Claude Cowork Connectors: Connect Gmail, Airtable & Custom Tools

Without a connector, Claude only knows what's inside your conversation. It can't read your inbox, check your calendar, or pull records from your database. What we cover: → What connectors are and how they work the bridge between Claude Cowork and your external tools → The 4 types of connectors: built-in capabilities, wave (SaaS) connectors, desktop extensions, and custom MCP → How to add a connector from the directory live demo connecting Canva and Gmail → Permission settings explained: read-only tools vs. write/delete tools, and when to require approval → Context cost: why you should only enable the connectors you actually need for each session → How to add a custom MCP connector for tools not in the directory (System IO walkthrough) → Live Airtable demo: filtering 89 leads by source and deleting 28 records with permission approval Timestamps: 00:00 — What connectors are and why Claude needs them 00:34 — How to add connectors from the directory 01:44 — Connectors as a bridge between Claude and your tools 02:18 — Live demo: Google Calendar connector 03:35 — Type 1: Built-in capabilities 04:12 — Type 2: Wave connectors (SaaS tools) 04:50 — Demo: Adding the Canva connector 06:01 — Type 3: Desktop extensions (Claude in Chrome) 07:09 — Type 4: Custom connectors 08:46 — Permission labels: read-only vs. write/delete 10:29 — Live demo: Gmail connector reading emails 12:38 — Creating a Gmail draft with approval 14:39 — Context cost: only enable what you need 16:25 — 3 rules for using connectors safely 18:31 — Adding a custom MCP connector (System IO) 22:53 — Live demo: Airtable filter leads and delete with approval