Email errors and account states, explained
When Spaces holds back a Email message, nothing was sent and the message says why. Most holds are limits that clear by themselves; a signed-out, checked or restricted account needs you to reconnect it, and a trial that ended needs a card.
Sending held back
The account is fine. A limit, a pause or a setting held the message back.
Hourly limit or too soon after the last message RATE_LIMITED
You see: “at most one message every 30 seconds per account; nothing was sent”, or an hourly limit of 8 new chats.
Why: Spaces sends Email messages at least 30 seconds apart so the account never sends in bursts.
Fix: Nothing. Your agent waits the time Spaces gives it and tries again with the same message.
Daily limit reached DAILY_CAP
You see: “daily limit of 80 API messages for this account”, or of 40 new chats.
Why: Each Email account sends at most 80 messages and 40 new chats a day.
Fix: Sending starts again the next day. If it happens often, ask your agent to put replies first.
New account still warming up RATE_LIMITED
You see: “hourly limit of 5 new chats for this account (newly connected mailboxes start new threads slowly in their first week)”.
Why: A newly connected Email account starts at 20 new chats a day (week 1) and builds up over four weeks. Replies to people who write to you are not held back.
Fix: Nothing. New chats open up week by week, and the warm-up table below shows each step.
| Since connecting | New chats an hour | New chats a day |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 5 | 20 |
| Weeks 2 to 4 | 6 | 30 |
| After that | 8 | 40 |
Outside the working hours you set OUTSIDE_WORKING_HOURS
You see: “outside working hours; nothing was sent”.
Fix:
- It waits until those hours start again.
- To change the hours, edit the scheduled message or routine.
Sending is paused AGENT_PAUSED
You see: “All sending is paused for this workspace. Nothing was sent. Reads still work.”
Why: Someone paused the agent, a conversation or all sending. The message says which.
Fix:
- Open Approvals in your dashboard and choose Resume sending, or turn the agent back on where you paused it.
- Scheduled messages and routines carry on by themselves.
Channel switched off CHANNEL_DISABLED
You see: “email is turned off; nothing was sent”.
Fix: Email us and we will switch it on.
Account needs attention
The platform signed the account out, asked for a check or restricted it.
Account not connected ACCOUNT_NOT_CONNECTED
You see: The Email account shows “needs to be reconnected” in your dashboard.
Why: The platform signed the account out, or asked for a security check. It covers each of the states below.
Fix: Open your dashboard and reconnect the account. Sending stays paused until you do.
Signed out, needs sign-in again
You see: The Email account needs to sign in again.
Why: Email decides when to end a sign-in. Sending from that account stays paused until you reconnect.
Fix:
- Open Accounts in your Spaces dashboard and choose Reconnect on the email account, or ask your AI agent for a new connect link.
- Sign in to Gmail or Outlook through the secure link, or enter your mail server details again.
- When the account shows as connected again, sending carries on by itself.
Security check
You see: Email asked for a security check, such as a code.
Why: Email wants to confirm it is really you. Nothing is sent until the check is done.
Fix: Reconnect the mailbox and complete the check your email provider shows.
Restricted by the platform
You see: The Email account shows as restricted.
Why: Google and Microsoft limit how many emails an account sends a day and can suspend sending from accounts that send spam or bulk mail. Gmail allows up to 500 a day, but the recommendation is 50 to 100. Spaces lowers the risk but cannot promise a platform will never restrict an account.
Fix:
- Open your webmail to see what Email asks.
- Do what it asks, then reconnect the account in Spaces.
- Start again gently: replies first, and few new chats for a while.
Connection stopped or disconnected
You see: The account shows an error, a stopped connection, or as disconnected.
Fix:
- Reconnect it from Accounts in your dashboard.
- If it keeps happening, email us.
Plan and trial
Billing or your plan is stopping new messages. Reading still works.
Trial ended without a card BILLING_REQUIRED
You see: “The trial has ended. Add a card to keep going. Your accounts stay connected and reads still work.”
Why: The trial needs no card. When it ends without one, nothing is charged and the account is frozen until you add a card.
Fix:
- Choose Add a card to keep going in your dashboard.
- Sending resumes right away.
Plan allowance used up PLAN_LIMIT_REACHED
You see: The agent says your plan’s actions for this period are used up.
Fix: Wait for the next period or move to a plan that keeps working past its allowance.
Need a channel switched on, or an error that keeps coming back? Email us.
FAQ
Was my Email message sent when Spaces refused it?
No. A refused or held-back message was not sent. For limits, your agent waits the time Spaces gives it and tries again with the same message, so it is never sent twice.
My Email account needs reconnecting. Will I lose my messages?
No. Reconnecting signs the account in again. Your conversations stay where they are, and sending carries on once it shows as connected.
Can I set lower limits or working hours for the account?
No. The limits are the same for every account. Working hours can be set on scheduled messages and routines, and you can pause all sending, or one key, at any time.
Does a held-back email mean my mailbox is in trouble?
Usually not. Most held-back emails are a pacing or daily limit, and they go out later by themselves. A new chat on email is a new thread, and replies on a thread someone started are not held back by the warm-up.
What happens when my trial ends without a card?
Nothing is charged. Accounts stay connected and reading still works, but sending stops until you add a card. It resumes right away once you do.
Related: Email sending limits, Gmail and Outlook sending limits, Email for your AI agent, How Spaces keeps accounts safe, Reconnect an account after a sign-out. Other channels: WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn, Messenger, X.