How-to · Shortwave

How to get started with Shortwave for AI email

A practical Shortwave setup path: connect Gmail, configure AI triage, test search and scheduled send, then decide if the paid tier earns its seat.

Setup commands, limits, and security terms change. Follow the linked official documentation before running anything.

Keep/Cut Weekly

Before you start

Use a test profile, synthetic data, and no production credentials. This guide is strategy and evaluation guidance, not managed implementation or support.

  1. Connect your Gmail account

    Sign in with Google and grant Shortwave access to your Gmail. Start with a personal or secondary email if you want to test before committing your primary inbox.

  2. Configure AI triage

    Let Shortwave analyze your inbox and suggest triage rules. Review the suggestions and adjust what gets pinned, snoozed, or bundled.

  3. Test AI search

    Try searching your email history using natural language. Compare results with Gmail native search to see if the AI search saves you time.

  4. Try scheduled send and reminders

    Schedule an email to send later and set a reminder to follow up. Decide if these features justify a paid tier for your workflow.

  5. Decide on the paid tier

    If you process 50+ emails daily and the free tier limits interrupt your workflow, compare Business $30/seat against your time savings.

Completion checklist

  • Gmail connected
  • AI triage configured
  • AI search tested
  • Scheduled send tested
  • Paid tier decision made

Official sources

Review tool →Create a decision brief