Connecting an email inbox

Libredesk connects to email inboxes in three ways: Google OAuth, Microsoft OAuth, and manual IMAP and SMTP with a password.

Whichever method you pick, Libredesk does not check the mailbox the moment you save. It checks on the scan interval set in the same form, which is 5m by default. Send a test email, wait five minutes, then look in Conversations.

Gmail with an app password

This is the quickest way to connect Gmail. It needs no Google Cloud Console setup, but your Google account must have 2-Step Verification turned on.

1. Visit myaccount.google.com/apppasswords, name the app (for example Libredesk) and copy the 16-character password.

2. In Libredesk go to Admin, then Inboxes, then New inbox, then Other provider, and use these settings.

IMAP:

• Host: imap.gmail.com
• Port: 993
• TLS: SSL/TLS
• Username: your full Gmail address
• Password: the app password

SMTP:

• Host: smtp.gmail.com
• Port: 587
• TLS: STARTTLS
• Authentication protocol: PLAIN
• Username: your full Gmail address
• Password: the app password

3. Save the inbox and wait for the first scan.

Gmail with OAuth

You need a Google Cloud Console project and OAuth 2.0 credentials. The OAuth app needs the https://mail.google.com/ scope for reading and sending mail, and https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.email for the user's email address.

1. In Libredesk go to Admin, then Inboxes, then New inbox, then Google. Copy the callback URL from the dialog.

2. In the Google Cloud Console, create a project or pick an existing one.

3. Under APIs and Services, then Library, enable the Gmail API.

4. Set up the OAuth consent screen with the two scopes above.

5. Under APIs and Services, then Credentials, create an OAuth client ID. Set the application type to Web application, add the callback URL from step 1 to the authorized redirect URIs, and note the client ID and client secret.

6. Back in the Libredesk dialog, enter the client ID and client secret and click Authorize. Google asks you to grant permissions.

7. Save the inbox and wait for the first scan.

Outlook and Microsoft 365

You need an Azure Active Directory app registration and OAuth 2.0 credentials. Add these Microsoft Graph delegated permissions in the Azure portal:

• email - view the user's email address
• IMAP.AccessAsUser.All - read and write mailboxes over IMAP
• offline_access - keep access between sessions
• openid - sign users in
• SMTP.Send - send mail over SMTP AUTH
• User.Read - sign in and read the user profile

1. In Libredesk go to Admin, then Inboxes, then New inbox, then Microsoft. Copy the callback URL from the dialog.

2. In the Azure portal, go to Azure Active Directory, then App registrations, then New registration. Name the app, pick the account type, and add the callback URL as the redirect URI.

3. Under API permissions, add all the Microsoft Graph delegated permissions listed above, then click Grant admin consent.

4. Under Certificates and secrets, create a new client secret and copy the value straight away. It is not shown again.

5. From the Overview page copy the application (client) ID, and the directory (tenant) ID if you are single-tenant.

6. Back in the Libredesk dialog, enter the client ID, client secret and tenant ID, then click Authorize.

7. Save the inbox and wait for the first scan.

Manual IMAP and SMTP

Use this for self-hosted mail servers and for providers without OAuth. For Gmail, use the app password option above instead.

Go to Admin, then Inboxes, then New inbox, then Other provider. Fill in the IMAP and SMTP settings and save. Wait for the first scan before you expect to see a test email.