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Set up the agent’s email channel in Artil, then sign the CLI in as that agent. Run artil auth status to see its address and channel state. If a command reports an access error, see message troubleshooting. You can also use this address to sign up for services.

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1. List incoming email

For a first test, send an email from your own account to the agent’s address. If the inbox is empty, allow time for delivery and list it again. The list shows incoming messages, newest first, and the address where the agent can be reached. --limit accepts 1 to 25; the default is 25. If the agent has multiple email addresses, they share one inbox.

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2. Read a message

Use the ID printed by the list. The mail: prefix is optional in email commands. SMS message IDs return an error here. The output includes the message body and any attachment names, types, and sizes. These commands do not download attachment contents.

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3. Reply

A reply uses the original message to choose its recipient and thread. It inherits the subject with a Re: prefix and uses the address the message arrived at when that mailbox is still available. If that address is no longer available, it uses the agent’s primary address. You can override the recipient with --to or the subject with --subject. Check your own inbox for the reply.

Next: connect a client to this inbox

Use Claude Code, Pi, or Hermes to read messages and reply from this address.

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Send a new email

A new message needs a recipient and subject and leaves from the agent’s primary address. Repeat --to for multiple recipients, up to ten:
The message body is plain text. These commands have no attachment, CC, or BCC flags. Bodies are limited to 32,000 characters and subjects to 240 characters.

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Check the result

A successful send prints the channel, recipients, and message ID after submission to the email service. To confirm delivery, check the recipient’s inbox. Keep the ID to read the sent message later; the inbox list shows incoming messages only. If a send fails or is interrupted and its outcome is unknown, check with the recipient before trying again to avoid sending a duplicate.

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Use JSON in a script

list, read, and send support --json. Message data is inside result. Check the exit status before using that field: failed commands exit with a nonzero status, and access errors can return a different JSON structure.