Email (IMAP/SMTP)
Monitor any email account — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, or corporate email. No OAuth, no developer accounts, no Google Cloud Console. Just your email address and an app password.
Quick Setup
- Enable 2-Factor Authentication on your email account (required for app passwords)
- Generate an App Password:
- Gmail: myaccount.google.com → Security → 2-Step Verification → App passwords
- Outlook: account.live.com → Security → Advanced security → App passwords
- Yahoo: login.yahoo.com → Account Security → Generate app password
- iCloud: appleid.apple.com → Sign-In and Security → App-Specific Passwords
- Corporate: Ask your IT department for IMAP app password or credentials
- In Phyllax → Integrations → Email (IMAP) → Connect
- Enter your email address and app password
- IMAP/SMTP servers are auto-detected for Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and iCloud
Required Credentials
| Field | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Email Address | Your full email (e.g. you@gmail.com) |
| App Password | Generated from your email provider's security settings |
| IMAP Server | Auto-detected for Gmail/Outlook/Yahoo/iCloud. Only needed for corporate email. |
| SMTP Server | Auto-detected for Gmail/Outlook/Yahoo/iCloud. Only needed for corporate email. |
Why not just use the Gmail or Outlook integration?
The Gmail and Outlook integrations use OAuth, which requires setting up a Google Cloud or Azure project. This IMAP integration skips all of that — just email + app password, done in 30 seconds. Use the OAuth integrations if you also want Calendar, Drive, or Teams access.
What Phyllax Monitors
| Schedule | What it checks |
|---|---|
| Important emails | Urgent or high-priority emails needing attention today |
| Emails needing reply | Messages waiting for your reply, especially >24h |
| Email from person | Check for emails from a specific sender |
| Keyword watch | Emails containing a specific word or phrase |
| Daily inbox summary | What needs attention, what can wait, what to ignore |
Notification Actions
When an important email is found, the notification card shows:
- Suggested replies — AI generates 3-4 tone options (Professional, Friendly, Quick, Defer)
- Editable textarea — pick a tone, edit the draft, add context
- Reply via AI — sends the reply through SMTP maintaining proper threading
- Copy — copy the draft to clipboard
The reply flow is identical to Gmail notifications — auto-generated tone options, editable text, optional context for redrafting.
Supported Providers
| Provider | Auto-detected? | App Password Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | Yes | myaccount.google.com → Security → App passwords |
| Outlook / Hotmail | Yes | account.live.com → Security → App passwords |
| Yahoo | Yes | login.yahoo.com → Account Security → App password |
| iCloud | Yes | appleid.apple.com → App-Specific Passwords |
| Corporate / Custom | Enter IMAP/SMTP host manually | Ask your IT department |
Troubleshooting
"Authentication failed"
Your app password may be incorrect or expired. Generate a new one from your email provider's security settings. Make sure you're using an app password, not your regular login password.
"Connection refused" or "IMAP server not found"
For corporate email, you need to enter the IMAP and SMTP server addresses manually. Common formats: imap.yourcompany.com and smtp.yourcompany.com. Ask your IT department for the correct addresses.
"2FA required"
App passwords only work when 2-Factor Authentication is enabled on your account. Enable 2FA first, then generate an app password.
Gmail says "Less secure apps"
Google no longer supports "less secure apps." You must use an App Password (requires 2FA to be enabled). This is different from allowing less secure apps — app passwords are secure and officially supported by Google.