Nylas MCP Server (Remote)
OfficialHosted remote MCP for email, calendar and contacts across Gmail, Outlook, IMAP
Add to your client
Copy the config for your MCP client and paste it into its config file.
Add remote MCP URL https://mcp.us.nylas.com with header Authorization: Bearer <NYLAS_API_KEY>Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"nylas-mcp-server-remote": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.us.nylas.com",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer <your-nylas-api-key>"
]
}
}
}Claude Desktop connects to remote servers through the `mcp-remote` proxy (installed on first run via npx). Restart Claude Desktop after saving.
Before you start
- A Nylas account and a Nylas API key (from the Nylas Dashboard) used as the Bearer token in the Authorization header
- At least one connected grant (an end-user mailbox/calendar account authorized through Nylas) for the tools to act on
- An MCP client that supports remote HTTP/streamable-HTTP servers (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex CLI, etc.)
- Optionally the Nylas CLI for one-command install (`nylas mcp install`); the experimental nylas-api-mcp samples repo additionally needs Node.js 18+
About Nylas MCP Server (Remote)
The Nylas MCP Server is Nylas's hosted, remote MCP endpoint that exposes its unified email, calendar, and contacts API as MCP tools. Because Nylas normalizes Gmail, Microsoft Outlook/Graph, and generic IMAP behind one API, a single MCP connection lets an assistant read and send mail, manage events and availability, and look up contacts across many provider backends without per-provider integration code.
It is a remote service reached over HTTP at region-specific URLs — https://mcp.us.nylas.com (US) and https://mcp.eu.nylas.com (EU) — and authenticates with a Bearer token containing your Nylas API key, the same credential used for direct API calls. Connections are stateless with a per-request timeout (roughly 90 seconds), and send operations use a two-step confirmation to avoid accidentally dispatching email.
The service exposes a large tool surface (around 36 tools) spanning drafts and messages, threads and folders, events, calendars and availability, contacts, and Notetaker. Note that the related nylas-samples/nylas-api-mcp repository is a separate, experimental MCP that generates Nylas integration code and searches the docs (tools: generate-auth-code, generate-endpoint-code, search-api-docs) — it is a learning aid, not the hosted email/calendar runtime described here.
Tools & capabilities (9)
send_messageSend an email message (uses a two-step confirm_send_message confirmation)
create_draftCreate, update or delete email drafts (create_draft, update_draft, delete_draft, send_draft)
list_messagesList and retrieve messages, threads and folders (get_message, list_threads, list_folders, get_search_syntax)
create_eventCreate, update, delete and read calendar events (update_event, delete_event, get_event, list_events)
list_calendarsList calendars and compute free/busy availability for scheduling
availabilityFind open meeting times across calendars
list_contactsList and fetch contacts (list_contacts, get_contact)
schedule_notetakerSchedule, send and retrieve Nylas Notetaker meeting bots and their media
get_grantInspect the connected account/grant the tools operate against
When to use it
- Use it when you want one MCP connection that reaches Gmail, Outlook, and IMAP mailboxes through Nylas's unified API
- Use it when an assistant needs to read, draft, and send email across multiple providers
- Use it when you need calendar scheduling — creating events and computing availability across calendars
- Use it when you want contact lookup alongside email and calendar in the same agent
- Use it when you prefer a hosted remote MCP with no local process to run or maintain
- Use it when you want guardrails on sending — the two-step send confirmation prevents accidental dispatch
Quick setup
- 1Create a Nylas account and copy your API key from the Nylas Dashboard
- 2Connect at least one end-user account (grant) so the tools have a mailbox/calendar to act on
- 3Choose your region URL: https://mcp.us.nylas.com or https://mcp.eu.nylas.com
- 4Install with the CLI (`nylas mcp install --assistant <client>`) or add the remote server manually with an Authorization: Bearer <API key> header
- 5Restart the MCP client and confirm the Nylas tools load
- 6Verify by listing recent messages or upcoming events
Security notes
A single Nylas API key in the Authorization header grants the assistant access to all connected email/calendar/contact accounts — scope and rotate the key carefully. Choose the regional endpoint (US vs EU) that matches your data-residency requirements.
Nylas MCP Server (Remote) FAQ
Is this server hosted or do I run it myself?
It is hosted by Nylas as a remote HTTP MCP server at mcp.us.nylas.com / mcp.eu.nylas.com. You connect to it with your API key rather than running a local process.
How does authentication work?
You pass your Nylas API key as a Bearer token in the Authorization header — the same credential you use for the Nylas REST API. The tools act on the grants connected to that Nylas application.
Which providers does it cover?
Whatever Nylas connects: Gmail/Google, Microsoft Outlook (Graph), and generic IMAP accounts, all normalized behind one set of tools.
Why does sending email require two steps?
Send operations use a confirm step (e.g. send_message then confirm_send_message) so an agent cannot dispatch email or drafts accidentally.
What is nylas-api-mcp versus the hosted MCP?
nylas-samples/nylas-api-mcp is an experimental, MIT-licensed code-generation/docs MCP (generate-auth-code, generate-endpoint-code, search-api-docs) for learning. The hosted MCP at mcp.us.nylas.com is the production email/calendar/contacts runtime.
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