The CData MCP Server for Email defines each connection to IMAP as a named configuration that Claude can use when sending natural language queries.

You create and manage these configurations using the MCP Configuration Tool, which automatically handles formatting, storage, and registration with Claude Desktop.

Understanding Connection Configurations

Each connection configuration is stored in a .mcp file, located in ~/AppData/Roaming/CData/IMAP Data Provider/, and includes the details needed to initialize the connector when Claude starts a session. For example, a connection called "MyConnection" is stored at ~/AppData/Roaming/CData/IMAP Data Provider/MyConnection.mcp.

The .mcp file is a text file containing a line-delimited list of connection properties, plus a timestamp. For example, MyConnection.mcp contains the following text:

#Tue May 20 15:48:40 EDT 2025
AuthScheme=Basic
User=myUser
Password=myPassword
Security Token=myToken

The configuration tool handles these settings automatically. Each saved configuration enables Claude to launch a dedicated MCP Server instance with the correct connector and options — no manual file editing required.

The User and Password properties in the Authentication section must be set to valid credentials. The Server must be specified to retrieve emails and the SMTPServer must be specified to send emails.

Deprecation notice for Gmail users

From May 30, 2022, Google no longer supports the use of third-party apps or devices which ask you to sign in to your Google Account using only your username and password. There are alternatives that allow your continued use of our Email drivers to connect to your Google account, which is why Gmail-specific columns, pseudo-columns, and stored procedures are only getting deprecated. We recommend you move to our Gmail drivers that offer more secure methods of authentication.