diff --git a/oAI/Services/AppleMailService.swift b/oAI/Services/AppleMailService.swift
index a266f03..0db045b 100644
--- a/oAI/Services/AppleMailService.swift
+++ b/oAI/Services/AppleMailService.swift
@@ -53,6 +53,51 @@ final class AppleMailService {
     // through one queue, mirroring MCPService.runBashCommand's off-main-actor pattern.
     private let queue = DispatchQueue(label: "com.oai.applemail", qos: .userInitiated)
 
+    // MARK: - Automation Permission (Settings UI status badge + Request Access button)
+
+    /// Live tri-state permission check via `AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget`, which — unlike
+    /// sending an actual Apple Event — can query Automation permission for Mail.app without
+    /// triggering any script execution or the system prompt (`askUserIfNeeded: false`). This is
+    /// the Apple-Events equivalent of `EKEventStore.authorizationStatus(for:)`, reusing the same
+    /// `PersonalDataAccessState` enum EventKitService/ContactsService/LocationMapsService use.
+    var accessState: PersonalDataAccessState {
+        Self.mapAutomationPermissionStatus(Self.checkMailAutomationPermission(askUserIfNeeded: false))
+    }
+
+    /// Pure mapping from an `AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget` status code to the shared
+    /// tri-state enum, kept separate from the live AE call for testability.
+    nonisolated static func mapAutomationPermissionStatus(_ status: OSStatus) -> PersonalDataAccessState {
+        switch status {
+        case 0: return .granted                     // noErr
+        case -1743: return .denied                  // errAEEventNotPermitted
+        default: return .notDetermined               // errAEEventWouldRequireUserConsent (-1744) and others
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Triggers the real macOS "Confab wants to control Mail" Automation permission prompt if
+    /// the user hasn't been asked yet (a no-op if already granted or denied). Blocks until the
+    /// user responds, so this must run off the main thread.
+    @discardableResult
+    func requestAccess() async -> Bool {
+        await withCheckedContinuation { continuation in
+            queue.async {
+                let status = Self.checkMailAutomationPermission(askUserIfNeeded: true)
+                continuation.resume(returning: status == 0)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static func checkMailAutomationPermission(askUserIfNeeded: Bool) -> OSStatus {
+        let bundleID = "com.apple.mail"
+        var target = AEAddressDesc()
+        let createStatus = bundleID.withCString { cString in
+            AECreateDesc(typeApplicationBundleID, cString, bundleID.utf8.count, &target)
+        }
+        guard createStatus == 0 else { return OSStatus(createStatus) }
+        defer { AEDisposeDesc(&target) }
+        return AEDeterminePermissionToAutomateTarget(&target, typeWildCard, typeWildCard, askUserIfNeeded)
+    }
+
     @ObservationIgnored
     private lazy var compiledScript: NSAppleScript? = {
         guard let script = NSAppleScript(source: Self.scriptSource) else { return nil }
diff --git a/oAI/Views/Screens/SettingsView.swift b/oAI/Views/Screens/SettingsView.swift
index 06fca41..d6774c6 100644
--- a/oAI/Views/Screens/SettingsView.swift
+++ b/oAI/Views/Screens/SettingsView.swift
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ struct SettingsView: View {
     // Mail state
     @State private var isTestingMail = false
     @State private var mailTestResult: String?
+    @State private var mailAccessState: PersonalDataAccessState = AppleMailService.shared.accessState
 
     private let labelWidth: CGFloat = 160
 
@@ -1041,20 +1042,26 @@ It's better to admit "I need more information" or "I cannot do that" than to fak
                 Text("Mail")
                     .font(.system(size: 18, weight: .semibold))
             }
-            Text("Let the AI search your Apple Mail inbox, read messages, and save attachments to disk (e.g. to hand off to Paperless). Uses AppleScript to talk to Mail.app — no separate credentials needed. The first use triggers a one-time macOS Automation permission prompt.")
+            Text("Let the AI search your Apple Mail inbox, read messages, and save attachments to disk (e.g. to hand off to Paperless). Uses AppleScript to talk to Mail.app — no separate credentials needed.")
                 .font(.system(size: 14))
                 .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
                 .fixedSize(horizontal: false, vertical: true)
         }
         .padding(.bottom, 4)
+        .onAppear {
+            mailAccessState = AppleMailService.shared.accessState
+        }
 
         VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 6) {
             sectionHeader("Apple Mail")
             formSection {
-                row("Enable Mail Access") {
-                    Toggle("", isOn: $settingsService.mailEnabled)
-                        .toggleStyle(.switch)
-                }
+                personalDataRow(
+                    title: "Mail",
+                    isEnabled: $settingsService.mailEnabled,
+                    state: mailAccessState,
+                    systemSettingsAnchor: "Privacy_Automation",
+                    requestAccess: { mailAccessState = await AppleMailService.shared.requestAccess() ? .granted : AppleMailService.shared.accessState }
+                )
                 if settingsService.mailEnabled {
                     rowDivider()
                     row("Require Approval for Every Action") {
diff --git a/oAITests/AppleMailServiceTests.swift b/oAITests/AppleMailServiceTests.swift
index 90510bc..74fe39c 100644
--- a/oAITests/AppleMailServiceTests.swift
+++ b/oAITests/AppleMailServiceTests.swift
@@ -170,4 +170,22 @@ struct AppleMailServiceTests {
         let summary = AppleMailService.shared.approvalSummary(forTool: "mail_bogus", arguments: "{}")
         #expect(summary == "Perform action: mail_bogus")
     }
+
+    // MARK: - mapAutomationPermissionStatus
+
+    @Test("mapAutomationPermissionStatus maps noErr (0) to granted")
+    func mapsGrantedStatus() {
+        #expect(AppleMailService.mapAutomationPermissionStatus(0) == .granted)
+    }
+
+    @Test("mapAutomationPermissionStatus maps -1743 to denied")
+    func mapsDeniedStatus() {
+        #expect(AppleMailService.mapAutomationPermissionStatus(-1743) == .denied)
+    }
+
+    @Test("mapAutomationPermissionStatus maps -1744 (would require consent) and other codes to notDetermined")
+    func mapsNotDeterminedStatus() {
+        #expect(AppleMailService.mapAutomationPermissionStatus(-1744) == .notDetermined)
+        #expect(AppleMailService.mapAutomationPermissionStatus(-9999) == .notDetermined)
+    }
 }