Linked email (Gmail and other mailboxes)

What linked email does

The Email tab on Messages is your own mailbox inside GoRefer: conversations, labels, stars, drafts and folders, read live from your provider. It is the same mailbox you see in Gmail on your phone — read something here and it is read there too.

On Gmail and Google Workspace, replies are grouped into conversations and search accepts every Gmail operator. Other providers list messages, and search understands from:, to:, subject:, is:unread, has:attachment, before: and after:.

• Compose, reply, reply all and forward from your own address, with attachments up to 25 MB and your signature.
• Drafts save to your provider’s Drafts folder as you type, so a draft started here can be finished on your phone.
• Undo Send holds a message for 5–30 seconds (your choice) before it goes.
• Archive, delete, report spam, mark read or unread, star, move and label — one at a time or in bulk.
• External images are fetched through GoRefer, so senders never see your IP address; you can choose to be asked first.
• Gmail keyboard shortcuts work: c, /, j, k, e, #, r, a, f, s, x, Shift+I, Shift+U and g then i.

Connect your mailbox

GoRefer never asks for your real password. You create an app password at your provider — a password that works only for mail and can be revoked at any time — and paste it once.

1. 1

   Open Messages and select the Email tab, then Connect your email.

2. 2

   Type your address. GoRefer detects the provider, including Google Workspace on your firm’s own domain.

3. 3

   Follow the steps shown for your provider to create an app password. Gmail and Google Workspace: turn on 2-Step Verification, then create one at myaccount.google.com/apppasswords. Yahoo and AOL: Account Security, then Generate app password. iCloud: account.apple.com, Sign-In and Security, App-Specific Passwords. Fastmail: Settings, Privacy & Security, app passwords. Zoho: turn on IMAP Access in Mail settings, then create an application-specific password.

4. 4

   Paste the app password and select Connect. GoRefer signs in to both incoming (IMAP) and outgoing (SMTP) mail before anything is saved.

Privacy and security

A linked mailbox belongs to the person who linked it.

• The app password is encrypted (AES-256) before it is stored and is never shown again.
• Only you can open your mailbox in GoRefer. Firm administrators cannot read it.
• Mail is not copied into GoRefer; it is read live from your provider. Addresses you write to are remembered for autocomplete.
• Connections are always encrypted and only go to your provider’s public mail servers.
• Disconnect in Email settings at any time, or delete the app password at your provider to cut access immediately.

Troubleshooting

When something fails, the message says why and the mail server’s own words are one click away.

• “Needs reconnecting”: the app password stopped working — usually because you changed your provider password, which revokes app passwords. Create a new one and select Reconnect.
• “Application-specific password required” (Gmail): you pasted your normal Google password. Use an app password instead.
• No App passwords page (Google): 2-Step Verification is off, the account uses only security keys or Advanced Protection, or your Workspace administrator has turned it off.
• IMAP disabled: on Google Workspace your administrator enables it under Apps › Google Workspace › Gmail › End User Access; on Zoho, turn on IMAP Access in Mail settings.
• A message you sent is missing from Sent: providers other than Gmail get a copy filed automatically; check Email settings › Save sent mail to the Sent folder.