FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Short answers about accounts, privacy and how Mail Works works.
Which email accounts does Mail Works work with?
Gmail and Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Outlook.com, Hotmail and Live, and any provider that offers IMAP - including iCloud Mail, Yahoo Mail, Fastmail and mailboxes on your own domain. You can add as many accounts as you like and see them in one inbox.
Does Mail Works run on Windows, Mac and Linux?
Yes. The same app runs on Windows 10 and 11 (Intel, AMD and ARM), macOS 13 Ventura or later (Apple silicon and Intel) and 64-bit Linux, with an AppImage for any distribution and a .deb package for Ubuntu and Debian.
Where is my email stored?
With your email provider, as it is today, plus a copy in a database on your own computer so messages open instantly and you can read them offline. Mail Works has no servers of its own, so your mail never passes through us.
Does Mail Works read, scan or sell my email?
No. Mail Works has no servers, no analytics and no advertising, so there is nothing to scan or sell. The app talks directly to your mail provider. The only exception is the optional AI assist, which sends the message you ask about to Anthropic, using your own API key, only when you press the button.
How do I connect a Gmail account?
In version 1.0, connect Gmail with an app password, which Google creates for you once 2-Step Verification is on. Mail Works shows you the steps. Sign in with Google through your web browser is built in too, but it is not switched on by default yet.
Can I use Mail Works with Microsoft 365 at work?
Microsoft only lets mail apps connect Microsoft 365 and Outlook.com accounts through Sign in with Microsoft. That is built into Mail Works but not switched on by default in version 1.0 yet; until it is, you can add your own free Microsoft app registration in Settings. Some organisations also switch off IMAP or sending from mail apps; if so, Mail Works tells you exactly which setting your administrator needs to turn on.
Why are images hidden in some emails?
Images loaded from the internet can tell the sender when and where you opened a message. Mail Works holds them back until you click Show images, or choose to always load them from a sender you trust. Tracking cookies are stripped either way.
Can I undo sending an email?
Yes. After you press Send you have a short window, from 5 to 30 seconds depending on your setting, to take the message back and keep editing. If you are offline, the message waits in the Outbox and sends itself when you are back online.
Does Mail Works work offline?
Mail you have already opened or that has downloaded in the background stays readable offline, search keeps working, and anything you send waits in the Outbox. Mail Works reconnects and catches up on its own when your connection returns.
What is the optional AI assist?
Mail Works can summarise a long message or draft a reply from a one-line instruction, using Claude with your own Anthropic API key. It is off until you turn it on and add a key, and nothing is sent until you press an AI button. Usage is billed to your own Anthropic account.
Why does Windows warn me when I install Mail Works?
The Windows installer is not code-signed yet, so Microsoft Defender SmartScreen shows "Windows protected your PC" for an app it does not recognise. Choose More info, then Run anyway. The Mac version is signed and notarised by Apple, and every download has a published SHA-256 checksum you can check it against.
Still curious? Ask us