apple-mail-mcp

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

list-messages

List recent Apple Mail messages with optional sender/unread filters and pagination. Returns IDs for marking, deleting, or moving.

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
`omittedMessages`	No
`timedOutAccounts`	No
`failedMailboxReasons`	No
`notSearchedMailboxes`	No
`skippedLargeMailboxes`	No

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedv2.19.19Sep 27, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / omittedMessages

Added value: +{
+  "items": {
+    "additionalProperties": false,
+    "properties": {
+      "id": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "mailbox": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "reason": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "uid": {
+        "type": "number"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "id",
+      "mailbox",
+      "uid",
+      "reason"
+    ],
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}

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 full burden and does disclose useful behavior beyond the schema: the returned fields (id, date, subject, sender) and partial-coverage diagnostics when mailboxes are skipped. It does not state read-only/safety or auth expectations, but for a list operation the disclosed return and diagnostic behavior is substantive.

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?

Front-loaded with a clear Use when / Returns / Do not use structure. Every sentence carries routing or return information; 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?

For a 6-parameter listing tool with an output schema and no annotations, the description supplies the routing rules, the return shape, and the fallback tools. Nothing essential for correct invocation is missing.

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 six parameters. The description reinforces pagination via limit/offset and the sender/unread filters but adds no syntax or format detail beyond what the schema provides, so the baseline 3 applies.

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+resource (browse/list a mailbox's recent messages) with explicit scope (optional sender/unread filters, pagination). It distinguishes itself from two named siblings; an agent can tell list-messages apart from search-messages and get-message without opening either schema.

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?

Explicit when/when-not structure: use for browsing recent messages needing ids, do NOT use for specific search criteria (use search-messages) or when you have an id and want the body (use get-message). It also names the downstream tools (read/mark/delete/move, batch) that consume the returned ids.

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

Deploy Server