🤖 Ghostwritten by Claude Opus 4.6 · Fact-checked & edited by GPT 5.4 · Curated by Tom Hundley
You can set up OpenClaw to search Gmail, summarize messages, draft replies, and—if you explicitly allow it—send email on your behalf. The basic setup has three parts: install a Gmail AgentSkill, connect the Google bridge, and enable the minimum permissions required for actions like drafting or sending. If you want the short version, start with read-only tasks first, test with a secondary Google account, and only enable send permissions after you've confirmed the workflow behaves the way you expect.
That caution matters. Email access is high trust: a misconfigured integration can expose sensitive messages or let a tool send mail you did not intend to send. This guide walks through the setup step by step, with an emphasis on least-privilege permissions, OAuth-based authorization, and a draft-first workflow.
TL;DR: You're connecting OpenClaw to Gmail so it can read, search, draft, and, if permitted, send email through a controlled workflow.
When the setup is complete, you'll be able to ask OpenClaw to do things like:
A safe setup depends on three pieces working together:
| Piece | What It Does | Analogy |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail AgentSkill | Gives OpenClaw the ability to work with Gmail | Like installing an app on your phone |
| Google bridge | Handles the connection and authorization flow to Google services | Like an interpreter between two systems |
| Exec permissions | Lets OpenClaw take actions such as drafting or sending | Like a signed permission slip |
Without all three, the full workflow will not work. That is a feature, not a bug: it creates a deliberate approval path before any external action happens.
TL;DR: Use OpenClaw's skill commands to find and install the Gmail skill, then install the Google bridge that handles authorization.
Open your OpenClaw interface and run the commands one at a time.
Search for a Gmail-related skill:
openclaw skills search gmailLook for a Gmail skill from a trusted or verified publisher. Skill names and package names can change over time, so confirm the exact listing shown in your environment before installing. If you want a framework for evaluating plugins, see how to safely install and vet ClawHub plugins.
Install the Gmail skill:
openclaw skills install gmail-automationInstall the Google bridge:
openclaw skills install gog-bridgeTo keep both current, update them periodically:
openclaw skills update gmail-automation
openclaw skills update gog-bridgeFor a broader look at the ecosystem, the ClawHub Plugin Registry Guide covers how the registry is organized and what to check before installing anything.
TL;DR: Authorize through Google's OAuth flow, then enable only the specific permissions needed for the Gmail workflow you want.
When you first invoke a Gmail action, OpenClaw should present an authorization link. The usual flow looks like this:
This is typically done through OAuth, which means the integration receives a revocable token rather than your Google password. In general, OAuth is the standard approach Google recommends for third-party access to Gmail and other Google services.
If you later want to revoke access, remove the connected app from your Google Account security settings.
By default, many agent systems separate read access from action-taking. In practice, that means a skill may be able to inspect or summarize data before it is allowed to draft, send, or modify anything.
Open openclaw.json and add or update the permissions section:
{
"permissions": {
"exec": {
"gmail-automation": true,
"gog-bridge": true
}
}
}Then save the file and restart OpenClaw.
This configuration is intended to grant action permissions only to the components that need them. That follows the least-privilege principle: allow the minimum access required for the task, and nothing more.
TL;DR: Start with read-only prompts, then move to draft-only prompts before you allow any send workflow.
Begin with a read-only prompt:
Search my Gmail for unread emails from the last 24 hours and give me a summary of each one—sender, subject, and a one-sentence overview.If that works, try a draft-only prompt:
Draft a reply to the most recent email from [name]. Keep it professional and brief. Say I'll follow up by end of week. Do not send it; save it as a draft for review.That sequence matters. A draft-first workflow gives you a review checkpoint before anything leaves your inbox.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Skill not found" | Typo or changed package name | Run openclaw skills search gmail again and confirm the exact listing |
| "Permission denied" | Exec permissions missing | Update openclaw.json and restart OpenClaw |
| "Authorization required" | Google bridge not yet authorized | Open the auth link and complete sign-in |
| "Token expired" | OAuth token needs refresh | Re-run the Gmail action and re-authorize if prompted |
| Can read but not draft/send | Missing action permissions | Confirm both relevant entries are enabled in openclaw.json |
If you are troubleshooting similar integrations across services, the multi-platform messaging setup guide covers overlapping authorization and permission patterns.
TL;DR: Treat email automation as a high-trust integration: vet the skill, test in a low-risk account, and review outputs before enabling send actions.
A few rules are worth treating as non-negotiable:
Potentially, yes—it depends on the scopes granted during authorization. If the integration requests broad Gmail access and you approve it, it may be able to read messages beyond a narrow subset. That is why reviewing scopes during the OAuth prompt matters.
In many setups, the skill may still be able to perform read-oriented tasks, such as searching or summarizing, while action-oriented tasks like drafting or sending remain blocked. That can be a good starting point if you want a lower-risk trial configuration.
No. You do need to be comfortable following command prompts and editing a JSON configuration file carefully, but this is closer to system setup than software development.
No. An API key is a static credential pattern used by some services, while Gmail account access is typically handled through OAuth. OAuth is generally safer for end-user account access because permissions can be scoped and revoked.
Often yes, but Workspace administrators can restrict third-party app access. If authorization fails in a managed work account, your admin may need to approve the app or adjust OAuth app controls.
If you want OpenClaw to help with email, the safest path is straightforward: install the right skill, authorize Google access through OAuth, enable only the permissions you need, and start with drafts instead of sends. That gives you the productivity benefit without skipping the controls that matter.
If you're building a broader automation workflow, the next step is combining email with other tools—calendars, spreadsheets, and internal knowledge sources—without turning your setup into a security mess. Explore the related ESS guides linked above, and use the same rule everywhere: minimum access, explicit approval, review before action.
Discover more content: