> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.linkaiil.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sender Setup — Gmail and Outlook

> Complete guide to connecting a Gmail or Outlook account to Link AI: OAuth, domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), warmup, and what to do when emails land in Spam.

# Sender Setup in Link AI

A campaign succeeds or fails on the sender. Even the best message in the world will fail if it comes from a three-day-old Gmail with no SPF and no warmup. This guide explains how to connect Gmail or Outlook correctly, and how to ensure your emails actually reach the Inbox.

## Supported Mail Providers

| Provider                         | Support | Notes                                                  |
| -------------------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| Gmail (personal, @gmail.com)     | Full    | Direct OAuth. Requires 2FA, account older than 2 weeks |
| Google Workspace (custom domain) | Full    | OAuth + super-admin for domain-level SPF/DKIM          |
| Outlook (personal, @outlook.com) | Full    | OAuth via Microsoft                                    |
| Microsoft 365 (custom domain)    | Full    | OAuth + Microsoft admin for DNS                        |
| Generic SMTP/IMAP                | Coming  | Not yet in production                                  |

## Connecting Gmail (Personal Account)

1. In the Dashboard, click **Senders → Connect → Gmail**.
2. Google's OAuth screen opens. Pick the account.
3. Approve the permissions: `gmail.send`, `gmail.readonly` (for reply detection), `gmail.modify` (for label sync).
4. You'll return to the Dashboard with status **Connected**.

What you should know:

* We don't read your whole Inbox. Only the thread of the specific campaign.
* OAuth tokens are stored encrypted. You can revoke from **Senders → Disconnect** anytime.
* A brand-new Gmail (under 2 weeks) will fail on deliverability. Wait, or use an older account.

## Connecting Google Workspace (Custom Domain)

This is the recommended setup for serious outbound. You send from `name@yourcompany.com`, not `@gmail.com`. Deliverability is significantly higher.

Before connecting — the domain admin needs to verify 3 DNS records exist:

### SPF

A TXT record pointing to Google's servers:

```
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
```

### DKIM

Enabled from the Google Admin Console:

1. Admin → Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → Authenticate email
2. **Generate new record** for the domain
3. Copy the public key to DNS as a TXT record named `google._domainkey`
4. Return to Admin and click **Start authentication**

### DMARC

Start with `p=none` (monitor mode) for 30 days, then move to `quarantine`:

```
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourcompany.com
```

How to confirm it works? Send a mail-tester:

```bash theme={null}
# Send from Link AI to test@mail-tester.com
# Open the report. You want 9/10 or higher.
```

## Connecting Outlook / Microsoft 365

1. **Senders → Connect → Outlook**.
2. Microsoft OAuth. Approve `Mail.Send`, `Mail.Read`, `MailboxSettings.Read`.
3. Return with status **Connected**.

For Microsoft 365 with a custom domain:

* **SPF**: `v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all`
* **DKIM**: enabled in Microsoft 365 Defender → Email & Collaboration → Policies → DKIM
* **DMARC**: same as Google — start in monitor mode

## Warmup — The First 30 Days

A new account, or one that has never done outbound, needs warmup. Without it, you land in Spam 50%+ of the time.

Link AI has built-in warmup (`Settings → Warmup → Enable`). It:

* Sends 2-5 emails/day at the start, scaling to 40-60/day by week 4
* Auto-receives replies from a warmup network (real cooperating accounts)
* Marks messages as Important and lifts them out of Spam if they land there

**Recommendation**: enable warmup the day you connect the sender. Don't run a campaign in the first two weeks. Day 15 you can start with 10-20 messages/day. Day 30 — up to 100/day.

## How to Verify the Sender Is Ready

Before your first campaign, you want to see 3 things:

1. **mail-tester.com** returns 9/10 or 10/10
2. In the Link AI Dashboard, **Sender Health = Green**
3. SPF, DKIM, DMARC all `pass` in the headers of a sample email

If anything isn't green — don't send yet. Fix it first. Sending with a bad setup damages your domain reputation for months.

## Common Issues

| Problem             | Likely cause             | Fix                                   |
| ------------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------- |
| OAuth fails         | Account doesn't have 2FA | Enable 2FA and retry                  |
| "Permission denied" | You excluded a scope     | Redo OAuth and approve all scopes     |
| Sender Health = Red | SPF/DKIM missing         | Check mxtoolbox.com → SPF/DKIM lookup |
| All emails in Spam  | Skipped warmup           | Re-enable warmup for another 14 days  |

## What's Next

* [Deliverability Troubleshooting](/en/troubleshooting-deliverability) — what to do when messages land in Spam
* [Your First Campaign](/en/first-campaign) — once the sender is ready, how to make the most of it

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