The Gmail Search Skill empowers Claude to seamlessly interact with your Gmail account via the official Gmail API. It enables advanced email discovery using native Gmail search syntax, allows for the retrieval of full message content and metadata, and supports direct attachment downloads. This skill is designed to streamline information retrieval and automate email-based workflows within an AI-driven environment.

When should I use gmail?

gmail is useful in the following scenarios: • Efficient Information Retrieval: Use natural language to locate specific details across thousands of emails, such as 'Find the project budget sent by Sarah in October'. • Automated Attachment Management: Identify and download specific files like invoices, contracts, or reports directly from your inbox to your local workspace. • Inbox Triage and Monitoring: Quickly filter and list unread or starred messages from priority senders to ensure critical communications are never missed. • Thread Summarization: Fetch full email bodies from complex discussions to generate concise summaries, helping you catch up on long conversations instantly. • Data Extraction for Reporting: Search for specific labels or subjects to gather data points from multiple emails for consolidated reporting or status updates.

name	gmail
description	This skill should be used when searching, fetching, or downloading emails from Gmail. Use for queries like "search Gmail for...", "find emails from John", "show unread emails", "emails about project X", or "download attachment from email".

Gmail Search Skill

Search and fetch emails via Gmail API with flexible query options and output formats.

Prerequisites

Credentials must be configured in ~/.gmail_credentials/. Run setup to check status:

python3 scripts/gmail_search.py setup

Obtaining Gmail API Credentials

1. Create Google Cloud Project

Go to console.cloud.google.com
Click project dropdown -> "New Project"
Name it (e.g., "Gmail Agent Skill") -> Create

2. Enable Gmail API

Navigate to "APIs & Services" -> "Library"
Search for "Gmail API"
Click it and press "Enable"

3. Configure OAuth Consent Screen

Go to "OAuth consent screen" (left sidebar)
Choose "External" user type
Fill in required fields:
- App name: Gmail Agent Skill
- User support email: your email
- Developer email: your email
Click "Save and Continue", skip Scopes
On "Test users" page, add your Gmail address
Complete all steps

4. Publish the Test App

Important: Without this step, you'll get "Error 403: access_denied".

Go back to "OAuth consent screen"
Under "Publishing status", click "Publish App"
Confirm the dialog

This keeps the app in test mode (not production) but allows your test users to authenticate. You'll see an "unverified app" warning during login - click "Advanced" -> "Go to Gmail Agent Skill (unsafe)" to proceed.

Note: Test tokens expire after 7 days. Production requires Google verification.

5. Create OAuth Credentials

Go to "Credentials" (left sidebar)
Click "Create Credentials" -> "OAuth client ID"
Select "Desktop app" as application type
Name it (e.g., "Gmail Agent Client")
Click "Create"

6. Get Your Credentials

Client ID will be displayed - copy it
Client Secret: Click the download icon or view details to get the secret

7. Save Credentials

Create ~/.gmail_credentials/credentials.json:

{
  "installed": {
    "client_id": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID",
    "client_secret": "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET",
    "auth_uri": "https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth",
    "token_uri": "https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token",
    "redirect_uris": ["http://localhost"]
  }
}

8. Authenticate

python3 scripts/gmail_search.py auth

This opens a browser. Click through the "unverified app" warning ("Advanced" -> "Go to Gmail Agent Skill"), approve access, and you're ready.

