Connecting Evermail to Claude
Evermail runs a remote MCP server, so Claude can search, read, and export your archive directly inside a conversation — no copy-pasting emails back and forth.
What you need
The MCP integration is available on Starter, Pro, Team, and Enterprise plans — Free-tier accounts can't create API keys. See Billing & Plans to upgrade.
You'll also need an Evermail API key. Create one at app.evermail.ai/settings/integrations — click Create API key, name it something like "Claude", and copy the value starting with em_live_ immediately. It's only shown once.
Claude Code
Fully supported today, with no beta gating. This is the fastest way to get connected.
Add the Evermail MCP server
Run this in your terminal, swapping in your own API key:
claude mcp add --transport http evermail https://mcp.evermail.ai/mcp \
--header "X-API-Key: em_live_your_key_here"Optional: make it available everywhere
By default the server is only added to the current project. Add --scope user to the command above to make it available in every project on your machine:
claude mcp add --transport http evermail https://mcp.evermail.ai/mcp \
--header "X-API-Key: em_live_your_key_here" \
--scope userConfirm it's connected
Run claude mcp list — you should see evermail listed as connected. Then just ask Claude to search your archive; see example prompts below.
Claude desktop or web (custom connector)
Claude's custom connectors support header-based auth, but that feature is in beta and rolling out gradually — it may not be on your account yet.
Check this first. This method needs a Request headers section in Claude's connector dialog. Anthropic describes that feature as in beta and rolling out gradually, so it may not be on your account — and there's no way to know until you open the dialog. If it isn't there, use the Claude Code method above; that one isn't gated.
Open connector settings
The path depends on your Claude plan:
- Free, Pro, or Max: go to Customize → Connectors, then click Add custom connector.
- Team or Enterprise: an account Owner must go to Organization settings → Connectors, select Add, then Custom. If Claude asks for a connector type, choose Web. Teammates then connect it from Customize → Connectors.
Free accounts are limited to one custom connector in total.
Enter the server URL
Paste https://mcp.evermail.ai/mcp as the connector URL.
Add the API key as a request header
Open the Request headers section and add a header named x-api-key, with your Evermail key as the value. Paste the key exactly as you copied it, including the em_live_ prefix — Claude sends the value verbatim and doesn't add a scheme or prefix of its own.
Claude won't show the value again after you save it, so keep your copy until you've confirmed the connection works.
Turn it on in a conversation
Connectors are enabled per conversation. Click the + button in the chat box, open Connectors, and switch on evermail. Then try one of the example prompts below.
One credential, shared. A connector header is entered once and shared by everyone using that connector, so all of them read the archive through the same Evermail key and we see one identity rather than each person's. If you need each teammate to sign in as themselves, this method isn't the right fit — that's what our upcoming OAuth support is for.
Raw JSON config
If your tool accepts a raw mcpServers block instead of a UI flow, use this:
{
"mcpServers": {
"evermail": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.evermail.ai/mcp",
"headers": { "X-API-Key": "em_live_your_key_here" }
}
}
}The "type": "http" line matters — without it, Claude Code treats the entry as a local stdio server and silently skips it.
What you can then ask Claude
Once connected, Claude can call Evermail's search, read, and export tools directly. A few things to try:
| "Search my archive for the 2019 Henderson contract" |
| "Export everything from john@acme.com in Q3 2020" |
| "Find every email from our old accountant and summarize what they were chasing" |
| "List my saved searches, then run the one called 'invoices'" |
Common errors
| Error | What it means |
|---|---|
401 Unauthorized | The API key is missing, wrong, or has been revoked — or your account is on the Free plan, which can't create API keys. Create a fresh key at Settings → Integrations. |
404 Not Found | The URL is wrong. It must be exactly https://mcp.evermail.ai/mcp — no trailing slash, no other path, and not /sse (Evermail's MCP server doesn't support the legacy SSE transport). |
429 Too Many Requests | You've hit the rate limit of 20 requests per minute per IP address. Wait a minute and try again. |
What the API key can do
An Evermail API key grants full read access to your workspace's entire archive — anything you or a teammate could search or open in the Evermail app, Claude can too. Treat it like a password: don't share it or commit it to a repository. You can revoke a key at any time from Settings → Integrations, which immediately cuts off access for anything using it.
Common questions
Which tools does the Evermail MCP server expose?
search_emails, get_email, list_mailboxes, get_mailbox, list_saved_searches, create_saved_search, export_emails, get_profile, and get_archive_analytics. Claude picks the right one automatically based on what you ask.Can Claude write or delete anything in my archive?
Does this work with ChatGPT or other assistants?
X-API-Key. The OpenAI API can, so it works today. The ChatGPT web app cannot: its custom connectors only support OAuth or no authentication, with no field for a custom header. Full details, including what we're doing about it, are in Connecting ChatGPT and OpenAI.Is my data used to train Claude?
Ready to connect Claude?
Create an API key and add the Evermail MCP server in a couple of minutes.
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