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

# Connecting Your Apps

> Connect providers as live app tabs and authorize the connectors the agent acts through in Lava Desktop.

Providers connect to Lava two ways: as Interactive Apps — live, signed-in tabs you work in beside the agent — and as Agent Connectors the agent calls for you in the background. Connect the providers you work with, and the agent works across all of them. For what those two surfaces mean, see [Interactive Apps and Agent Connectors](/docs/desktop/connectable-apps).

<Info>
  **Prerequisites:** Lava installed and signed in. See [Install Lava Desktop](/docs/desktop/install) if you haven't done this yet.
</Info>

## Connect a Provider

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the picker">
    Click the **+** button at the bottom of the sidebar. The **Connect Lava to providers** screen opens with two tabs: **Connected** (what you've connected) and **Browse providers** (what you can still add).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find your provider">
    Open **Browse providers**, or type in the search field — it searches every provider, app, and connector at once. Each card carries an **App** or **Connector** badge (or both) showing how the provider surfaces.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect it">
    Select **Connect** on the card (or **Authorize** for a connector that just needs authorizing). Lava starts the flow and the card tells you where to finish — in your browser for an authorization, or in the app's tab for a sign-in.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Finish signing in">
    Complete the sign-in or authorization. An app appears as a new tab in your sidebar; a connector shows up under **Agent Connectors** on the Connected tab.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Sign In

Providers connect in one of two ways, one per surface.

**Authorize the connector.** Most providers open an authorization screen in your browser: approve access (or paste an API key) and Lava completes the connection. The agent can then call the provider on your behalf.

**Sign in on the app's tab.** Some apps open a full sign-in page inside their tab. Sign in as you normally would. Once you're signed in, the tab is live and the agent can read it for context.

<Note>
  Authorizing the connector (so the agent can act through the provider) is separate from signing into the app's tab (so you can see it) — connection state is per surface. If you've signed into an app but its connector isn't authorized yet, the picker's **Complete setup** section shows it with an **Authorize** button to finish.
</Note>

## Connect Multiple Accounts for One App

You may be able to connect more than one account for the same app, for example a personal Gmail and a work Gmail. To add a second account, repeat the connect flow. Each account should appear as its own tab in the sidebar.

<Note>
  Multiple-account support per app has not been verified in a live session. If you connect a second account and it does not appear as a separate tab, check the app's settings inside its tab or disconnect and reconnect both accounts.
</Note>

## Switch Between Apps

Click any tab in the sidebar to bring that app's page into view. The agent panel on the right stays open across all apps. To show or hide the agent panel, press `Cmd+\` (Mac) or `Ctrl+\` (Windows). To control which apps appear in the sidebar, use a card's menu on the picker's Connected tab — **Add to sidebar** or **Hide from sidebar** — without affecting its connection.

## Remove an App

Removal has two sides, one per surface:

* **Take the app out of your sidebar.** Open the picker with **+**, find the app on the **Connected** tab, and choose **Hide from sidebar** from its card menu. This changes only what your sidebar shows — the connection is untouched, and **Add to sidebar** brings it back anytime.
* **Revoke the agent's access.** To stop the agent from calling a provider, remove its credential from the [Connected Providers page](https://www.lava.so/dashboard/wallet/connected-services) in your Lava dashboard. Signing out inside the app's tab ends your tab session but does not revoke the connector.

<Note>
  Neither action signs you out of that app outside of Lava. Your account in Gmail, Slack, or another service is unaffected.
</Note>

## What You Can Connect

Lava supports providers across email, calendar, messaging, CRM, notes, and more — plus Included Agent Connectors that work with no setup at all. For the full list organized by category, see [Interactive Apps and Agent Connectors](/docs/desktop/connectable-apps).

## Troubleshooting

If a provider won't connect or its tab stays blank, see [Troubleshooting](/docs/desktop/troubleshooting).

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Working with the Agent" icon="robot" href="/docs/desktop/working-with-agent">
    Give the agent tasks, follow its progress, and approve what it does across your apps and connectors.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Interactive Apps and Agent Connectors" icon="grid-2" href="/docs/desktop/connectable-apps">
    See every provider available to you, organized by category.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>