> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.outband.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting Started

> Everything you need to know about signing up, connecting your accounts, and configuring Outband for the first time.

This guide covers the full onboarding experience -- from creating your account to having a fully configured Outband workspace.

## Creating Your Account

You can create an Outband account in three ways:

1. **Email and password** -- Enter your email address and choose a password
2. **Sign in with Google** -- Use your Google account for one-click signup
3. **Sign in with Microsoft** -- Use your Microsoft account for one-click signup

After creating your account, you will see a welcome screen where you can select your preferred language (English or Japanese).

<Frame caption="Create your Outband account">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/vox-434246bb/DYkKoBqZ6mFFhjWm/images/signup-desktop.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=DYkKoBqZ6mFFhjWm&q=85&s=8d84ee40dfebc7d36fb6e2ab2b3ef96e" alt="Outband signup page with name, email, and password fields" width="2560" height="1600" data-path="images/signup-desktop.png" />
</Frame>

<Tip>
  If your organization uses enterprise SSO (SAML), your IT administrator will provide you with a direct sign-in link. See the [Team Collaboration](/journeys/team-collaboration) guide for enterprise setup.
</Tip>

## Connecting Your Email

Connecting your email is the single most important step. Outband analyzes your email history to build Contact Intelligence.

### Gmail

1. On the **Connect Email** screen, select the **Gmail** button
2. You will be redirected to Google's authorization page
3. Review the permissions Outband is requesting and select **Allow**
4. You will be returned to Outband, and processing begins immediately

### Outlook

1. Select the **Outlook** button
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account
3. Review and approve the requested permissions
4. Outband begins processing your email

### Other email providers (IMAP)

If you use a different email provider that supports IMAP, you can connect it through the Outlook/IMAP option by providing your IMAP server settings.

<Warning>
  Outband needs read access to your email to function. If you deny permissions during the OAuth step, you can try again -- Outband will explain exactly which permissions are needed and why.
</Warning>

## What Happens After You Connect

Once you grant email access, several things happen simultaneously:

| Timeline                    | What happens                                                                                                                     |
| --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **0-30 seconds**            | Outband fetches your last 48 hours of emails and creates a quick-pass categorization. Your first Daily Briefing preview appears. |
| **30 seconds - 10 minutes** | You continue through the optional setup steps (style, VIP contacts, trust level) while processing continues in the background.   |
| **10 minutes - 1 hour**     | Outband imports your full email history (6-24 months) and builds Contact Models for your top 50 contacts.                        |
| **1 hour+**                 | Contact Models continue to refine with every new message.                                                                        |

## Setting Your Communication Style

Choose how you typically communicate:

* **Formal** -- Professional, structured language. Best for executives and external-facing roles.
* **Casual** -- Relaxed, conversational tone. Best for internal team communication.
* **Adaptive** (recommended) -- Outband automatically matches the tone of each conversation. Formal with your board, casual with your team.

## Marking VIP Contacts

Select 5-10 contacts who matter most to you. VIP contacts:

* Appear at the top of your Daily Briefing
* Have their Contact Models built first
* Are never auto-handled, even at higher trust levels
* Always require your personal attention

You can add or remove VIP contacts at any time from the **Contacts** page.

## Choosing Your Trust Level

Your initial trust level determines how much Outband can do on your behalf. See [Trust Levels](/concepts/trust-levels) for a detailed explanation.

For most new users, we recommend starting with **Observer** -- Outband reads and summarizes your communications without taking any actions. You can upgrade your trust level as you become more comfortable.

## Skipping Setup Steps

Every step after connecting your email is optional. If you want to get started quickly:

* Select **Skip** on any setup screen to use default settings
* Outband applies sensible defaults (Adaptive style, Observer trust level)
* You can configure everything later from **Settings**

## Signing In Later

When you return to Outband:

1. Go to [outband.ai](https://outband.ai)
2. If your session is still active, you will be taken directly to your Dashboard
3. If your session has expired, sign in with your email/password or social account
4. You will be returned to whatever page you were on before

<Info>
  Outband supports light mode, dark mode, and system preference. You can change your theme from **Settings > Appearance**.
</Info>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Daily Briefing" icon="newspaper" href="/journeys/daily-briefing">
    Learn how to use your Daily Briefing effectively.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect More Channels" icon="plug" href="/journeys/channels">
    Add Slack, WhatsApp, and Calendar for richer intelligence.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>