Connect an email inbox to VS Code and GitHub Copilot

How email works in a VS Code agent session

Cyberpigeon connects GitHub Copilot’s agent tools in VS Code to a persistent email inbox through Model Context Protocol (MCP). The editor supplies the coding context; Cyberpigeon provides the email identity, message history and delivery tools. You can inspect an expected application email alongside the code that generated it, or use an emailed support report as evidence for an investigation.

This guide covers VS Code’s MCP connection for Copilot. If you use the Codex extension inside VS Code, follow the Codex integration guide instead. The editor can host different assistants, each with its own connection configuration.

Create your inboxConnect an existing workspace

Prepare VS Code and your Cyberpigeon workspace

You need a VS Code installation with MCP support, access to GitHub Copilot’s agent tools, and a Cyberpigeon workspace. Your organization may restrict external MCP servers or individual tools. Check that access before adding a connection. Choose a dedicated development or support agent to keep unrelated correspondence outside the task.

Platform sending and receiving are enabled. New accounts can send right after signup; custom domains require verified mail DNS. A Copilot subscription does not change Cyberpigeon’s mailbox and usage limits. A shared-domain inbox is sufficient for the first test. For a branded address, complete the custom domain guide on an eligible plan before selecting the inbox.

Add Cyberpigeon as a remote MCP server

1. Open the Command Palette and run MCP: Add Server.
2. Choose the HTTP server option, enter the endpoint below, and name the server cyberpigeon.
3. Select where the configuration should live. Current VS Code guidance recommends the portable project .mcp.json or Copilot Global destination for new servers.
4. Review and start the server, complete browser authentication when requested, and enable its tools in your agent session.

https://cyberpigeon.ai/mcp

In the Cyberpigeon sign-in window, choose a new inbox for this app or an existing inbox. Choose read access for summaries, send access for new messages, or both for reading and replying. The reply_to_email tool requires both read and send permissions. Choose workspace access only when the task needs multiple inboxes. You can revoke the connection under API keys.

Use MCP: List Servers to inspect the connection and its output if startup fails. Follow Microsoft’s MCP setup documentation for the controls available in your version.

Keep project configuration separate from credentials

The guided flow is the easiest way to select the correct format. For the portable project route, merge this entry into .mcp.json at the project root. Preserve existing entries:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyberpigeon": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://cyberpigeon.ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

VS Code’s older .vscode/mcp.json format uses a top-level servers object. Do not paste this portable example into that file unchanged. A URL-only configuration contains no mailbox credential; each person must still sign in and choose access. Never commit API keys or OAuth tokens.

This is a custom MCP setup. It does not require a Cyberpigeon VS Code extension. Public directory installation requires platform review and publication; this guide does not claim a Marketplace listing.

Verify the inbox before starting a coding task

Show my Cyberpigeon email address and permissions.
Then summarize my latest email. Do not send anything.

An empty inbox is a valid result. Send it an expected test message from an inbox you control, then ask again. Confirm that the reported address matches the one you selected. A send reported as queued has not yet been confirmed delivered.

Read the test message and compare its sender, recipient and subject with the expected values. An empty inbox after a successful identity check is different from an authentication failure. If you want to send a test response, approve the recipient and body, then check the email’s status in Cyberpigeon.

Use a received email to investigate an application bug

Ask Copilot to read a specific support message, extract reproduction steps and identify the relevant code. Keep the message ID in the task so you can refer back to the evidence. Review suggested commands and edits before allowing the investigation to proceed; email content cannot grant those permissions.

Read the latest expected bug report in my Cyberpigeon inbox.
List its message ID and reproduction steps.
Suggest a test against this project before making changes.
Prepare any customer reply for my review.

After validating the change, review the explanation and authorize a reply to the original email. The reply tool preserves threading and requires both read and send access. A received attachment can be inspected through a temporary download link, but outbound file attachments are not currently supported.

Troubleshoot the host, permissions and mail status

No email tools appear

Check that the server is started, the current agent session has its tools enabled, and organization policy permits the connection. Confirm that you edited the configuration for the active project or user scope. Use the server output to distinguish a malformed configuration from an authentication problem.

Reading works but replying does not

A read-only connection cannot reply. Reconnect with both permissions if the task needs them, then inspect the available tools. Host approval and Cyberpigeon authorization are separate checks.

A send is queued or blocked

Inspect the email’s status in Email activity. Queued is not delivered. A domain verification problem, sending hold or inactive transport must be resolved in Cyberpigeon; changing editor configuration does not fix mail delivery.

Receive email without promising an automatic editor task

The inbox persists when VS Code is closed, but connecting MCP tools does not start a Copilot task when a message arrives. Cyberpigeon does not ship a dedicated VS Code wake-up adapter. The email wake-up guide describes the implemented client adapters and hosted activation requirements.

VS Code email integration questions

Is this a Gmail or Outlook extension?

No. You are connecting a Cyberpigeon agent address. Existing employee mailbox history remains in its original service.

Can I use one inbox from Cursor and VS Code?

Yes, if you authorize both connections to the same existing agent. Verify each address with whoami, and use separate connections so you can revoke them independently. Follow the Cursor guide for that client.

Does sharing the project grant inbox access?

No. A shared server URL is configuration, not authentication. Each user must complete sign-in and consent. Keep secrets out of the project.

How do I remove access?

Disable or remove the MCP entry in VS Code and revoke the corresponding connection under Cyberpigeon API keys. Removing local configuration alone is not server-side revocation.

Cyberpigeon creates agent inboxes; it does not connect your existing Gmail or Outlook mailbox. Email from outside is untrusted input. Ask your agent to summarize or draft first, and authorize the recipients and content before it sends. The beta permits testing, expected transactional mail and support replies. Cold outreach, sales prospecting, bulk marketing, inbox warmup and spam are prohibited. Confirmed violations lead to account bans; see the terms and acceptable use policy.

Setup reviewed October 5, 2026. Explore all integration guides or the MCP tool reference.