Local Setup (Claude Code)

Local Setup (Claude Code)

Run gmail-mcp-server locally on your machine for private, zero-network-exposure access.

Why Local?

• Private: No one else can access your Gmail
• Fast: No network latency
• Simple: No reverse proxy, no domains, no HTTPS certificates
• Perfect for: Solo use, development, keeping secrets local

Installation

Follow Quick Start to install and authorize.

Configure Claude Code

Add the server to Claude Code’s MCP config:

claude mcp add gmail -- python -m gmail_mcp.server

Or manually edit ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gmail": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "gmail_mcp.server"],
      "cwd": "/full/path/to/gmail-mcp-server"
    }
  }
}

Replace /full/path/to/gmail-mcp-server with your actual path.

Use It

Restart Claude Code → Gmail tools appear automatically.

Try: Search for unread emails from my boss

No OAuth Needed

Local mode doesn’t use the OAuth server at all. Your token stays in secrets/token.json, Claude Code reads it directly via stdio.

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Ready to share access with ChatGPT? See Cloud Deployment.