Google Workspace MCP Server

Google Workspace as 41 curated MCP tools: Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets, Docs, and Tasks.

Local serverstdioTypeScript

What is the Google Workspace MCP server?

Google Workspace MCP server is a locally run integration for AI assistants that speak the Model Context Protocol. Google Workspace as 41 curated MCP tools: Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sheets, Docs, and Tasks.

What you get

The gws CLI had a built-in MCP server that was removed in v0.8.0 because it exposed 200-400 tools — causing context window bloat in MCP clients. This server takes a curated approach: you choose which Google services to expose, and only a focused set of high-value, narrowly scoped operations are registered as tools. Every tool declares all four MCP annotation hints — readOnlyHint, destructiveHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint — so clients can reason about side effects, know which writes are safe to retry, and surface clearer consent prompts.

What the assistant can call

Once Google Workspace is connected, these are the calls the assistant has available:

  • drive_files_list — Search and list files
  • drive_files_get — Get file metadata
  • drive_files_create — Create files (with optional upload)
  • drive_files_copy — Copy files (useful for format conversion)
  • drive_files_update — Update file metadata/content
  • drive_files_delete — Delete files
  • drive_files_export — Export Google Workspace files (Doc, Sheet, Slide) to other formats
  • drive_files_download — Download file content (text inline, binary as base64 or saved to a path; Google-native files are exported to a readable format)
  • drive_permissions_create — Share files
  • sheets_get — Get spreadsheet metadata
  • sheets_values_get — Read cell values
  • sheets_values_update — Write cell values

Setting it up

@googleworkspace/cli on npm is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.

Configuration and credentials

  • Node.js 18+ - gws CLI installed and authenticated (npm install -g @googleworkspace/cli && gws auth login)

Choosing this one

Among the team communication options, the useful question is rarely "what can it do" but "what does it cost you to run" — permissions, credentials, and how much of your context its toolset consumes. Google Workspace's toolset — drive_files_list, drive_files_get, drive_files_create and 11 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by conorbronsdon; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Before you rely on it

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • With 14 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Google Workspace.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the google workspace mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
drive_files_listSearch and list files
drive_files_getGet file metadata
drive_files_createCreate files (with optional upload)
drive_files_copyCopy files (useful for format conversion)
drive_files_updateUpdate file metadata/content
drive_files_deleteDelete files
drive_files_exportExport Google Workspace files (Doc, Sheet, Slide) to other formats
drive_files_downloadDownload file content (text inline, binary as base64 or saved to a path; Google-native files are exported to a readable format)
drive_permissions_createShare files
sheets_getGet spreadsheet metadata
sheets_values_getRead cell values
sheets_values_updateWrite cell values
sheets_values_appendAppend rows
calendar_events_listList events

How to install the Google Workspace MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gws": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@googleworkspace/cli"]
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

  • Node.js 18+ - gws CLI installed and authenticated (npm install -g @googleworkspace/cli && gws auth login)

Example prompts to try

  • Use Google Workspace to drive files list.
  • Use Google Workspace to drive files get.
  • Use Google Workspace to drive files create.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Google Workspace to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 14 tools (drive_files_list, drive_files_get, drive_files_create, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Google Workspace directly.