Why we ask for IMAP and SMTP

IMAP lets Groundbase read your inbox. SMTP lets Groundbase send mail. Both run against your existing email provider — Groundbase doesn't relay anything through a third party. Your credentials are encrypted with your OS keychain and never leave your machine.

01 — Pick your provider

The Email Integration form has presets for Gmail, Outlook/Microsoft 365, iCloud, Yahoo, and ProtonMail. If you use a different provider, pick Custom and fill in your IMAP/SMTP host and ports manually.

02 — Generate an app password

Most providers require an app-specific password rather than your regular login password. Your regular account password won't work — you must generate one.

Gmail / Google Workspace:    https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords
Outlook / Microsoft 365:     https://account.microsoft.com/security
iCloud:                      https://appleid.apple.com → Security → App-Specific Passwords
Yahoo:                       Account Info → Account Security → Generate app password
ProtonMail:                  Requires ProtonMail Bridge running locally

03 — Test and save

Paste your email address + app password + (for Custom) host details into the form. Hit "Test & save" — Groundbase verifies both IMAP and SMTP work before saving.

Common failure modes:

• Typos in the password — generated app passwords have spaces; some forms accept them, others don't. Try with and without.
• 2FA required but no app password generated — if your account uses 2FA, your regular password is rejected. Generate an app password.
• Corporate firewall blocking IMAP — some workplace networks block port 993 (IMAPS) outbound. Try from a different network to confirm.

04 — First sync and ongoing behavior

On first sync, Groundbase pulls the last 90 days of your inbox. Sync runs every 5 minutes in the background. You can also hit "Sync now" in the Inbox toolbar.

When you mark an email as read or archive it in Groundbase, the change syncs back to your email provider — so your real Gmail inbox stays in sync.

05 — Privacy

Your email credentials are encrypted in your local Groundbase database using your operating system's keychain (Windows DPAPI / macOS Keychain). They never leave your machine. There is no Groundbase server reading your email.

If you disconnect your account, your credentials are cleared but your email history stays in the app — disconnect doesn't delete past messages.