Setting Up Multiple Gmail Accounts in Doom Emacs (mbsync + mu4e, App Password)

gmail_in_doom_emacs.markdown

Gmail in Doom Emacs using mbsync ,mu4e and App Password(not OAuth2)

A personal note documenting how I set up multiple Gmail accounts in Doom Emacs using App Passwords (not OAuth2), mbsync, and mu4e.

Components covered:

• Doom Emacs
• Gmail App Password (no OAuth2)
• mbsync (isync) for local IMAP sync
• mu4e

Read This.

• Remember:

  press c : lowercase c : c

  press C : uppercase C : shift + c

  C-c : control+c

  M-x : alt+x

---

0. Installing Stuff

• Doom Emacs

0.0. Remove any doom or emacs folders.

mv -r ~/.emacs.d ~/.emacs.d-backup
mv -r ~/.emacs ~/.emacs-backup
mv -r ~/.doom.d ~/.doom.d-backup
mv -r ~/.emacs ~/.emacs-backup

mv -r ~/.config/.emacs.d ~/.config/.emacs.d-backup
mv -r ~/.config/.emacs ~/.config/.emacs-backup
mv -r ~/.config/.doom.d ~/.config/.doom.d-backup
mv -r ~/.config/.emacs ~/.config/.emacs-backup

0.1. Install Doom Emacs

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/doomemacs/doomemacs ~/.config/emacs
~/.config/emacs/bin/doom install

• Also add $HOME/.config/emacs/bin/ to your paths:
• I use fish so just: fish_add_path $HOME/.config/emacs/bin
• Using bash: add export PATH="$HOME/.config/emacs/bin:$PATH" to ~/.bashrc

0.2. Install configs stuffs

• mu
• isync
• msmtp
• mbsync

Using yay? Nice, JUST RUN: yay -S mu isync msmtp mbsync

• DONE.

---

1. Setting Up App Passwords

• What is APP PASSWORD ? -> https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833

• CREATE APP PASSWORD -> https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords

1.1. Create n app passwords for your n gmail accounts and save them to some files like these:

• IMAGINE:

account 1 gmail: acc1@gmail.com

account 1 app passowrd : abcd efgh ijkl

account 1 gmail: acc2@gmail.com

account 2 app passowrd : aaaa bbbb cccc dddd

• THEN:

• for each acc:

  • this example is for acc1
  • Go to a secret directory and create .mbsyncpass-acc1 and put its password (abcd efgh ijkl) into it.
  • run >> gpg2 -c .mbsyncpass-acc1 . it will ask you a new password to encrypt file, !! REMEMBER IT !! ⚠️.

  it will create a new encrypted file (.mbsyncpass-acc1.gpg),

  • remove .mbsyncpass-acc1 file

  • -- > > > undo? : >> $ gpg2 -d .mybsyncpass-acc1.gpg>.mbsyncpass-acc1

• THEN:

1.2. Run Doom Emacs and create new empty buffer(space b N)

• Write n lines for your n accounts:

machine smtp.gmail.com port 587 login Acc1@gmail.com password "abcd efgh ijkl"
machine smtp.gmail.com port 587 login Acc2@gmail.com password "aaaa bbbb cccc dddd"

• Save: press (space f s) to save> write ~/authinfo.gpg > enter > it will ask you a new passowrd to encrypt file, !! REMEMBER IT !! ⚠️.

• DONE.

---

2. Prepare Doom Emacs

• Open Doom Emacs
• Press (space f p)
• Select init.el
• Enter
• Find

       ;;(mu4e +org +gmail)

• Uncomment it (remove ;;):

      (mu4e +org +gmail)

• Save it and exit :wq or (space f s)

• DONE.

---

3. .mbsyncrc

3.0 Prepare some folders for emails

• IMAGINE:

You chose /home/me/here/there/mails/ to store your mails

create it with: mkdir -p /home/me/here/there/mails/

3.1. Go to another secret directory and create .mbsyncrc file

3.2 Paste these to .mbsyncrc:

• ⚠️ Replace any [USER_A] to your email name like: acc1

careful ; [[USER_A]] will be [acc1]

• ⚠️ Replace any path/to/[USER_A]-gmail/ with your owns (for each acc)

• ⚠️ Replace any path/to/.mbsyncpass-[USER_A].gpg with your owns (for each acc)

# mbsyncrc based on
# http://www.ict4g.net/adolfo/notes/2014/12/27/EmacsIMAP.html
# ACCOUNT INFORMATION
IMAPAccount [USER_A]-gmail
# Address to connect to

