Connect your IMAP inbox to Claude.

Rackspace Email is verified.

Other IMAP providers can work when they support the required connection settings.

Before you start

You need:

  • An email account that supports IMAP over TLS.
  • The IMAP server name.
  • Your full email address.
  • Your mailbox password or app password.
  • Access to custom connectors in Claude.

Microsoft 365 and Outlook.com do not work through the current SupaMail IMAP path.

What is IMAP?

IMAP is a standard way for email apps to read and sync messages.

Many work email providers support IMAP even when they do not offer a Claude connector.

SupaMail uses that existing connection to make the inbox available through remote MCP.

MCP is the standard that lets Claude use external tools and data.

Connect IMAP email to Claude

  1. Add your inbox to SupaMail

    Enter your email address, IMAP server name, and mailbox password or app password.

    Use the settings supplied by your email provider.

  2. Start the first sync

    SupaMail connects to the mailbox and starts syncing messages.

    The time depends on the mailbox size and the email provider.

  3. Add SupaMail to Claude

    Open Customize > Connectors in Claude.

    Add the SupaMail remote MCP URL.

    Complete the sign-in step.

    Team and Enterprise workspaces may require an owner to add the connector first.

  4. Test the connection

    Start a new Claude conversation.

    Enable the SupaMail connector.

    Find the latest email from Rackspace.

    If Claude finds the message, the connection works.

What can I ask Claude?

Start with a specific task.

Find the latest invoice from Rackspace.

Read the thread with Acme about the renewal.

What did we agree to in the email thread with Sam?

Prepare a reply that confirms the meeting on Tuesday.

The SupaMail tools can search synced messages, read messages and threads, and prepare reply text.

They do not send the reply.

What changes after you connect it?

Without SupaMail, you copy email into Claude one message at a time.

With SupaMail, Claude can search the synced inbox when the task needs email context.

You still choose what to ask.

You can disable the connector for any conversation.

Security and limits

Security

SupaMail uses encrypted connections.

It encrypts mailbox passwords before it saves them.

It encrypts message bodies before private storage.

It hashes access tokens.

You enter the mailbox password in SupaMail, not in Claude.

You can revoke the SupaMail connection token.

Read the current details on the Security page.

Limits

Claude can only use messages that SupaMail has synced.

Large threads may return in parts.

The tools in this guide do not send email.

They do not manage attachments or organize the mailbox.

Frequently asked questions

Will this work with any IMAP account?

Not yet.

The mailbox must support IMAP over TLS and accept the supplied login method.

Rackspace Email is verified.

Other providers can use different server settings or app-password rules.

Does this work with Microsoft 365 or Outlook.com?

No.

Those services need an OAuth path that SupaMail does not support today.

Does Claude see my mailbox password?

No.

You enter the mailbox password in SupaMail.

Claude connects to SupaMail through the remote connector.

Can these tools send email from Claude?

No.

Claude can prepare a reply.

You review and send it from your email app.

Can Claude read old email?

Claude can read messages after SupaMail syncs them.

The available history depends on the completed sync.

Which Claude plans support this?

Claude supports remote custom connectors on its current plans.

Workspace rules differ.

Team and Enterprise workspaces may require an owner to add the connector.

Check Claude's current custom connector guide before setup.

Is this the same as forwarding my email?

No.

SupaMail reads the mailbox through IMAP.

It does not require you to forward messages to another inbox.