diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bd857d5..b3a0f1f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,11 +45,23 @@ mailpress --help
 - print any file you specify (drop in a path to a .docx / .xlsx / .pdf to
   verify Word/Excel/PDF conversion works through the Print verb)
 - switch the active printer (saves to config.local.json)
+- change how often mailpress checks for new mail (30s — 15min, custom)
 - send the test page to every installed printer at once
 
 Useful when the printer changes, a driver flakes, or you just want to
 confirm the spool still works without sending real email.
 
+### Polling vs push notifications
+
+mailpress polls Gmail every `pollIntervalMs` (default 5 min, configurable
+in the wizard or via `--test`). Gmail also supports push notifications
+via Pub/Sub (`users.watch`) and IMAP IDLE, both giving ~5-second
+latency. They're not wired up because the extra setup (Cloud Pub/Sub
+topic + 7-day watch renewal, or a separate IMAP client) isn't worth the
+~30-second improvement over a 1-minute poll for an office printer. The
+code that would change is `lib/poll.mjs` — see the comment at the top
+of that file.
+
 Exit codes:
 - `0` — success (or `--once` completed)
 - `1` — generic failure (see `mailpress.log`)
diff --git a/lib/poll.mjs b/lib/poll.mjs
index ce1fbcd..de32808 100644
--- a/lib/poll.mjs
+++ b/lib/poll.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 // The main polling loop. Mirrors the original index.mjs flow but built on
 // the shared lib/* modules so it shares OAuth, Gmail, MIME, and printer
 // code with the wizard and doctor.
+//
+// Why polling and not push: Gmail does support push via Pub/Sub
+// (users.watch) and via IMAP IDLE. Both buy ~5s latency vs ~30s polling,
+// at the cost of:
+//   - Pub/Sub: a Cloud Pub/Sub topic + grant + 7-day watch renewal
+//   - IMAP IDLE: a separate protocol client with reconnect logic
+// For an office printer where "print sometime in the next minute" is
+// fine, neither is worth the setup. The polling interval is configurable
+// down to 10s (config.pollIntervalMs) — see the wizard / --test menu.
 
 import { mkdirSync, writeFileSync, rmSync, existsSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
diff --git a/lib/prompt.mjs b/lib/prompt.mjs
index 90ee9fb..7041ad6 100644
--- a/lib/prompt.mjs
+++ b/lib/prompt.mjs
@@ -61,3 +61,32 @@ export class Prompter {
     }
   }
 }
+
+// Shared polling-interval picker used by both wizard and test menu.
+// Returns milliseconds. Validator floor is 10s; the wizard's default of
+// 5min is rarely the right answer once people see how snappy 30s is.
+export async function pickPollingInterval(prompter, log, currentMs) {
+  const presets = [
+    { label: "30 seconds — near real-time, ~2,900 polls/day", value: 30_000 },
+    { label: "1 minute — snappy, ~1,440 polls/day", value: 60_000 },
+    { label: "5 minutes — relaxed default, ~290 polls/day", value: 300_000 },
+    { label: "15 minutes — low-traffic inbox, ~96 polls/day", value: 900_000 },
+    { label: "custom (enter seconds)", value: "custom" },
+  ];
+  // Mark whichever preset matches the current value as the suggested one.
+  for (const p of presets) {
+    if (p.value === currentMs) p.label = `${p.label}  (current)`;
+  }
+  log.say(`Gmail's quota is huge — pick whatever feels right for the office:`);
+  const choice = await prompter.choose("How often should mailpress check for new mail?", presets);
+  if (choice !== "custom") return choice;
+  const secs = await prompter.ask("Polling interval in seconds (min 10):", {
+    default: currentMs ? Math.round(currentMs / 1000) : 60,
+    validate: (v) => {
+      const n = Number(v);
+      if (!Number.isFinite(n) || n < 10) return "must be a number >= 10";
+      return null;
+    },
+  });
+  return Math.round(Number(secs) * 1000);
+}
diff --git a/lib/test.mjs b/lib/test.mjs
index d11b73d..07f5ffb 100644
--- a/lib/test.mjs
+++ b/lib/test.mjs
@@ -12,13 +12,14 @@ import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join, basename, extname, resolve } from "node:path";
 import { loadConfig, saveConfig, validateConfig } from "./config.mjs";
 import { isWindows, pickPrinter, printFiles, testPrint } from "./printer.mjs";
-import { Prompter, dim, bold } from "./prompt.mjs";
+import { Prompter, dim, bold, pickPollingInterval } from "./prompt.mjs";
 