#  ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
# [USER_A]   ==> MyName
# [[USER_A]] ==> [MyName]
#  ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Host imap.gmail.com
User [USER_A]@gmail.com
PassCmd "gpg2 -q --for-your-eyes-only --no-tty -d path/to/.mbsyncpass-[USER_A].gpg"
AuthMechs PLAIN
TLSType IMAPS
TLSVersions +1.2 +1.3
CertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
# THEN WE SPECIFY THE LOCAL AND REMOTE STORAGE
# - THE REMOTE STORAGE IS WHERE WE GET THE MAIL FROM (E.G., THE
#   SPECIFICATION OF AN IMAP ACCOUNT)
# - THE LOCAL STORAGE IS WHERE WE STORE THE EMAIL ON OUR COMPUTER
# REMOTE STORAGE (USE THE IMAP ACCOUNT SPECIFIED ABOVE)
IMAPStore [USER_A]-gmail-remote
Account [USER_A]-gmail
# LOCAL STORAGE (CREATE DIRECTORIES with mkdir -p ~/Maildir/[USER_A]-gmail)
MaildirStore [USER_A]-gmail-local
Path path/to/[USER_A]-gmail/
Inbox path/to/[USER_A]-gmail/INBOX
# REQUIRED ONLY IF YOU WANT TO DOWNLOAD ALL SUBFOLDERS; SYNCING SLOWS DOWN
# SubFolders Verbatim
# CONNECTIONS SPECIFY LINKS BETWEEN REMOTE AND LOCAL FOLDERS
#
# CONNECTIONS ARE SPECIFIED USING PATTERNS, WHICH MATCH REMOTE MAIl
# FOLDERS. SOME COMMONLY USED PATTERS INCLUDE:
#
# 1 "*" TO MATCH EVERYTHING
# 2 "!DIR" TO EXCLUDE "DIR"
# 3 "DIR" TO MATCH DIR
Channel [USER_A]-gmail-inbox
Far :[USER_A]-gmail-remote:
Near :[USER_A]-gmail-local:
Patterns INBOX
Create Both
Expunge Both
SyncState *
MaxMessages 600
ExpireUnread yes
Channel [USER_A]-gmail-trash
Far :[USER_A]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/Trash"
Near :[USER_A]-gmail-local:"[[USER_A]].Trash"
Create Both
Expunge Both
SyncState *
MaxMessages 600
ExpireUnread yes
Channel [USER_A]-gmail-sent
Far :[USER_A]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/Sent Mail"
Near :[USER_A]-gmail-local:"[[USER_A]].Sent Mail"
Create Both
Expunge Both
SyncState *
MaxMessages 600
ExpireUnread yes
#
# Channel [USER_A]-gmail-all
# Far :[USER_A]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/All Mail"
# Near :[USER_A]-gmail-local:"[[USER_A]].All Mail"
# Create Both
# Expunge Both
# SyncState *
# MaxMessages 600
# ExpireUnread yes
# Channel [USER_A]-gmail-starred
# Far :[USER_A]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/Starred"
# Near :[USER_A]-gmail-local:"[[USER_A]].Starred"
# Create Both
# Expunge Both
# SyncState *
# MaxMessages 600
# ExpireUnread yes
# GROUPS PUT TOGETHER CHANNELS, SO THAT WE CAN INVOKE
# MBSYNC ON A GROUP TO SYNC ALL CHANNELS
#
# FOR INSTANCE: "mbsync gmail" GETS MAIL FROM
# "gmail-inbox", "gmail-sent", and "gmail-trash"
#
Group [USER_A]-gmail
Channel [USER_A]-gmail-inbox
Channel [USER_A]-gmail-sent
Channel [USER_A]-gmail-trash
# Channel [USER_A]-gmail-all
# Channel [USER_A]-gmail-starred
# ================================================================================
#
# ACCOUNT INFORMATION
IMAPAccount [USER_B]-gmail
# Address to connect to
Host imap.gmail.com
User [USER_B]@gmail.com
PassCmd "gpg2 -q --for-your-eyes-only --no-tty -d path/to/.mbsyncpass-[USER_B].gpg"
AuthMechs PLAIN
TLSType IMAPS
TLSVersions +1.2 +1.3
CertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
# THEN WE SPECIFY THE LOCAL AND REMOTE STORAGE
# - THE REMOTE STORAGE IS WHERE WE GET THE MAIL FROM (E.G., THE
#   SPECIFICATION OF AN IMAP ACCOUNT)
# - THE LOCAL STORAGE IS WHERE WE STORE THE EMAIL ON OUR COMPUTER
# REMOTE STORAGE (USE THE IMAP ACCOUNT SPECIFIED ABOVE)
IMAPStore [USER_B]-gmail-remote
Account [USER_B]-gmail
# LOCAL STORAGE (CREATE DIRECTORIES with mkdir -p ~/Maildir/[USER_B]-gmail)
MaildirStore [USER_B]-gmail-local
Path path/to/[USER_B]-gmail/
Inbox path/to/[USER_B]-gmail/INBOX
# CONNECTIONS SPECIFY LINKS BETWEEN REMOTE AND LOCAL FOLDERS
#
# CONNECTIONS ARE SPECIFIED USING PATTERNS, WHICH MATCH REMOTE MAIl
# FOLDERS. SOME COMMONLY USED PATTERS INCLUDE:
#
# 1 "*" TO MATCH EVERYTHING
# 2 "!DIR" TO EXCLUDE "DIR"
# 3 "DIR" TO MATCH DIR
Channel [USER_B]-gmail-inbox
Far :[USER_B]-gmail-remote:
Near :[USER_B]-gmail-local:
Patterns INBOX
Create Both
Expunge Both
SyncState *
MaxMessages 600
ExpireUnread yes
Channel [USER_B]-gmail-trash
Far :[USER_B]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/Trash"
Near :[USER_B]-gmail-local:"[[USER_B]].Trash"
Create Both
Expunge Both
SyncState *
MaxMessages 600
ExpireUnread yes
Channel [USER_B]-gmail-sent
Far :[USER_B]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/Sent Mail"
Near :[USER_B]-gmail-local:"[[USER_B]].Sent Mail"
Create Both
Expunge Both
SyncState *
MaxMessages 600
ExpireUnread yes
#
# Channel [USER_B]-gmail-all
# Far :[USER_B]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/All Mail"
# Near :[USER_B]-gmail-local:"[[USER_B]].All Mail"
# Create Both
# Expunge Both
# SyncState *
# MaxMessages 600
# ExpireUnread yes
#
# Channel [USER_B]-gmail-starred
# Far :[USER_B]-gmail-remote:"[Gmail]/Starred"
# Near :[USER_B]-gmail-local:"[[USER_B]].Starred"
# Create Both
# Expunge Both
# SyncState *
# MaxMessages 600
# ExpireUnread yes
# GROUPS PUT TOGETHER CHANNELS, SO THAT WE CAN INVOKE
# MBSYNC ON A GROUP TO SYNC ALL CHANNELS
#
# FOR INSTANCE: "mbsync gmail" GETS MAIL FROM
# "gmail-inbox", "gmail-sent", and "gmail-trash"
#
Group [USER_B]-gmail
Channel [USER_B]-gmail-inbox
Channel [USER_B]-gmail-sent
Channel [USER_B]-gmail-trash
#Channel [USER_B]-gmail-all
#Channel [USER_B]-gmail-starred

