# Quickstart

From signup to a working assistant in about five minutes: create an account, connect your email and calendar, add your phone, and open Home.

Source: https://get-alfred.ai/docs/quickstart  
Updated: 2026-10-24

## Before you start

You'll need:

- A **Gmail or Google Workspace** account, or an **Outlook or Microsoft 365** account. Other mailboxes can connect over IMAP.
- Your calendar: Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar or iCloud Calendar.
- A browser, and your phone if you want to text alfred_ or use the iPhone app.

> **Work Microsoft account?**
>
> Some Microsoft 365 organizations need an IT admin to approve new apps once. If you see "Need admin approval", follow [Microsoft 365 admin approval](https://get-alfred.ai/docs/connect/microsoft-admin-approval).

## Set up

1. **Create your account**

   Go to [get-alfred.ai/signup](https://get-alfred.ai/signup) and sign up with Google, Microsoft, or an email and password. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial. See [Plans & usage](https://get-alfred.ai/docs/plans).

2. **Connect your email and calendar**

   Onboarding asks you to connect your first account. A Google or Microsoft account brings its mailbox and its calendar together. alfred_ uses the provider's own sign-in, so it doesn't see your password. You can add up to six accounts in all from **Settings → Connected Accounts**.

3. **Add your phone**

   Add your number in **Settings → Preferences**, then text alfred_ from that phone. Your first text verifies the number. See [Text messages](https://get-alfred.ai/docs/ways-to-use/text).

4. **Open Home**

   Home shows what needs your attention, the replies you owe, your next meeting, and what alfred_ did today. Type into the box at the top to ask anything.

## Your first useful result

Ask alfred_ something only your own mail can answer. In the box on Home, or by text:

- What needs my attention today?
- Find the last email from \[a client's name]
- What do I owe \[a client's company]?

The answer links to the emails it came from. If it can't find something you know is there, check that the account shows as connected in **Settings → Connected Accounts**. Recent mail arrives within a minute of connecting; older mail fills in over the next few minutes.

## What happens next

- **Tomorrow morning** your [morning brief](https://get-alfred.ai/docs/routines/morning-brief) arrives by text, and by email too if you turn that on.
- **As mail arrives**, alfred_ flags what needs a reply, drafts replies for you to check, files newsletters and notifications to Archive, and suggests tasks for you to accept. Change any of that per address under Settings → Email.
- **Before a meeting**, ask alfred_ to prepare you, or turn on [meeting prep](https://get-alfred.ai/docs/calendar/meeting-prep) for every meeting.

## On a team?

If your company is on the team plan, accept the invite from your admin and follow the same steps. Your mail stays yours unless you choose to share it. See [Team setup](https://get-alfred.ai/docs/teams).