Microsoft 365 MCP Server

list-mail-child-folders

list-mail-child-folders

Read-only

Get the folder collection under the specified folder. You can use the .../me/mailFolders shortcut to get the top-level folder collection and navigate to another folder. By default, this operation doesn't return hidden folders.

Instructions

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.
`mailFolderId`	Yes	Value for the 'mailFolderId' path segment. Pass it under the name 'mailFolderId', not as 'id'. Use the 'id' field of the mail folder object as returned by Microsoft Graph.
`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
`includeHiddenFolders`	No	Include Hidden Folders

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
Addedv0.96.0May 4, 2026

TDQS

A3.6/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, destructiveHint=false, and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered and the bar is lower. The description adds genuinely useful non-schema behavior: hidden folders are excluded by default and must be opted into via includeHiddenFolders. It could say more about paging limits, but this is solid added context.

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?

The core action and the hidden-folder default are front-loaded in the first and third sentences with no filler. The middle sentence about the mailFolders shortcut is slightly tangential but still short and relevant to navigating to the folder being queried.

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

Completeness3/5

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

For a read-only list tool with a 100%-covered schema and no output schema, this is minimally complete: an agent knows it returns child folders and the hidden-folder default. It omits return shape and pagination behavior (top, fetchAllPages, skiptoken), which the description leaves entirely to the schema.

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%, so the schema already documents all 14 parameters, including includeHiddenFolders, and the description merely restates that parameter. Baseline 3 applies when the schema does the heavy lifting and the description adds no parameter syntax or format detail beyond it.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a specific verb (Get) and resource (folder collection under the specified folder), so the agent knows this returns child folders rather than the folders themselves. It does not explicitly distinguish itself from the sibling list-mail-folders or list-contact-folder-child-folders, but the 'under the specified folder' qualifier makes the hierarchy level reasonably clear.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

The description mentions the .../me/mailFolders shortcut for navigating from the top level and states the hidden-folder default, which implies when this tool is used (after locating a parent folder). However, it never names list-mail-folders as the top-level alternative or says when to prefer one over the other, so usage guidance is implied rather than explicit.

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

Deploy Server

list-mail-child-folders

Instructions

Input Schema

Schema Changelog

TDQS

Other Tools