apple-mail-mcp

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list-messages

Browse recent emails in Apple Mail with optional sender or unread filters and pagination, returning IDs, dates, subjects, and senders for further message actions.

Instructions

Use when: browsing a mailbox's recent messages (optionally filtered by sender or unread-only) with pagination via limit/offset, and you need their ids. Returns: messages with id, date, subject, and sender (plus partial-coverage diagnostics when some mailboxes were skipped). Do not use when: you have specific search criteria like subject/date/flags (use search-messages) or already have an id and want the body (use get-message). Like search-messages, use this to obtain the ids that read/mark/delete/move and batch tools require.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`from`	No	Filter by sender email address or name
`limit`	No	Maximum number of messages (default: 50, max: 500)
`offset`	No	Number of messages to skip (for pagination)
`account`	No	Account to list messages from
`mailbox`	No	Mailbox to list messages from. Omit to list from all mailboxes.
`unreadOnly`	No	Only show unread messages

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`count`	No
`partial`	No
`messages`	No
`failedMailboxes`	No
`timedOutAccounts`	No
`failedMailboxReasons`	No
`notSearchedMailboxes`	No
`skippedLargeMailboxes`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv2.19.14Sep 23, 2026
- addedOutput schema / properties / failedMailboxReasons
```
Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "type": "object"
+}
```
Changed1 schema field changedv2.17.2Aug 28, 2026
- addedOutput schema / properties / failedMailboxes
```
Added value: +{
+  "items": {
+    "type": "string"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}
```

Changed2 schema fields changedv2.10.24Aug 14, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

Changed1 schema field changedv2.10.8Aug 7, 2026
- changedOutput schema / additionalProperties
```
Previous value: -falseNew value: +true
```
Addedv2.8.14Jul 22, 2026
Removedv2.8.10Jul 18, 2026
Changed6 schema fields changedv2.8.2Jul 4, 2026
- changedInput schema / properties / limit / description
```
Previous value: -"Maximum number of messages (default: 50)"New value: +"Maximum number of messages (default: 50, max: 500)"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / limit / maximum
```
Added value: +500
```
- addedInput schema / properties / limit / minimum
```
Added value: +1
```
- changedInput schema / properties / limit / type
```
Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / offset / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```
- changedInput schema / properties / offset / type
```
Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"
```
First observedv2.6.1Jun 29, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

With no annotations, the description carries the behavioral burden. It conveys that this is a read/browse operation, mentions pagination via limit/offset, and discloses the return shape and partial-coverage diagnostics when mailboxes are skipped. It does not cover auth, rate limits, or error behavior, but the core behavioral traits are well disclosed.

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?

Four compact sentences, each earning its place: when to use, what it returns, when not to use, and how it relates to sibling tools. The information is front-loaded and there is no filler.

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?

Given the tool has an output schemaency and 100% parameter schema coverage, this description is complete enough for an agent to decide when to call it and what to expect. It covers purpose, exclusions, return basics, diagnostics, and downstream use cases without requiring further investigation.

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?

Input schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description contextualizes sender/unread filtering and limit/offset pagination, but adds little semantic meaning beyond the schema's own descriptions. This is adequate but not distinctive.

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?

The description clearly states the tool lists recent messages from a mailbox with optional sender/unread filtering and pagination, and that the agent uses it to obtain message IDs. It explicitly distinguishes itself from search-messages and get-message, so an agent can tell them apart.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

Provides explicit 'Use when' and 'Do not use when' guidance, naming search-messages for specific search criteria and get-message for body retrieval. It also explains that the tool supplies IDs for mutation/batch tools, giving clear routing guidance among many siblings.

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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