Your Gmail tab is always open. You switch to it, see a number, switch back. Gmailo replaces that reflex with a glance at your deck. The count is there. The subject line of the newest unread is there. You didn't break your flow to find out.
What it does
- Unread inbox count — how many unread messages are sitting in your Gmail Inbox right now.
- Latest subject line — the subject of the most recent unread message.
- Tap to open Gmail — opens mail.google.com in your browser.
- Double-tap to open the newest email — lands you directly on the most recent unread message.
- Label filtering — scope a key to any Gmail label instead of the full inbox. Multiple keys, multiple labels.
- Dark and light themes — matches your deck setup. The 4-color Gmail stripe can sit at the top or bottom of the key.
- Polls every 60 seconds via IMAP (
imap.gmail.comport 993). No webhooks, no push notifications — just a clean pull on a timer. - Setup in about 2 minutes — enter your Gmail address, generate an App Password, paste it in.
Why App Password, not OAuth?
The short version: OAuth for Gmail costs $500–$1,500/year
Gmail's read-only OAuth scope (gmail.readonly) is classified as a "restricted scope" by Google. Distributing an app that uses it publicly requires passing a CASA Tier 2 security assessment — a third-party audit that runs $500–$1,500 per year, every year, for as long as the app exists.
Gmailo sidesteps this entirely by connecting over plain IMAP, the same protocol Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Spark, and Airmail use. An App Password authenticates the IMAP connection. Your password lives in Stream Deck's local settings — it's never sent to Microdash, never logged, and never touches any server except imap.gmail.com. You can revoke it from your Google account settings in 10 seconds.
Who it's for
Developers and engineers
You use Gmail as a work inbox and you want ambient awareness without a dedicated email client running, without browser notifications, and without breaking focus. The number changes; you decide if it matters.
Streamers
You're live and you want to know if something important came in — without alt-tabbing out or having Gmail visible in the background. One key, one number.
Anyone who checks email compulsively
The habit is checking to find out if something arrived. Gmailo answers that question passively so you stop asking it. If the number didn't change, nothing came in.
Setup (about 2 minutes)
- Drop the Inbox action onto a key and open its Property Inspector.
- Enter your Gmail address.
- Enable 2-Step Verification on your Google account — this is required before App Passwords are available. Click the link in the plugin to open Google's 2SV settings, turn it on, then come back. (Skip this step if you already have 2SV on.)
- Click Open Google App Passwords, create a new password named "Gmailo Stream Deck", and copy the 16-character code.
- Paste the App Password and click Connect. The key shows your inbox count right away.
Good to know
The App Passwords page says "App Passwords aren't available"
This error means 2-Step Verification isn't active on your Google account. App Passwords require 2SV — go to myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification, enable it, then return to the App Passwords page. Google Workspace users: your organisation's admin may have disabled App Passwords for managed accounts — contact your IT admin to have them enabled in the Admin Console.
I can't find the App Passwords page
Go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords. The page only appears once 2-Step Verification is turned on for your Google account. The plugin includes a direct link to Google's 2SV settings to make this one step.
The count doesn't match Gmail
Gmailo counts unread messages in the Inbox mailbox. Messages filtered to labels, archived before reading, or already opened on another device won't appear. The count updates every 60 seconds — give it a minute.
"Invalid credentials" at login
Double-check the Gmail address is correct and the 16-character App Password was pasted in full. App Passwords only work if 2-Step Verification is still active on the account — if 2SV was turned off after setup, generate a new App Password.
Can I use dark or light theme, and move the coloured stripe?
Yes. Open the key's Property Inspector, scroll to the Appearance section, and choose Dark or Light theme. The 4-colour Gmail stripe can sit at the top or bottom of the key — a live preview updates as you change the settings.
Can I count a specific Gmail label instead of the full inbox?
Yes. In the Property Inspector, switch What to count to Specific label. Gmailo will load your Gmail labels and let you pick one. Add multiple keys for multiple labels — each key tracks its own count independently.
Will this work with iCloud or Outlook?
Gmail-only in v1. Generic IMAP host/port fields for other providers are on the roadmap. Send feedback to vote it up.
Free — available now on the Elgato Stream Deck Marketplace.