Claude Gmail Connector: Connect Claude to Your Inbox
Yes — Claude connects to Gmail. The Gmail connector is a first-party Google Workspace integration, so you add it in a couple of clicks, sign in with your Google account, and Claude can then search and read your email, summarize long threads, draft replies in your voice, and — with your approval — send, reply, and forward. This guide covers exactly how to connect it, what it can and can't do, real workflows to try, and how to fix it when it isn't working.
TL;DR
Add the Claude Gmail connector from the "+" menu in any chat (or Customize → Connectors), then authenticate with your Google account. Claude can search and read email, list drafts, manage labels, draft messages, and send/reply/forward — it asks for approval before it sends anything. It's available on all plans; Team and Enterprise need an Owner to enable it first. One limit worth knowing: Claude reads email and attachment metadata, but not the contents of attachments. To learn the whole connected-inbox workflow, start with the free Claude Cowork course.
What is the Claude Gmail connector?
The Gmail connector is Anthropic's first-party link between Claude and your Gmail account — one of the Google Workspace connectors alongside Google Drive and Google Calendar. Because it's first-party, there's no third-party tool or setup beyond signing in with Google. Once connected, it works across Claude on the web, the desktop app (including Claude Cowork), and mobile. It's one of many tools you can wire up — see the full Claude connectors guide for the rest.
How to connect Claude to Gmail (step by step)
- In any chat, click the "+" in the lower-left (or go to Customize → Connectors).
- Open Connectors and find Gmail (it's in the Google Workspace set).
- Click Connect and complete the Google sign-in (OAuth) prompt.
- Approve the access Google shows you, and you're done.
You can toggle Gmail on or off per conversation from the "+" menu, so Claude only touches your inbox when you want it to. On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner or Primary Owner must enable the connector at the organization level before individual people can authenticate.
What Claude can do with Gmail
The Gmail connector has both read and write access, and it's clear about the line between them:
Read:
- Search and read emails using plain-language queries ("find the invoice from Acme last month")
- Access email and attachment metadata (sender, subject, dates — not the attachment's contents)
- List your saved drafts
- Work with your labels and threads
Write:
- Draft emails with the right context and formatting
- Send, reply to, and forward emails
By default, Claude asks for your approval before it sends, replies, or forwards anything. On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner can change that default.
Real Gmail workflows to try
Once it's connected, give it real work instead of test prompts:
- Inbox triage: "Summarize the unread emails in my inbox from this week and flag anything that needs a reply today."
- Thread summary: "Summarize this thread and tell me what I've committed to."
- Draft in your voice: "Draft a reply to this client declining the meeting but offering two alternative times next week."
- Find it fast: "Find the email where Dana sent the signed contract and tell me the date."
- Follow-ups: "Draft polite follow-ups to anyone I emailed last week who hasn't replied."
The pattern that makes this click: ask for a draft, review it, then approve the send. You get the speed of automation with a human check on anything that leaves your outbox.
What the Gmail connector can't do (and what to verify)
- It can't read attachment contents. Claude sees attachment metadata, not what's inside a PDF or spreadsheet attached to an email. To work with a file's contents, save it to Google Drive and use the Drive connector, or upload it directly.
- Sending needs your approval by default. That's a feature — review drafts before they go, especially client-facing email.
- Claude can still be wrong. A connector gives it access to your real inbox, but it doesn't stop it from misreading a thread. Check drafts and summaries before you act on them.
- Access is scoped and revocable. You approve what Gmail access Claude gets, toggle it per task, and can disconnect it anytime in Customize → Connectors. On shared plans, admins control availability.
Troubleshooting: Claude Gmail connector not working
If Gmail isn't showing up or Claude can't reach it, work through these:
- It's toggled off for the chat. Open the "+" menu and make sure Gmail is switched on for the current conversation.
- Authentication expired. Remove and re-add the connector in Customize → Connectors, then sign in with Google again.
- You're on a Team/Enterprise plan and it's not enabled. An Owner or Primary Owner has to turn the connector on at the organization level first — ask your admin.
- Wrong Google account. If you have multiple Google logins, confirm you authenticated the account that actually has the email you're looking for.
- Permissions weren't granted. During Google sign-in, you have to approve the access it asks for; if you skipped it, reconnect and accept.
Gmail is just the start
Gmail pairs naturally with the other Google Workspace connectors — Google Calendar for scheduling and Google Drive for the files your email references. Connect all three and Claude can read a request in your inbox, find the relevant document, and check your availability in one go. See the full Claude connectors guide for every tool you can add, and what Claude Cowork can do once your tools are connected.
Frequently asked questions
How do I connect Claude to Gmail?
Click the "+" in any Claude chat (or go to Customize → Connectors), open Connectors, find Gmail in the Google Workspace set, click Connect, and sign in with your Google account. On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner has to enable the connector for the organization first.
Can Claude send emails from Gmail?
Yes. The Gmail connector can send, reply to, and forward email — but by default Claude asks for your approval before it sends anything. On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner can change that default. It can also draft messages and list your existing drafts.
Can Claude read my Gmail attachments?
Claude can see attachment metadata (like the file name and type) but not the contents of an attachment. To have Claude work with a file's actual contents, save it to Google Drive and use the Drive connector, or upload the file directly to the conversation.
Is the Claude Gmail connector free?
The Gmail connector is available to all Claude users, including free accounts. On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner or Primary Owner must enable connectors at the organization level before individual users can authenticate.
Why isn't my Claude Gmail connector working?
The most common causes are: the connector is toggled off for that chat, your Google authentication expired (remove and re-add it, then sign in again), you're on a Team/Enterprise plan where an admin hasn't enabled it, or you authenticated the wrong Google account. Reconnecting from Customize → Connectors and approving the Google permissions fixes most cases.
Connect your inbox and put it to work
The fastest way to feel the difference is to connect Gmail and ask Claude to summarize this week's unread email or draft a reply you've been putting off. When you're ready to build the habit across your whole toolset, the free Claude Cowork course walks through connectors and real workflows — no coding required.