Quick answer: Grok Automations lets you describe a recurring job once, then run it on a schedule or when a matching email arrives. xAI launched the feature on July 16, 2026 across grok.com and the iOS and Android apps. Scheduled automations were available to everyone at launch; email triggers were included with SuperGrok.
The important design choice is the trigger. Use a schedule when time controls the work. Use an email trigger when the contents of an incoming message should become the current context.
What an automation contains
xAI describes an automation as a saved job with:
- Natural-language instructions.
- Optional files for context.
- Connectors and skills.
- A mode.
- A schedule or email trigger.
- A notification preference.
Each run is a fresh request with the same saved instructions and current data. That distinction matters: a saved automation is not one infinitely continuing chat.
Schedule options
The July 2026 announcement lists these schedule patterns:
- Once.
- Daily.
- Weekdays.
- Weekly.
- Monthly.
- Yearly.
Schedules run at a chosen time in the user’s timezone. Verify the displayed timezone and the next-run preview before relying on an automation for a deadline.
How email triggers work
Email triggers watch for an incoming message that matches filters such as:
- Sender.
- Recipient.
- Subject.
When a message matches, Grok starts the automation with that email as context. This can support triage, summaries, routing, or drafting, but it also increases the importance of connector permissions and prompt-injection review.
At launch, xAI said email triggers were included with SuperGrok. Treat that as a dated entitlement statement: check the live account and current product documentation for plan changes.
Connectors, skills, and notifications
Instructions can reference connectors directly, and xAI says Grok uses the named connector on each run. That does not mean an automation should receive the broadest possible access.
Use least privilege:
- Grant only the connector and account required for the job.
- Prefer read-only access for early tests.
- Make write actions explicit in the instructions.
- Review what untrusted email content can influence.
- Keep a human approval step for consequential external changes.
xAI says an automation can report by email, app notification, both, or neither. Notification choice affects discoverability, not whether the automation succeeded; use run history as the execution record.
Test before waiting for the trigger
The product includes Run now for immediate testing.
Use it to verify:
- The instructions are specific enough.
- Connectors return the intended account and data.
- Skills or tools are invoked only when needed.
- The result has a clear success condition.
- Failure and empty-data cases are understandable.
- Notifications arrive in the intended channel.
Then inspect the saved run thread. xAI says every run opens a full conversation and remains available in history, so a user can read the result or continue from where the automation stopped.
A safe starter pattern
Begin with a read-only morning brief:
- Run on weekdays at a chosen local time.
- Read one bounded source such as a calendar.
- Summarize conflicts and deadlines without changing events.
- Send one app notification.
- Keep the run history for review.
Add email, additional connectors, or write actions only after the basic run is reliable.
For broader Grok model context, see the Grok 4 model guide. For coding-agent automation rather than hosted scheduled work, use the Grok Build open-source guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Grok Automations available?
xAI launched them on grok.com and in the Grok apps for iOS and Android. Check the live product for current regional, account, and platform access.
Are scheduled Grok Automations free?
The launch article says scheduled automations were available to everyone. It does not establish permanent pricing, quotas, or plan terms; verify the current account surface.
Who can use email triggers?
At launch, xAI said email triggers were included with SuperGrok. Recheck current entitlements before designing a workflow around them.
Can I test an automation immediately?
Yes. xAI describes a Run now control for testing a saved automation without waiting for its normal schedule or trigger.
Is a run saved?
xAI says every run opens a full conversation and is saved in run history, where a user can review the thread or continue it.
Primary source
- Automations in Grok — xAI’s July 16, 2026 launch, triggers, schedules, connectors, notifications, history, and entitlement snapshot.