You can uncomment any section you want. Just remember to uncomment the related channels too.

• DONE.

---

4. Doom Emacs Config

4.0. Open Doom emacs

4.1. (space f o)

4.2. Select config.el then press Enter

4.3. Paste:

• ⚠️ Replace ~/path/to/mail/ , ~/path/to/.mbsyncrc with your own
• ⚠️ Replace account1, account2 with our own (for each acc)

;;; email.el -*- lexical-binding: t; -*-

(use-package! mu4e
  :commands mu4e
  :config
  ;; Maildir root (where mbsync puts emails)
  (setq mu4e-root-maildir "~/path/to/mail")
  ;; Use mbsync with your specific config
  (setq mu4e-get-mail-command "mbsync -c ~/path/to/.mbsyncrc -a")
  ;; Automatically pick the first context if multiple (optional)
  (setq mu4e-context-policy 'pick-first)

  ;; Define contexts for two accounts
  (setq mu4e-contexts
        `(,(make-mu4e-context
             :name "Account1"
             :match-func (lambda (msg)
                           (when msg
                             (string-prefix-p "/account1" (mu4e-message-field msg :maildir))))
             :vars '((user-mail-address      . "account1@gmail.com")
                     (user-full-name        . "Account One")
                     (mu4e-sent-folder      . "/account1/[account1].Sent")
                     (mu4e-drafts-folder    . "/account1/[account1].Drafts")
                     (mu4e-trash-folder     . "/account1/[account1].Trash")
                     (mu4e-refile-folder    . "/account1/[account1].All Mail")
                     (smtpmail-smtp-server  . "smtp.gmail.com")
                     (smtpmail-smtp-service . 587)
                     (smtpmail-stream-type  . starttls)))

