POWERMAIL Help
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Install the PowerMail tester build, connect Microsoft, Gmail and IMAP accounts, triage one inbox, plan your day, set up local AI and send beta feedback.
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ACCOUNTS & SIGN-IN
Connect a Microsoft account (Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live or Microsoft 365) Choose Microsoft account, sign in in your browser, and the mailbox joins your inbox with its calendar.
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ACCOUNTS & SIGN-IN
Connect Gmail, iCloud Mail or another IMAP mailbox Type your address and password, let PowerMail find the servers, test the connection and name the account. Gmail and iCloud need an app password, and the wizard links to it.
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AI ASSISTANT & BRAIN
Set up AI with LM Studio, Foundry Local or a cloud service Connect PowerMail's assistant to an AI runtime you run on your PC, such as LM Studio or Microsoft Foundry Local, or to a cloud service, and choose what AI helps with.
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INBOX & TRIAGE
Work through every inbox in one list Read all your accounts in one list, then archive, delete, move, pin, flag and tag mail with a click or a key. Turn on AI Priority and the beta triage page when you want more help.
Topics
- Accounts & Sign-in Connect Microsoft, Gmail, iCloud and other IMAP mailboxes, and Google Calendar.
- Inbox & Triage Work through one inbox for every account: the triage band, search, the digest and quick actions.
- Writing & Drafts Write, reply and forward, and pick up saved drafts.
- Planner, Calendar & Todos See your day, plan events and todos, and focus with the timer.
- AI Assistant & Brain Set up AI that runs on your PC, review what it suggests and what it remembers.
Frequently asked questions
Why don't Gmail and iCloud take my normal password?
Google and Apple don't accept your normal account password from a mail app that connects over IMAP. They want an app password, which you create in your Google or Apple account and use only for PowerMail.
Do Gmail and iCloud accounts bring their calendar?
Not through IMAP, which carries mail only. For Gmail, connect Google Calendar in Settings > Accounts. iCloud and other IMAP mailboxes have no calendar in PowerMail.
Which providers does Other provider (IMAP) work with?
Any mailbox that offers IMAP for incoming and SMTP for outgoing mail. PowerMail tries to find the servers from your address; if it can't, you enter them under Server settings (optional).
How do I remove an IMAP account?
Open Settings > Accounts, expand the account and click Remove on the Remove this account row.
Which accounts count as a Microsoft account?
Outlook.com, Hotmail and Live addresses, and work or school Microsoft 365 mailboxes.
Why does the sign-in open my browser?
PowerMail hands the Microsoft sign-in to your default browser instead of showing its own sign-in window. When you're done, the browser hands the result back to the app.
Does my Outlook calendar come along?
Yes. A Microsoft account brings its mail and its calendar, so your events show in the Planner without another step.
How do I remove a Microsoft account?
Open Settings > Accounts, expand the account and click Sign out at the bottom. The account stays as it is at Microsoft.
Why can't I see the assistant panel?
It stays hidden until AI is set up. Open Settings > AI assistant and click Set up AI.
Which AI providers can I use?
On your PC: LM Studio, Ollama, llama.cpp and Microsoft Foundry Local. In the cloud: Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Google (Gemini). Another service connects any OpenAI-compatible server address.
Where do AI requests go?
To the service you chose. On this PC means your runtime on this computer handles them. For a cloud service, the form says that mail content you use with AI (senders, subjects and message text) is sent to that service, and Models & services marks such a connection Leaves this PC.
Can different features use different models?
Yes. Under AI features, the menu beside Chat assistant, Daily digest & priority, Writing help and Day briefing picks the model for that feature.
How do I change the AI later?
Open Settings > AI assistant and click Change AI on the Main AI card. It runs the same setup.
Which apps can I connect?
Any MCP client. PowerMail has ready setups for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Hermes Agent, OpenClaw and Nemotron; for any other, choose Custom. Every setup runs PowerMail's pm command with mcp serve and the app's token.
What can a connected app do while PowerMail is closed?
What you allowed it to do without asking, without notifications. Anything that needs your OK goes unanswered until you open PowerMail and deal with it in the AI inbox under Drafts.
Can I manage agents from the terminal?
Yes. pm help agents lists the commands: pm mcp list shows the paired clients, pm mcp revoke revokes one, and pm audit shows the audit trail. While Keep the terminal read-only is on, pm can read but not change your mail or events or pair agents.
How is this different from the AI assistant?
Settings > AI assistant is PowerMail's own assistant. Apps & agents is for other software that calls into PowerMail. Approvals covers both, set separately.
What does the assistant remember?
Your name and instructions, the memories you add or approve, and the habits it learns as you archive, file and reply. All of it is listed in Settings > Brain, where you can edit or remove it.
What's the difference between Remove and Forget?
Remove deletes a memory you saved. Forget on a learned habit removes it and keeps PowerMail from learning it again.
Does Ask me first apply to connected apps too?
Approvals covers both, set separately: PowerMail's assistant and Apps & agents (MCP) each start from their own defaults.
What happens if I click Later on an agent's request?
Nothing runs and no answer is sent. The request is recorded, and you can still deal with it from the AI inbox under Drafts.
Where do my unfinished mails go?
To Drafts > Your drafts. Mail you closed stays under Only on this PC for 14 days after the last change; mail you saved with Save draft is under Saved, in the account's Drafts folder.
Can I change how long Undo stays?
Yes. Settings > Mail > Sending & attachments > Undo Send window sets how long a sent mail is held so you can take it back.
Do I need AI to write mail?
No. Writing, replying, forwarding, attachments and drafts all work without it. The AI button is extra help once AI is set up.
Does archiving delete my mail?
No. Archive moves the mail to the account's Archive folder. Delete moves it to Deleted Items, where you can get it back.
What's the difference between Pin and Pin to side?
Pin keeps a conversation in the Pinned card at the top of your list. Pin to side keeps a mail open in a panel at the side of the window while you work.
Can I set a priority on a mail myself?
Use Flag for follow-up or Pin for that. The AI Priority list is the assistant's own ranking, and you can tell it Good call or Not a priority for me.
Does a tag change anything in my mail account?
Tags live in PowerMail. A tag you pick for a sender is a rule for their future mail; use Only this message to tag a single mail.
Which calendar do my new events go to?
Each account's own default calendar. Pick the account in New blocks go to under the Planner's Filter, or change Account in a block's details.
What's the difference between Backlog and Open todos?
Backlog items have no time yet. Open todos are scheduled on the calendar and not done. Drag between them to schedule or unschedule a todo.
Does the focus timer stop me at the goal?
No. The goal is a marker. The timer keeps counting past it until you take a break or stop and log.
What happens if I step away from the PC?
With Pause when I step away on, the idle gap is taken off the session after the minutes set in Count as away after. The notification lets you put it back.
Does search look in all my accounts?
Yes, unless you pick one account with the account filter on the results page.
Does the digest move or answer mail on its own?
No. It proposes. Replies, calendar blocks, filings and cleanups run only when you click their button, and cleanup moves can be undone.
Can I keep the digest open while I read mail?
Yes. Drag the digest button in the list header to the side of the window to pin it there, or onto the page to open it in its own window.