 const MENU = [
   { label: "Print the mailpress test page (auto-generated)",         value: "testpage" },
   { label: "Print a file I pick (.txt, .pdf, .docx, .xlsx, image)",  value: "file" },
-  { label: "Switch the active printer (and save to config)",         value: "switch" },
   { label: "Print the test page on EACH installed printer",          value: "all" },
+  { label: "Switch the active printer (and save to config)",         value: "switch" },
+  { label: "Change how often mailpress checks for new mail",         value: "interval" },
   { label: "Quit",                                                   value: "quit" },
 ];
 
@@ -54,6 +55,28 @@ async function actionFile(config, log, prompter) {
   log.success("send to printer complete (check the tray for the page)");
 }
 
+async function actionInterval(config, log, prompter) {
+  const chosen = await pickPollingInterval(prompter, log, config.pollIntervalMs);
+  if (chosen === config.pollIntervalMs) {
+    log.say("(same interval — no change)");
+    return;
+  }
+  const ok = await prompter.confirm(
+    `Update config.local.json:  pollIntervalMs = ${chosen}  (${(chosen / 1000)}s)  ?`,
+    { default: true });
+  if (!ok) {
+    log.say(dim("  not saved"));
+    return;
+  }
+  const fresh = loadConfig() || {};
+  fresh.pollIntervalMs = chosen;
+  saveConfig(fresh);
+  config.pollIntervalMs = chosen;
+  log.success(`polling interval set to ${chosen}ms and saved`);
+  log.say(dim("  Restart the mailpress scheduled task to pick up the change:"));
+  log.say(dim(`    powershell -c "Stop-ScheduledTask mailpress; Start-ScheduledTask mailpress"`));
+}
+
 async function actionSwitch(config, log, prompter) {
   const chosen = await pickPrinter({ prompter, current: config.printerName, log, dim });
   if (chosen === config.printerName) {
@@ -124,6 +147,7 @@ export async function runTest({ log }) {
         if (choice === "testpage") await actionTestPage(config, log);
         else if (choice === "file") await actionFile(config, log, prompter);
         else if (choice === "switch") await actionSwitch(config, log, prompter);
+        else if (choice === "interval") await actionInterval(config, log, prompter);
         else if (choice === "all") await actionAll(config, log, prompter);
       } catch (e) {
         log.failure(e.message);
diff --git a/lib/wizard.mjs b/lib/wizard.mjs
index 6968453..4082fc4 100644
--- a/lib/wizard.mjs
+++ b/lib/wizard.mjs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { GmailClient } from "./gmail.mjs";
 import { runConsent } from "./oauth.mjs";
 import { isWindows, listPrinters, testPrint, pickPrinter } from "./printer.mjs";
 import { installTask, taskExists } from "./task.mjs";
-import { Prompter, bold, dim } from "./prompt.mjs";
+import { Prompter, bold, dim, pickPollingInterval } from "./prompt.mjs";
 
 async function tryVerifyExistingToken(gmail, config, log) {
   try {
@@ -152,6 +152,11 @@ export async function runWizard({ log }) {
         validate: (v) => /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/.test(v) ? null : "doesn't look like an email",
       });
 
+      // Polling interval. Future: Gmail Pub/Sub push subscription or IMAP
+      // IDLE for sub-second latency — not worth the extra Google Cloud
+      // setup for an office printer.
+      config.pollIntervalMs = await pickPollingInterval(prompter, log, config.pollIntervalMs);
+
       // Persist before the consent flow so if it fails we don't lose creds.
       saveConfig(config);
       log.success("config saved");