# `epistole:setup`

Set up or fix epistole Gmail access: create the Google OAuth client once, then sign each account in.

Part of [epistole](<https://ajbarea.github.io/techne/plugins/epistole/index.md>): `/plugin install epistole@techne`.

## When to use

To connect Gmail accounts, add another account, or create the Google OAuth client; when an epistole tool says an account is not signed in, needs login or has no OAuth client; or when the epistole server fails to start because uv is missing.

## Usage

```text
/epistole:setup
```

Claude follows the [setup runbook](<https://github.com/ajbarea/techne/blob/main/plugins/epistole/AGENTS.md>), starting with the `accounts` tool, and skips steps that are done. You create the OAuth client in the Google Cloud console and run `epistole-login` after `!`, because it opens a browser. Claude never asks you to paste a token or the client secret into chat, and never reads `client_secret.json` or `tokens/`.

## Steps

1. Check where things stand (`accounts`, or `!epistole-login --status`).
2. Create a Google OAuth client of type Desktop app, with the `gmail.readonly` and `gmail.compose` scopes, and publish the app to production so tokens do not expire after 7 days.
3. Import it: `!epistole-login --client <downloaded.json> <alias>`.
4. Sign each account in: `!epistole-login <alias>`.
5. Choose attachment folders in `attach_dirs`, if you want attachments.

## See also

- [epistole plugin](<https://ajbarea.github.io/techne/plugins/epistole/index.md>): tools, commands, configuration and troubleshooting.
- [epistole privacy policy](<https://ajbarea.github.io/techne/epistole/index.md>).

## Full instructions

[`SKILL.md` on GitHub](<https://github.com/ajbarea/techne/blob/main/plugins/epistole/skills/setup/SKILL.md>) holds the full instructions Claude follows for this skill.