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Softeria

Microsoft 365 MCP Server

by Softeria

list-mail-folder-messages

list-mail-folder-messages
Read-only

Get all the messages in the specified user's mailbox, or those messages in a specified folder in the mailbox.

Instructions

Get all the messages in the specified user's mailbox, or those messages in a specified folder in the mailbox.

đź’ˇ TIP: List read search Outlook emails within a specific mail folder. CRITICAL: When searching emails, the $search parameter value MUST be wrapped in double quotes. Format: $search="your search query here". Use KQL (Keyword Query Language) syntax to search specific properties: 'from:', 'subject:', 'body:', 'to:', 'cc:', 'bcc:', 'attachment:', 'hasAttachments:', 'importance:', 'received:', 'sent:'. Examples: $search="from:john@example.com" | $search="subject:meeting AND hasAttachments:true" | $search="body:urgent AND received>=2024-01-01" | $search="from:alice AND importance:high". Remember: ALWAYS wrap the entire search expression in double quotes! Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/search-query-parameter IMPORTANT: Always use $select to limit returned fields and reduce response size. Recommended default: $select=id,subject,from,toRecipients,receivedDateTime,bodyPreview,isRead,hasAttachments. Use bodyPreview instead of body for listings. To read the full email body, use get-mail-message with the specific message id.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
topNoPage 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.
skipNoItems to skip for pagination. Not supported with $search.
countNoSet 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.
expandNoNavigation 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).
filterNoOData filter expression. Add $count=true for advanced filters (flag/flagStatus, contains()). Cannot combine with $search.
searchNoKQL search query in one pair of double quotes; directory (users/groups) instead quotes each clause with no outer pair. Cannot combine with $filter.
selectNoComma-separated fields to return, e.g. id,subject,from,receivedDateTime
orderbyNoSort expression, e.g. receivedDateTime desc
skiptokenNoNext page: the @odata.nextLink from the previous response. Keep the other arguments the same.
mailFolderIdYesValue 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.
fetchAllPagesNoFollow @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.
includeHeadersNoInclude response headers (including ETag) in the response metadata
excludeResponseNoExclude the full response body and only return success or failure indication

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changedv0.166.0
    • 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)."
  2. Changed11 schema fields changedv0.154.2
    • 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"
  3. Changed1 schema field changedv0.154.0
    • 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."
  4. Changed2 schema fields changedv0.153.0
    • 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"
      +}
  5. Addedv0.134.4
  6. Removedv0.131.2
  7. Addedv0.114.0
  8. Removedv0.112.2
  9. Addedv0.110.0
  10. Removedv0.108.0
  11. Changed16 schema fields changedv0.96.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / count / description
      Previous value: -"Include count of items"New value: +"Set true to enable advanced query mode (ConsistencyLevel: eventual). Required for complex $filter on flag/flagStatus or contains()."
    • changedInput schema / properties / fetchAllPages / description
      Previous value: -"Automatically fetch all pages of results"New value: +"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."
    • changedInput schema / properties / filter / description
      Previous value: -"Filter items by property values"New value: +"OData filter expression. Add $count=true for advanced filters (flag/flagStatus, contains()). Cannot combine with $search."
    • changedInput schema / properties / orderby / description
      Previous value: -"Order items by property values"New value: +"Sort expression, e.g. receivedDateTime desc"
    • removedInput schema / properties / orderby / items
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • changedInput schema / properties / orderby / type
      Previous value: -"array"New value: +"string"
    • changedInput schema / properties / search / description
      Previous value: -"Search items by search phrases"New value: +"KQL search query — wrap value in double quotes. Cannot combine with $filter."
    • changedInput schema / properties / select / description
      Previous value: -"Select properties to be returned"New value: +"Comma-separated fields to return, e.g. id,subject,from,receivedDateTime"
    • removedInput schema / properties / select / items
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • changedInput schema / properties / select / type
      Previous value: -"array"New value: +"string"
    • changedInput schema / properties / skip / description
      Previous value: -"Skip the first n items"New value: +"Items to skip for pagination. Not supported with $search."
    • removedInput schema / properties / skip / minimum
      Removed value: -0
    • changedInput schema / properties / skip / type
      Previous value: -"integer"New value: +"number"
    • changedInput schema / properties / top / description
      Previous value: -"Show only the first n items"New value: +"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."
    • removedInput schema / properties / top / minimum
      Removed value: -0
    • changedInput schema / properties / top / type
      Previous value: -"integer"New value: +"number"
  12. First observedv0.31.0

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. The description adds genuinely useful behavioral context the annotations cannot convey: the mandatory double-quoting of $search and response-size management via $select/bodyPreview. It stops short of describing return format or pagination mechanics, which lowers it from a 5.

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

Conciseness3/5

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

The purpose is front-loaded and correct, but the body is bloated with stacked emphasis markers ('đź’ˇ TIP', 'CRITICAL', 'IMPORTANT', 'Remember: ALWAYS') and several example searches that could be compressed. The repeated insistence on quoting $search is redundant with the schema's own search description.

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

Completeness4/5

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

For a 13-parameter, no-output-schema tool, the description covers the operationally important gaps: search syntax, field limiting, and when to escalate to get-mail-message. Combined with a fully documented schema and clear read-only annotations, an agent has enough to call it correctly.

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 every one of the 13 parameters is already documented in the schema. The description's mention of $select and $search quoting largely restates schema content. Baseline 3 is appropriate when the schema does the heavy lifting.

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?

The opening sentence gives a specific verb+resource+scope: retrieving messages from a user's mailbox or a named folder. It partially differentiates from siblings by pointing to get-mail-message for full bodies, but never contrasts itself with list-mail-messages or list-mail-folder-messages-delta, which is the ambiguity an agent actually faces here.

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?

Usage guidance is implied through the $search/$select tips and the hand-off to get-mail-message when a full body is needed. However there is no explicit statement of when this folder-scoped lister should be chosen over the mailbox-wide list-mail-messages or the delta variant, so the routing decision is left to inference.

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

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