Email integration lets OpenClaw monitor an inbox via IMAP and send replies via SMTP, turning any email address into an AI-powered support channel. This intermediate guide walks you through enabling IMAP access, generating app-specific passwords, configuring OpenClaw for email, and setting up filters and auto-reply behavior.
Why This Is Hard to Do Yourself
These are the common pitfalls that trip people up.
App-specific passwords
Most email providers block direct password login for third-party apps. You need an app-specific password or OAuth2 credentials instead.
IMAP configuration
IMAP settings vary by provider — host, port, TLS mode, and folder names all differ between Gmail, Outlook, and self-hosted mail.
Polling vs IDLE
IMAP IDLE provides near-instant delivery but not all servers support it. Polling is universal but adds latency.
Spam and loop prevention
Auto-replying to emails risks creating infinite reply loops with other auto-responders or getting flagged as spam.
Step-by-Step Guide
Enable IMAP access
# Gmail: Settings → See all settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP → Enable IMAP
# Outlook: Settings → Mail → Sync email → POP and IMAP → Enable IMAP
# Self-hosted: Check your mail server documentationWarning: Some organizations disable IMAP access via admin policy. Check with your IT admin if you cannot enable it.
Generate an app-specific password
# Gmail:
# 1. Go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords
# 2. Select app: "Other" → name it "OpenClaw"
# 3. Copy the 16-character password
#
# Outlook / Microsoft 365:
# 1. Go to account.microsoft.com/security
# 2. Select "Advanced security options"
# 3. Under "App passwords", create a new one
# 4. Copy the generated passwordWarning: App passwords bypass 2FA. Store them securely — never commit them to version control.
Configure OpenClaw for email
# In config/channels/email.yaml:
email:
enabled: true
imap:
host: "imap.gmail.com" # or imap-mail.outlook.com
port: 993
tls: true
username: "bot@example.com"
password: "YOUR_APP_PASSWORD"
folder: "INBOX" # Folder to monitor
idle: true # Use IMAP IDLE if supported
poll_interval: 60 # Fallback poll interval in seconds
smtp:
host: "smtp.gmail.com" # or smtp-mail.outlook.com
port: 587
tls: starttls # or "tls" for port 465
username: "bot@example.com"
password: "YOUR_APP_PASSWORD"
from_name: "OpenClaw AI"
reply_prefix: "[OpenClaw]" # Subject prefix for repliesSet up email filters
# In config/channels/email.yaml (continued):
filters:
allowed_senders: [] # Empty = all senders, or list addresses
blocked_senders:
- "noreply@*" # Ignore no-reply addresses
- "mailer-daemon@*" # Ignore bounce messages
subject_filters:
include: [] # Only process matching subjects
exclude:
- "Out of Office" # Skip auto-replies
- "Undeliverable" # Skip bounce notices
max_age_hours: 24 # Ignore emails older than thisConfigure loop prevention
# In config/channels/email.yaml (continued):
safety:
max_replies_per_thread: 5 # Stop replying after N messages in a thread
cooldown_seconds: 30 # Minimum time between replies to same sender
skip_auto_replies: true # Ignore emails with Auto-Submitted header
add_headers:
X-Auto-Reply: "OpenClaw" # Mark outgoing emails to prevent loops
Auto-Submitted: "auto-replied"Warning: Without loop prevention, two auto-responders can create an infinite reply chain. Always enable skip_auto_replies.
Test the integration
# Send a test email to your configured address
# Check OpenClaw logs:
tail -f ~/.openclaw/logs/channels.log | grep email
# Verify IMAP connection:
openclaw channel test email --verboseEmail Integration Has Hidden Complexity
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