          ,(make-mu4e-context
             :name "Account2"
             :match-func (lambda (msg)
                           (when msg
                             (string-prefix-p "/account2" (mu4e-message-field msg :maildir))))
             :vars '((user-mail-address      . "account2@gmail.com")
                     (user-full-name        . "Account Two")
                     (mu4e-sent-folder      . "/account2/[account2].Sent")
                     (mu4e-drafts-folder    . "/account2/[account2].Drafts")
                     (mu4e-trash-folder     . "/account2/[account2].Trash")
                     (mu4e-refile-folder    . "/account2/[account2].All Mail")
                     (smtpmail-smtp-server  . "smtp.gmail.com")
                     (smtpmail-smtp-service . 587)
                     (smtpmail-stream-type  . starttls))))))


(setq message-send-mail-function 'message-smtpmail-send-it
      smtpmail-smtp-server "smtp.gmail.com"
      smtpmail-smtp-service 587
      smtpmail-stream-type 'starttls
      smtpmail-auth-supported '(login plain)
      smtpmail-debug-info nil
      smtpmail-debug-verbose nil)


;; Keybinding to open mu4e quickly
(map! :leader
      :desc "Open Mail (mu4e)"
      "o m" #'mu4e)

• Tip:

  You can make another file in your doom config dir like ~/.config/doom/here/there/mail.el and then link it to config.el with:

  (load! "here/there/mail") ;; no need ".el" at the end

4.4 Open a terminal and appy settings by running doom sync or ~/.config/emacs/bin/doom sync

• DONE.

---

5. Getting My Emails

5.0. Open a terminal

5.1. Run (getting mails)

• The -V is to see (what's going on), you can remove it if u like less texts.

mbsync -c ~/myworld/secret/emacsSecrets/mu4e/.mbsyncrc -a -V    

• It will ask you your password for every account
• you can use account1-gmail instead of -a to get mails jsut for one acc

5.2. Run (indexing, faster search)

• ⚠️ Replace the path with our own mail directory path

mu init --maildir /home/me/there/here/mail

mu index --lazy-check

• DONE.

---

6. OPEN EMACS TO SEE YOUR MAILS

6.0. Open Doom Emacs

6.1. Press (space o m) to open mail menu

6.2. Press J and TAMAM. q : Exit

• DONE

---

7. Sending Some Emails

7.0. Open Doom Emacs

7.1. Press (space o m) to open mail menu

7.1. Press (;) to Switch Account and select your acc

7.3 Press (C) to create new mail

7.4 Write yor mail

7.5 Send it with Pressing (C-c C-c) == (control + c control + c)

• It will ask you your passowrd for ~/.authinfo.gpg file.

• DONE.

---

8. Syncing Gmail in Emacs

8.0. Open Doom Emacs

8.1. Press (space o m) to open mail menu

8.2 Press (u) and enter password

8.3 Wait Wait Wait

8.4 Press (M-x) == (alt + x)

8.5 Search for mu4e-update-index or mu4e-update-index-nonlazy

8.6 Enter and Wait and Done

• DONE.

---

• https://www.reddit.com/r/emacs/comments/bfsck6/mu4e_for_dummies/

oauth2 is pretty simple with oama:
~/.config/oama/config.yaml

encryption:
    tag: GPG
    contents: '0xYOURGPGKEY'

services:
  google:
    client_id: '406964657835-aq8lmia8j95dhl1a2bvharmfk3t1hgqj.apps.googleusercontent.com'
    client_secret: 'kSmqreRr0qwBWJgbf5Y-PjSU' # thunderbird

~/.config/msmtp/config - passwordeval oama access your.account@gmail.com
~/.config/isyncrc

IMAPStore gmail-remote
    Host imap.gmail.com
    User your.account@gmail.com
    PassCmd "oama access your.account@gmail.com"
    AuthMechs XOAUTH2
    TLSType IMAPS
    TLSVersions +1.3
    CertificateFile /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt

you'll need to do oama authorize google your.account@gmail.com once to obtain the token, later on oama would refresh the token automatically