Source: https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/air

# nylas air

AI-powered email assistant. Opens an interactive REPL where you can draft, reply, search, and manage email with natural language.

Written by [Qasim Muhammad](https://cli.nylas.com/authors/qasim-muhammad) Staff SRE

Published February 13, 2026

Updated June 21, 2026

## What does nylas air do?

The nylas air command starts an interactive AI-powered email session. Type natural language requests — "draft a follow-up to the last email from Sarah", "find all unread emails about the Q3 report", "reply saying I'll attend" — and AIR translates them into CLI actions. It maintains conversation context across turns, so you can refine drafts and chain operations without re-specifying details.

## Usage

```bash
nylas air
```

## Flags

| Flag | Description |
| --- | --- |
| --json | Output as JSON |
| --no-color | Disable color output |
| --verbose(-v) | Enable verbose output |
| --config | Custom config file path |
| --help(-h) | Show help for the command |
| --limit | Limit results (most list commands) |
| --yes(-y) | Skip confirmations |
| --clear-cache | Clear all cached data before starting |
| --encrypted | Enable encryption for cached data (uses system keyring) |
| --no-browser | Don't open browser automatically |
| --port(-p) | Port to run the server on |

## Examples

The nylas air command starts an interactive AI-powered email session.

### Start the AI email assistant

```bash
nylas air
```

### Draft and send in a session

```bash
nylas air
# > Draft a meeting recap to team@company.com
# > Make it shorter and add action items
# > Send it
```

## Example output

```text
Launching Nylas Air...

  Local:   http://localhost:7365

  Opening browser...
  Press Ctrl+C to stop.
```

## Troubleshooting

### AIR starts but can't access email

Run `nylas auth login` to connect a mailbox first. AIR needs an active grant to read and send email.

### AI responses are slow or timing out

AIR calls the Nylas AI backend. Check your internet connection. If the issue persists, try `nylas air --verbose` for diagnostic output.

## Related commands

[nylas completion bashGenerate shell completion script for bash, zsh, fish, or PowerShell.](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/completion-bash)

[nylas completion fishGenerate Fish completion script](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/completion-fish)

[nylas completion powershellGenerate PowerShell completion script.](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/completion-powershell)

[nylas completion zshGenerate Zsh completion script](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/completion-zsh)

[nylas config getGet a specific config value](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/config-get)

[nylas config listShow all configuration](https://cli.nylas.com/docs/commands/config-list)

## Recommended guides

[List Fastmail emails from the CLIList Fastmail emails from the CLI through Nylas IMAP access, using app passwords, inbox filters, JSON output, and Fastmail-specific auth troubleshooting.](https://cli.nylas.com/guides/list-fastmail-emails)

[Why Cloud Servers Block SMTP PortsAWS, GCP, and Azure block outbound SMTP port 25 while ports 587 and 465 stay open. Confirm the block and send email over an HTTPS API instead.](https://cli.nylas.com/guides/smtp-ports-blocked-on-cloud-servers)

[Send Email From a Docker ContainerCloud providers block SMTP port 25 from containers. Send email over an HTTPS API on port 443 with one command and no mail daemon at all.](https://cli.nylas.com/guides/send-email-from-docker-container)

[MailerSend vs Nylas: Email ComparedMailerSend sends transactional email from verified domains. Nylas reads and syncs user inboxes across 6 providers. Compare features, pricing, and use cases.](https://cli.nylas.com/guides/mailersend-vs-nylas)

[Customer.io vs Nylas: Email ComparedCustomer.io sends lifecycle emails to your user base. Nylas reads and sends from real user inboxes via OAuth. Compare use cases, data access, and AI agents.](https://cli.nylas.com/guides/customerio-vs-nylas)

[Knock vs Nylas: Notifications vs Email APIKnock delivers multi-channel product notifications via workflows; Nylas provides two-way email and calendar sync. Compare scope, use cases, and agent support.](https://cli.nylas.com/guides/knock-vs-nylas)

Run `nylas air --help` for full help output.