Microsoft 365 MCP Server

list-contact-folders

list-contact-folders

Read-only

Get the contact folder collection in the default Contacts folder of the signed-in user.

Instructions

Get the contact folder collection in the default Contacts folder of the signed-in user.

💡 TIP: Lists the user's Outlook contact folders (the named buckets that organize contacts). Always includes the built-in 'Contacts' folder; user-created folders also appear. Returns id, displayName, and parentFolderId. To identify the default folder, match displayName === 'Contacts'. Use this before list-contact-folder-contacts or create-contact-in-folder to discover folder ids. Supports OData query parameters.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`top`	No	Page size (Graph $top). Start small (e.g. 5–15) so responses fit the model context; raise only if needed. Use $select to return fewer fields per item. For more rows, use @odata.nextLink from the response instead of a very large $top.
`skip`	No	Items to skip for pagination. Not supported with $search.
`count`	No	Set true to enable advanced query mode (ConsistencyLevel: eventual). Required for complex $filter on flag/flagStatus or contains(). The response then includes @odata.count, the total for the filtered collection, which can exceed the items returned when fetchAllPages hits its page/item cap.
`expand`	No	Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with "Parsing OData Select and Expand failed". Request ordinary fields with $select instead. Some APIs accept only one relationship per request, so prefer a single value. Some relationships support nested selection, e.g. children($select=id,name).
`filter`	No	OData filter expression. Add $count=true for advanced filters (flag/flagStatus, contains()). Cannot combine with $search.
`search`	No	KQL search query in one pair of double quotes; directory (users/groups) instead quotes each clause with no outer pair. Cannot combine with $filter.
`select`	No	Comma-separated fields to return, e.g. id,subject,from,receivedDateTime
`orderby`	No	Sort expression, e.g. receivedDateTime desc
`skiptoken`	No	Next page: the @odata.nextLink from the previous response. Keep the other arguments the same.
`fetchAllPages`	No	Follow @odata.nextLink and merge up to 100 pages into one response. Can return enormous payloads—only when the user explicitly needs a full export. Prefer a small $top first, then paginate or narrow with $filter/$search.
`includeHeaders`	No	Include response headers (including ETag) in the response metadata
`excludeResponse`	No	Exclude the full response body and only return success or failure indication

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.166.0Oct 14, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / count / description

Previous value: -"Set true to enable advanced query mode (ConsistencyLevel: eventual). Required for complex $filter on flag/flagStatus or contains()."New value: +"Set true to enable advanced query mode (ConsistencyLevel: eventual). Required for complex $filter on flag/flagStatus or contains(). The response then includes @odata.count, the total for the filtered collection, which can exceed the items returned when fetchAllPages hits its page/item cap."

changedInput schema / properties / expand / description

Previous value: -"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\", and an unsupported value may be ignored rather than reported. Request ordinary fields with $select instead."New value: +"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\". Request ordinary fields with $select instead. Some APIs accept only one relationship per request, so prefer a single value. Some relationships support nested selection, e.g. children($select=id,name)."

Changed11 schema fields changedv0.154.2Sep 17, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / expand / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / expand / items
```
Removed value: -{
-  "type": "string"
-}
```
removedInput schema / properties / expand / type
```
Removed value: -"array"
```

addedInput schema / properties / orderby / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / orderby / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```

addedInput schema / properties / select / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  {
+    "items": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "type": "array"
+  }
+]

removedInput schema / properties / select / type
```
Removed value: -"string"
```
addedInput schema / properties / skip / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```

changedInput schema / properties / skip / type

Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"

addedInput schema / properties / top / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```

changedInput schema / properties / top / type

Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"

Changed1 schema field changedv0.154.0Sep 12, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / skiptoken / description

Previous value: -"Opaque cursor for the next page, taken from the previous response. Copy the $skiptoken value out of @odata.nextLink (or paste the whole nextLink URL — the token is extracted from it) and resend it with the SAME $filter/$select/$expand/$top as the first call. Use this to walk pages one at a time instead of fetchAllPages. Omit it for the first page."New value: +"Next page: the @odata.nextLink from the previous response. Keep the other arguments the same."

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.153.0Sep 12, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / search / description

Previous value: -"KQL search query — wrap value in double quotes. Cannot combine with $filter."New value: +"KQL search query in one pair of double quotes; directory (users/groups) instead quotes each clause with no outer pair. Cannot combine with $filter."

addedInput schema / properties / skiptoken

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Opaque cursor for the next page, taken from the previous response. Copy the $skiptoken value out of @odata.nextLink (or paste the whole nextLink URL — the token is extracted from it) and resend it with the SAME $filter/$select/$expand/$top as the first call. Use this to walk pages one at a time instead of fetchAllPages. Omit it for the first page.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

Addedv0.134.4Jul 28, 2026
Removedv0.131.2Jul 18, 2026
Addedv0.114.0May 28, 2026
Removedv0.112.2May 22, 2026
Addedv0.110.0May 18, 2026
Removedv0.108.0May 15, 2026
Addedv0.105.0May 8, 2026

TDQS

A4.2/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely useful behavior beyond that: the built-in 'Contacts' folder is always present, user-created folders also appear, the default folder is identified by displayName === 'Contacts', and OData query parameters are supported. Pagination behavior is left entirely to the schema.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Purpose is front-loaded in the first sentence and the remaining content is organized into a clearly delimited tip block, so nothing is buried. It is slightly padded — the parenthetical 'the named buckets that organize contacts' and the emoji tip marker are stylistic rather than load-bearing — but every sentence still contributes.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a zero-required-parameter read-only listing with full annotation coverage and full schema coverage, the description supplies the missing pieces an agent needs: what the collection contains, the guaranteed default entry, how to recognize it, and the downstream tools it feeds. The absence of an output schema is mitigated by stating the returned fields (id, displayName, parentFolderId).

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and every one of the 12 parameters (top, filter, search, select, skiptoken, fetchAllPages, etc.) is thoroughly documented in the schema itself. The description only adds the generic sentence 'Supports OData query parameters,' which conveys no syntax or format detail beyond what the schema already provides. Baseline 3 is correct.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Get the contact folder collection in the default Contacts folder of the signed-in user') and immediately disambiguates the domain: these are Outlook contact folders (buckets that organize contacts), not mail folders. An agent can distinguish it from list-mail-folders and list-contact-folder-child-folders without opening any schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly routes the agent: 'Use this before list-contact-folder-contacts or create-contact-in-folder to discover folder ids.' That is a concrete when-to-use with named downstream tools. It does not state any when-not condition or contrast against the sibling child-folder/mail-folder listers, so it falls short of a full 5.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Deploy Server

list-contact-folders

Instructions

Input Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

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