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Google Workspace Gmail MCP server

Automate email workflows and let an AI agent manage inbox tasks, draft responses, and organize messages. This MCP server enables reading, sending, labeling, and searching emails—ideal for support ticket triage, customer email summarization, and inbox automation.

Setting up an MCP server

This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the individual application pages.

Before you begin​

You'll need:

  • Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers
  • API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the relevant application page for what to collect)

Create an MCP server​

Find the API in the catalog​

  1. Sign in to AI Gateway and select MCP Servers from the left navigation.
  2. Select New MCP Server.
  3. Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.

Configure the server​

  1. Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose (for example, "Zendesk Support — Prod").
  2. Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
  3. Set the Timeout value. 30 seconds works for most APIs; increase to 60 seconds for APIs that return large payloads.
  4. Toggle Production mode on if this server will be used in a live workflow.
  5. Select Next.

Configure authentication​

Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section of the relevant application page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.

Configure security​

  1. Set any Rate limits appropriate for your use case and the API's own limits.
  2. Enable Logging if you want AI Gateway to record requests and responses for auditing.
  3. Select Next.

Deploy​

Review the summary, then select Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.

Connect to an AI client​

Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:

Tips​

  • You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
  • If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
  • You can edit a server's name, description, timeout, and security settings after deployment without redeploying.

Authentication​

Gmail API uses OAuth 2.0 with scope-based permissions. Set up OAuth credentials in Google Cloud Console, specifying the application type as "Web application" and adding the redirect URI https://auth.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/outbound/oauth/callback. The authorization endpoint is https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth and token endpoint is https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token. Available scopes include https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly (view emails and settings), https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.compose (create drafts), https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send (send emails), https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.modify (full email management), and https://mail.google.com/ (complete mailbox control including permanent deletion).

Available tools​

These tools enable email management, composition, organization, and analysis.

ToolDescription
Get messageRetrieve a specific email with headers and content
List messagesQuery emails by label, sender, or search criteria
Send messageCompose and send a new email
Create draftWrite an email without sending
Update draftModify a draft before sending
Modify messageChange labels, mark as read/unread, or archive
Delete messageMove email to trash or permanently delete
Create labelCreate a new label for organizing emails
Manage labelsApply, remove, or modify email labels
Search emailsFind emails using Gmail search syntax
Get threadRetrieve an entire email conversation
Add attachmentInclude files in email messages
Get attachmentDownload an attachment from an email

Tips​

Start with gmail.readonly and gmail.send scopes for most automation tasks—this prevents accidental deletion while still enabling sending and reading.

Combine email search with label automation to triage incoming mail without manual action for support ticket workflows.

Validate sender addresses and use allowlists for auto-reply or forwarding rules to prevent accidentally responding to spoofed emails.

Include a disclaimer or signature that makes it clear the message was AI-generated when drafting responses, so recipients know they may need human review for sensitive issues.

Implement rate limiting in your automation (Gmail allows 250 quota units per user per second) and monitor quota usage in Google Cloud Console to avoid hitting limits during peak email volume.