mailmcp

Read a message

get_message

Read-onlyIdempotent

Read one email’s headers, sanitized body, and attachment list by account and UID; the body is truncated to the configured character limit.

Instructions

Returns headers, sanitized text body and the attachment list of one message. Body is truncated to the configured limit.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`uid`	Yes	uid from search_messages
`folder`	No	Default: Gmail All Mail, else INBOX
`account`	Yes	list_accounts id
`max_chars`	No
`include_quoted`	No	Keep quoted replies (default false)

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`uid`	Yes
`text`	Yes
`folder`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed4 schema fields changedv0.13.12Oct 16, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / account / description

Previous value: -"Account id from list_accounts"New value: +"list_accounts id"

changedInput schema / properties / folder / description

Previous value: -"Folder/label path. Defaults to All Mail on Gmail, INBOX elsewhere."New value: +"Default: Gmail All Mail, else INBOX"

changedInput schema / properties / uid / description

Previous value: -"uid from search_messages: a number on IMAP mailboxes, an id string on Outlook; pass it back exactly as returned"New value: +"uid from search_messages"

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "properties": {
+    "folder": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "text": {
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "uid": {
+      "type": [
+        "string",
+        "number"
+      ]
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "uid",
+    "folder",
+    "text"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

Changed6 schema fields changedv0.8.1Sep 23, 2026
- changedInput schema / properties / uid / description
```
Previous value: -"uid from search_messages"New value: +"uid from search_messages: a number on IMAP mailboxes, an id string on Outlook; pass it back exactly as returned"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / uid / maxLength
```
Added value: +512
```
- removedInput schema / properties / uid / maximum
```
Removed value: -9007199254740991
```
- addedInput schema / properties / uid / minLength
```
Added value: +1
```
- removedInput schema / properties / uid / minimum
```
Removed value: -1
```
- changedInput schema / properties / uid / type
```
Previous value: -"integer"New value: +"string"
```
First observedv0.1.0Sep 16, 2026

TDQS

A3.8/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, destructiveHint=false and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds genuinely useful behavior not in annotations: the body is sanitized and truncated to a configured limit, and an attachment list is returned, telling the agent to expect possibly incomplete content.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Two tight sentences with the payload description front-loaded and the truncation caveat immediately after; no filler, no repetition of schema fields.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be explained, and the description still sketches the payload plus the truncation behavior. The main omission is how to retrieve untruncated body content or which folder the read defaults to in non-Gmail accounts, which the schema only partially covers.

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 80%, so uid, folder, account, and include_quoted are already documented in the schema (max_chars is not). The description's only parameter-relevant contribution is the implicit link between truncation and max_chars; it adds no syntax, defaults, or range detail beyond the schema, so baseline 3 applies.

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 concrete verb and resource ('Returns headers, sanitized text body and the attachment list of one message'), which is specific enough to separate it from get_thread and get_attachment by payload shape. It does not, however, explicitly name the sibling tools it is distinct from.

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 phrase 'of one message' implicitly scopes usage to single-message reads, and the required uid parameter (documented in the schema as 'uid from search_messages') implies the search-then-fetch flow. But there is no explicit when-to-use or when-to-prefer-get_thread/get_attachment guidance.

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