> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getinboxzero.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect MCP

> Let ChatGPT, Claude, or Cursor search your inbox, create drafts, and manage rules.

Inbox Zero exposes a remote MCP server so ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or another MCP client can work with your linked Gmail and Outlook accounts.

The assistant can search and read mail, create mailbox drafts, manage automation rules, and read email statistics. It cannot send email. Drafts stay in your mailbox until you send them.

This is different from [Integrations](/essentials/context-integrations), which let Inbox Zero call other products during assistant rules.

<iframe src="https://player.mux.com/xi1i9Qc75MWepkZv87ptyc5sFhBMhkbUJ4lr6stOS6U?metadata-video-title=Connect%20MCP%20walkthrough&accent-color=%233b82f6" title="Connect MCP walkthrough" style={{ width: "100%", border: "none", aspectRatio: "16/9" }} loading="lazy" allow="accelerometer; gyroscope; autoplay; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture" allowFullScreen />

## Turn on MCP for your account

1. Open the account menu at the bottom of the left sidebar and choose **Settings**.
2. In the Settings dialog, scroll to **Account → MCP**.
3. Turn on **MCP**. The **Connect MCP** dialog opens.
4. Copy the MCP URL.

To see the URL again later, choose **Connect** on the MCP row.

Use this Streamable HTTP URL:

```text theme={null}
https://www.getinboxzero.com/mcp
```

Self-hosted deployments use `https://your-inbox-zero-host/mcp` after setting `MCP_SERVER_ENABLED=true`, `NEXT_PUBLIC_EXTERNAL_API_ENABLED=true`, and `API_KEY_SALT`. See the [MCP API reference](/api-reference/mcp).

If MCP is still off when the assistant connects, the consent screen can turn it on for you after you sign in with Google or Microsoft. Email-code sign-in cannot authorize MCP clients.

## ChatGPT

ChatGPT needs a public HTTPS MCP URL and Developer mode. Availability depends on your ChatGPT plan.

1. Open ChatGPT on the web and go to **Settings → Apps**.
2. Turn on **Developer mode**.
3. Create a new app or connector and paste the Inbox Zero MCP URL.
4. Scan tools, then sign in to Inbox Zero and choose **Allow**.
5. Start a new chat and enable the Inbox Zero app from the tools menu before asking it to search mail or draft a reply.

If ChatGPT asks how to authenticate, choose OAuth. Do not paste an Inbox Zero API key.

## Claude

1. Open Claude and go to **Customize → Connectors**.
2. Choose **Add custom connector**.
3. Paste the Inbox Zero MCP URL. Leave OAuth client ID and secret empty unless you registered a client yourself.
4. Add the connector, then choose **Connect** and **Allow** on the Inbox Zero consent screen.
5. In a chat, open **+ → Connectors** and enable Inbox Zero before asking it to search mail or draft a reply.

On Team and Enterprise, an owner adds the connector under **Organization settings → Connectors** first. Members then connect it from **Customize → Connectors**.

### Claude Code

```bash theme={null}
claude mcp add --transport http inbox-zero https://www.getinboxzero.com/mcp
```

Claude Code then signs you in with OAuth.

## Cursor

Add this to `~/.cursor/mcp.json` or the project `.cursor/mcp.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "inbox-zero": {
      "url": "https://www.getinboxzero.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Cursor then signs you in with OAuth. You can also add the same URL from **Cursor Settings → MCP**. This repository also includes a local Cursor plugin under `plugins/inbox-zero-mcp`.

## What the assistant can do

| Permission | Tools |
| - | - |
| Read | List inboxes, search mail, read threads, list rules, read stats |
| Write | Create a draft (does not send), create/update/delete rules |

Ask it to search recent mail, summarize a thread, draft an email, or update an automation rule. Sending stays in Inbox Zero or your mailbox.

Drafts are created as new messages with a recipient, subject, and body. A drafted reply appears in your Drafts folder as a separate message, not inside the original thread.

## Disconnect an app

1. Open **Settings → Account → MCP**.
2. Choose **MCP apps (N)**, where N is the number of connected apps. The button appears once at least one app is connected.
3. Choose **Disconnect** next to the application you no longer trust.

That revokes only that app. Other connected apps keep working. Turn off **MCP** to disconnect every app at once. Refresh tokens survive logging out of Inbox Zero in the browser; disconnecting or turning MCP off is what revokes them.


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.