How to Connect Multiple Gmail Accounts to Codex
Yes. Codex uses the same plugin catalog as ChatGPT, and the Gmail plugin has held several Google accounts since August 28, 2026. Add the second account in the ChatGPT desktop app under Settings > Plugins > Gmail > Connect another account, then start a new Codex chat.
The plugin stops at the IDE extension and at Outlook. Register Carly as one MCP server and Codex reaches every Gmail and Outlook account, personal and work, from the CLI and the IDE alike.
1. Add the second Gmail account to the Gmail plugin
- In the ChatGPT desktop app, open Settings > Plugins. In the Codex CLI,
/pluginsopens the same catalog. - Select Gmail, installing it first if needed.
- Under Connected accounts, select Connect another account.
- Sign in to the next Google account and approve the permissions.
- Start a new Codex chat so the tools load.
A Google Workspace account may need its administrator’s approval before the connection completes.
Where the plugin route stops in Codex
- No plugins in the IDE extension. OpenAI’s Codex docs say plainly that plugins “aren’t available in the IDE extension.” MCP servers are.
- New mail doesn’t start anything in Codex. ChatGPT can run a task when new Gmail arrives, but OpenAI documents those event-triggered tasks for ChatGPT on the web and mobile only: they “aren’t available in the ChatGPT desktop app, Codex CLI, or the IDE extension.”
- Outlook is a separate, vaguer plugin. OpenAI says a second Microsoft account works “where supported,” and its Outlook documentation never mentions personal Outlook.com or Hotmail addresses.
- No account picker. A user on OpenAI’s own Codex tracker reported in the multi-account feature request that
@Gmailshows no selector for which connected account to use.
2. Connect every inbox to Carly
- Sign in at carlyassistant.com.
- Open carlyassistant.com/integrations.
- Connect each Gmail and Workspace account, then each Outlook account: Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live and Microsoft 365 at every company you work with.
- Choose Use another account whenever Google or Microsoft preselects a login.
Carly connects to thousands of apps, so add your calendars, Drive, GitHub and CRM while you are there and Codex reaches them through the same server.
3. Register Carly as an MCP server in Codex
The CLI route is the shortest:
codex mcp add carly --url https://carlyassistant.com/mcp/
codex mcp login carly
codex mcp listThe login command opens a browser. Sign in to the Carly account holding your inboxes.
Or write the entry by hand in ~/.codex/config.toml (or a trusted project’s .codex/config.toml):
[mcp_servers.carly]
url = "https://carlyassistant.com/mcp/"The ChatGPT desktop app, Codex CLI and IDE extension share this configuration, so the server shows up in all three. In the IDE extension you can also add it from the gear menu under MCP servers > Add server, choosing Streamable HTTP.
Then ask across everything:
Check all my inboxes for the AWS invoice from last month and tell me which account it landed in.
Gmail plugin versus Carly in Codex
| Need | Codex’s Gmail plugin | Carly MCP server |
|---|---|---|
| Several Gmail accounts | Yes, since August 2026 | Yes |
| Personal and work Outlook beside Gmail | Separate plugin; personal accounts not mentioned in OpenAI’s docs | Yes, same server |
| Works in the IDE extension | No | Yes |
| Mail arriving starts work | Not in the desktop app, CLI or IDE | Yes, within minutes |
Codex is a coding agent, so recurring inbox work belongs in a Carly workflow that runs without a session open: a daily brief across every inbox, replies drafted as mail lands, attachments filed to Drive. Or hand the inbox to an AI agent with its own email address. Free Zapier-style workflows; AI agents from $35/month. Get started.
Quick fixes when an inbox does not appear
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Gmail tools missing in the IDE extension | Expected, plugins don’t run there; use the Carly MCP server |
| Carly tools do not show up | Start a new Codex session after adding the server |
codex mcp login never completes | Finish the browser sign-in, then rerun codex mcp list |
| Google connected the same Gmail twice | Remove the duplicate and reconnect with Use another account |
Frequently asked questions
Does Codex have a native Gmail integration?
Yes. OpenAI’s Gmail plugin sits in the catalog ChatGPT and Codex share, installable from the ChatGPT desktop app or the Codex CLI, not the IDE extension. It has taken several Google accounts since August 2026.
Can Codex reach Gmail and Outlook together?
Through the plugins, Gmail and Outlook are two separate connections, and OpenAI’s Outlook documentation never mentions personal Outlook.com or Hotmail. Through Carly, one MCP server covers every Gmail and Outlook account.
Should I use Codex for inbox work?
For scripted or one-off jobs, yes. Recurring triage, drafting and follow-up belong in a Carly workflow that starts on its own when mail arrives.
Related: Codex + Gmail · Every email account in Codex · Multiple Outlook accounts in Codex · Multiple Gmail accounts in ChatGPT · What is MCP
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