How to give Claude access to your Gmail with an MCP server

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets Claude call external tools. A Gmail MCP server gives Claude functions like search messages, read a thread, and create a draft, all running locally with your Google OAuth credentials. This guide sets one up for Claude Desktop. Nothing is sent to Anthropic except the tool results Claude needs to answer you.

• Claude Desktop installed
• Node.js 18 or newer
• A Google Cloud project with the Gmail API enabled
• An OAuth client (Desktop app) credentials JSON file

Step 1: Enable the Gmail API and get OAuth credentials

In Google Cloud Console, create or pick a project, open APIs and Services, and enable the Gmail API. Then go to Credentials, create an OAuth client ID, choose Desktop app, and download the JSON. Add your own email as a test user on the OAuth consent screen so it works without a published app review.

Step 2: Run the Gmail MCP server once to authorize

Most Gmail MCP servers ship on npm. Place the credentials file where the server expects it, then run the auth command. A browser window opens for the Google consent screen. Approve it and the server stores a refresh token locally.

Step 3: Register the server in Claude Desktop

Open Claude Desktop, go to Settings, Developer, Edit Config. Add the Gmail server to the mcpServers block. The file is claude_desktop_config.json in your Application Support (macOS) or AppData (Windows) folder.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gmail": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@gongrzhe/server-gmail-autoauth-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Step 4: Restart Claude and try a command

Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. You should see a tools icon showing the Gmail server connected. Ask Claude to do something concrete and it will request permission to call the tool the first time.

Result: Claude can now triage, summarize and draft inside your real mailbox on demand, using your own Google credentials, without copying email text back and forth.