuring network access to localhost and compatible Node.js versions.
• Review the Quick Start documentation in docs/quick-start/installation.md for step-by-step troubleshooting and advanced usage patterns.