Quick Start

# Check setup status
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py setup

# Authenticate (opens browser)
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py auth

# Search emails
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search "meeting notes"

# Search with filters
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --from "boss@company.com" --unread

Commands

Setup

Check configuration status:

python3 scripts/gmail_search.py setup
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py setup --json

Authenticate

Authenticate with Gmail (opens browser for OAuth):

python3 scripts/gmail_search.py auth

Scope

View or change API permission scope:

# View current scope
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py scope

# Change scope (requires re-auth)
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py scope --set readonly
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py scope --set modify
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py scope --set full

Available scopes:

readonly - Read emails only (default, recommended)
modify - Read + modify labels, mark read/unread
full - Full access including delete

Search

Search emails with free-text query or filters:

# Free-text search (uses Gmail search syntax)
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search "project deadline"
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search "from:john@example.com subject:invoice"

# Using helper flags
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --from "john@example.com"
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --to "me@example.com"
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --subject "Weekly Report"
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --label "INBOX"
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --label "work"

# Date filters (YYYY/MM/DD format)
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --after 2024/01/01
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --before 2024/12/31
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --after 2024/01/01 --before 2024/06/30

# Status filters
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --unread
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --starred
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --has-attachment

# Combined filters
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search "invoice" --from "billing@" --has-attachment --after 2024/01/01

# Limit results
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search "meeting" --limit 50

# Include full body (default shows snippet only)
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search "contract" --full

# Include attachment info
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search --has-attachment --attachments

# JSON output
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py search "project" --json

Download Attachments

Download attachments from a specific message:

# Download to default location (~/Downloads/gmail_attachments/)
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py download MESSAGE_ID

# Download to custom directory
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py download MESSAGE_ID --output /path/to/folder

# JSON output
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py download MESSAGE_ID --json

Get message ID from search results (shown in output).

Labels

List all available Gmail labels:

python3 scripts/gmail_search.py labels
python3 scripts/gmail_search.py labels --json

Output Formats

Markdown (default)

# Gmail Search Results (3 messages)

## Weekly Report
**From:** boss@company.com
**To:** me@example.com
**Date:** Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000
**ID:** `18abc123def`

> Here's the weekly report summary...

---

JSON

Add --json flag for structured output:

[
  {
    "id": "18abc123def",
    "thread_id": "18abc123def",
    "from": "boss@company.com",
    "to": "me@example.com",
    "subject": "Weekly Report",
    "date": "Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000",
    "snippet": "Here's the weekly report summary...",
    "labels": ["INBOX", "UNREAD"]
  }
]

Gmail Search Syntax

The skill supports Gmail's native search syntax in free-text queries:

Operator	Example	Description
`from:`	`from:john@example.com`	From specific sender
`to:`	`to:team@company.com`	To specific recipient
`subject:`	`subject:meeting`	In subject line
`label:`	`label:work`	Has specific label
`has:attachment`	`has:attachment`	Has attachments
`filename:`	`filename:pdf`	Attachment filename
`is:unread`	`is:unread`	Unread messages
`is:starred`	`is:starred`	Starred messages
`after:`	`after:2024/01/01`	After date
`before:`	`before:2024/12/31`	Before date
`newer_than:`	`newer_than:7d`	Within last N days
`older_than:`	`older_than:1m`	Older than N months
`in:`	`in:inbox`	In specific folder
`OR`	`from:john OR from:jane`	Either condition
`-`	`-label:spam`	Exclude
`""`	`"exact phrase"`	Exact match

Example User Requests

User says	Command
"Search Gmail for meeting notes"	`search "meeting notes"`
"Find emails from John"	`search --from "john"`
"Show unread emails"	`search --unread`
"Emails about the project from last month"	`search "project" --after 2024/10/01`
"Invoices with attachments"	`search "invoice" --has-attachment`
"Read the full email about contract"	`search "contract" --full --limit 1`
"Download attachments from that email"	`download MESSAGE_ID`
"What labels do I have?"	`labels`
"Starred emails from boss"	`search --from "boss" --starred`
"Is Gmail configured?"	`setup`

Dependencies

pip install google-api-python-client google-auth-httplib2 google-auth-oauthlib

Files

~/.gmail_credentials/credentials.json - OAuth client credentials
~/.gmail_credentials/token.pickle - Cached auth token
~/.gmail_credentials/scope.txt - Current scope setting

gmail

When & Why to Use This Skill

Use Cases