OpenClaw can browse the web, run code, and call APIs. It can't receive a vendor reply or confirm an account - not without an email address. Here's how you fix that.
TL;DR
- -OpenMail: dedicated inboxes for AI agents, structured JSON events, real-time delivery.
- -One command installs the channel plugin:
openclaw plugins install clawhub:@openmail/openclaw. - -Three modes: tool (on demand), notify (alerts you), channel (replies autonomously).
- -SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and reputation are fully managed.
What agents actually need from email
Not much. A real address. Inbound events as structured data. Thread history as JSON, not formatted HTML.
Most email services are optimized for humans reading at a screen. That's the wrong fit for an agent. OpenMail delivers inbound email as a structured JSON event - sender, subject, parsed body, attachments already extracted - forwarded in real time. No polling. No raw MIME. No SMTP server to run.
Install the plugin
OpenMail is a native OpenClaw channel plugin, @openmail/openclaw, on ClawHub and npm. It runs inside the gateway like any other channel and bundles the CLI:
openclaw plugins install clawhub:@openmail/openclaw openclaw channels add --channel openmail --api-key <key> openclaw gateway restart
With an account key, channels add creates the inbox, mints an inbox-scoped key for it, and stores only that. The gateway holds the WebSocket; there is no separate bridge process. The full guide is at docs.openmail.sh/integrations/openclaw.
Pass --mode to choose how inbound mail reaches the agent:
Tool
The agent sends and reads email when you ask. No background activity. Good for agents that send email as part of a task and check for replies on demand.
Notify
The agent alerts you the moment new email arrives. You decide what to do. Good when you want awareness without automation.
Channel
The agent reads incoming email from people and replies autonomously, without you in the loop. Automated mail is announced, not answered. Who may write to the inbox is set by OpenMail's sender rules. Good for support inboxes or anything where speed matters more than review.
Change modes at any time with channels.openmail.mode in openclaw.json.
What it actually enables
The technical side is just plumbing. What matters is what the agent can now actually do in the world.
Close loops that start in someone's inbox
The agent sends an email - a quote request, a meeting confirmation, a follow-up - and when the reply arrives, it acts on it. No polling. No human in the middle. The whole thread stays in the agent's inbox, not yours.
Sign up, verify, and confirm - unattended
The agent registers for a service using its own address, receives the verification email, extracts the confirmation link, and clicks it. The full account-creation flow, without you touching it.
Handle a conversation, not just a message
It can read the full thread history in order, reply in context, and keep a back-and-forth going across days. Not just fire-and-forget - actual correspondence.
Run multiple identities
Need a support address, a billing address, a project-specific mailbox? The agent provisions them on demand via the API. Live immediately. No DNS changes.
One command, one live inbox
One command installs the plugin. OpenClaw handles the rest - inbox provisioning, real-time mail delivery, everything. Deliverability, authentication, and storage are handled.
You can start for free. No credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
How do I give an OpenClaw agent an email?
Install the @openmail/openclaw channel plugin with openclaw plugins install clawhub:@openmail/openclaw, then run openclaw channels add --channel openmail --api-key <key>. With an account key, channels add creates a dedicated inbox and stores an inbox-scoped key. No DNS changes or SMTP configuration required.
What is OpenMail?
Email infrastructure built for AI agents. Dedicated inboxes on your domain, real-time WebSocket delivery as structured JSON, and a fully managed deliverability stack - SPF, DKIM, DMARC - with no SMTP server to configure.
What is OpenClaw?
An AI agent that can browse the web, run code, and call APIs. It supports channels and plugins installed via ClawHub. The @openmail/openclaw plugin gives it full email send and receive.
How long does it take to set up OpenMail for OpenClaw?
About 2 minutes. Run openclaw plugins install clawhub:@openmail/openclaw, then openclaw channels add --channel openmail --api-key <key>, then restart the gateway.
Does setup require DNS changes?
No. OpenMail manages all DNS records, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and sending reputation. You only need to install the plugin and add the channel.
How fast does inbound email arrive at OpenClaw?
Under 500ms. The OpenClaw gateway holds a WebSocket to OpenMail and each message.received event wakes the agent in real time. No separate bridge process.
Can the agent manage multiple email addresses?
Yes. Call POST /v1/inboxes directly. New addresses are live immediately. No DNS changes, no manual configuration.
