---
title: Quickstart
description: "Sign up, add a payment method to start your free trial, connect your first IMAP mailbox, and start reading a unified inbox."
---

> **For AI agents:** the complete documentation index is at [llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any page URL for its markdown version.

Get from zero to a unified inbox in a few minutes.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create your Mailhopper account">
    Go to [mailhopper.io](https://mailhopper.io) and sign up with your email and a password.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Add a payment method to start your free trial">
    Open **Settings → Billing** and add a card. This starts a **30-day free trial**. You
    are not charged during the trial, and you can cancel anytime before it ends.

    <Note>
    A card on file is required before you connect your first account. Your card details go
    directly to Stripe and never touch Mailhopper's servers. See [Plans &amp; billing](/billing).
    </Note>
  </Step>
  <Step title="Connect your first email account">
    Go to **Settings → Connect a new account** and enter your mailbox's IMAP details and an
    **app password**. For Gmail, that's a Google app password with IMAP enabled. Mailhopper
    tests the connection, then backfills your 200 most recent messages per folder.
    (Microsoft/Outlook mailboxes aren't supported, because Microsoft requires OAuth and has
    retired app passwords.)

    <Tip>
    See [Connecting accounts](/connecting-accounts) for per-provider app-password
    instructions.
    </Tip>
  </Step>
  <Step title="Read your unified inbox">
    Your mail appears in a single newest-first stream. Connect more accounts and they merge
    into the same view automatically.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Add more accounts

Repeat the connect step for each mailbox. Every connected account merges into the same
unified stream. Filter to one account from the sidebar, or read them all together under
**All inboxes**.

## Find your way around

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="The unified inbox" icon="inbox" href="/unified-inbox">
    Views, folders, search, and threaded conversations.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Keyboard shortcuts" icon="keyboard" href="/keyboard-shortcuts">
    Move through mail without the mouse.
  </Card>
</Columns>