Add a mailbox with an app password

Connect your own email account to Jasper Mail over IMAP and SMTP.

Jasper Mail is in the desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux. It isn't in the web app. You can add any mailbox that allows IMAP and SMTP sign-in with a password. Most big providers want an app password: a separate password you make in your account settings for one app. Jasper fills in the server settings for Gmail, iCloud Mail (@icloud.com, @me.com and @mac.com), @fastmail.com and @zoho.com addresses. Mail is on every plan.

Microsoft 365 and Outlook.com don't allow password sign-in. Where your organisation has switched it on, choose Connect Microsoft instead: you sign in at Microsoft, and Jasper asks only to read, organise and send your mail. There is no password to make.

Add a mailbox

  1. Make an app password with your provider (see below).
  2. In the desktop app, open Mail and click Add a mailbox. You can also open Settings…, choose Mail accounts and click the + button.
  3. Type your Email address. For a Gmail, iCloud Mail, Fastmail or Zoho address, Jasper shows where to make an app password and fills in the servers.
  4. Paste the app password into App password.
  5. For any other provider, or your own domain, open Other mail server and enter the IMAP server and SMTP server with their ports (993 and 465 unless your provider says otherwise).
  6. Click Connect. Jasper signs in to the IMAP server before it saves anything, then starts copying your mail.

The form also shows options for @shakewell.net and @shakewell.agency addresses, including Use my Google account. They are for Shakewell's own staff; ignore them.

Gmail

  1. Turn on 2-Step Verification for your Google Account. Google needs it before it offers app passwords.
  2. Go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords, name the app (for example, Jasper) and create the password.
  3. Copy the password Google shows into Jasper. Jasper uses imap.gmail.com port 993 and smtp.gmail.com port 465.

Since January 2025, IMAP is always on for personal Gmail accounts, so there is nothing to switch on in Gmail itself. On Google Workspace, your admin controls IMAP. If you can't find the app passwords option, Google says it might be because you're signed in to a work, school or other organisation account, your account has Advanced Protection, or your 2-Step Verification uses only security keys. Sources: Sign in with app passwords, Add Gmail to another email client and IMAP, POP, and SMTP (Google, checked 5 October 2026).

If your Gmail is on your own domain (Google Workspace) and Google lets you make an app password, add it the same way. Jasper won't fill in the servers for your domain: open Other mail server and enter the Gmail servers above.

iCloud Mail

  1. Make sure two-factor authentication is on for your Apple Account.
  2. Sign in at account.apple.com, open Sign-In and Security, choose App-Specific Passwords and generate one.
  3. Copy it into Jasper. Jasper uses imap.mail.me.com port 993 and smtp.mail.me.com port 587.

Apple lets you keep up to 25 app-specific passwords. Changing your main Apple Account password revokes them all, so you would need a new one for Jasper. Sources: Sign in to apps with your Apple Account using app-specific passwords and iCloud Mail server settings for other email client apps (Apple, checked 5 October 2026).

Fastmail

  1. In Fastmail on the web, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security.
  2. Under Connected apps & API tokens, click Manage app passwords and access, then New app password.
  3. Give it a name, leave access on Mail, Contacts & Calendars, and click Generate password.
  4. Copy it into Jasper. Jasper uses imap.fastmail.com port 993 and smtp.fastmail.com port 465.

Use the address you signed up to Fastmail with: Fastmail refuses other addresses on the account. Fastmail's Basic plan has no IMAP or SMTP access, so it can't make app passwords. Fastmail on your own domain needs the servers entered under Other mail server. Sources: App passwords and Server names and ports (Fastmail, checked 5 October 2026).

If it won't connect

  • "The mail server refused the sign-in": check the address, and use an app password rather than your usual password.
  • "Enter the IMAP and SMTP servers for this address." or "Can't find the mail server …": Jasper doesn't know your provider's servers, or can't find the server you typed. Open Other mail server and check both server names.
  • "Too many attempts for that mailbox." or "Too many failed sign-ins to this mail server just now.": wait a few minutes and try again.
  • Jasper signs in only to the IMAP server when you connect. It checks that the SMTP server's name exists, but not its port or password, so a wrong SMTP port shows up on your first send.
  • If a mailbox later shows Password needed in the Mail sidebar, or Login failed under Mail accounts, make a new app password and click Reconnect.

What Jasper keeps

Jasper syncs your mailbox on its servers, so scheduled mail still sends when your computer is off. It keeps a copy of the mail it syncs, and that copy stays when you delete mail or remove the mailbox. There is no setting to change how long Jasper keeps it.

Limits

  • Outlook.com, Hotmail and Live addresses can't be added. Since 16 September 2024 Microsoft doesn't let mail apps sign in to them with a password, and Jasper doesn't support Microsoft sign-in (Microsoft, checked 5 October 2026). Microsoft 365 isn't supported either.
  • Mail is in the desktop app only. There is no web or mobile mail.
  • Gmail labels, send-as aliases, Gmail signatures and "Ask your inbox" need Google sign-in, which only Shakewell's own accounts can use. With an app password, Gmail works as a normal IMAP mailbox.
  • Shared inboxes can't be connected to mailboxes outside Shakewell yet. See shared inboxes.

Last reviewed 5 October 2026

Was this page helpful?
Next Inboxes and Sending