# Read a conversation

Read received and sent mail in one conversation, and reply to it.

Source: https://cherami.to/docs/guides/conversations



We group related messages in each inbox into conversations, so you can read what you received and what you sent in order.

## Find and read the conversation [#find-and-read-the-conversation]

Take `thread_id` from any message, or find the conversation with `list_threads` (`GET /v1/inboxes/INBOX_ID/threads`, most recent activity first). Then call `get_thread`, or fetch it:

```bash
curl --fail-with-body --silent --show-error \
  "https://cherami.to/v1/threads/$THREAD_ID?limit=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CHERAMI_API_KEY"
```

The first page holds the newest messages, in chronological order within the page; follow `next_cursor` for older pages. Each entry has a `direction` (`received` or `sent`), a `timestamp` (the time we received or sent it) and the message's fields, including bodies and attachment details. With MCP, `get_thread` gives each message's new reply text by default; pass `format: "full"` for the original bodies. [Attachment files](https://cherami.to/docs/guides/attachments) download separately.

Sent entries include rejected and unknown attempts, so check each one's `status`. `received_count`, `accepted_count`, `rejected_count` and `unknown_count` break `message_count` down.

Mail that failed processing isn't in a conversation; find it in the [message listing](https://cherami.to/docs/guides/receiving#find-messages-you-have-not-handled). We group by reply headers, not subject, so a reply that drops them starts a new conversation; [search](https://cherami.to/docs/guides/search#find-a-conversation) finds related ones.

## Reply in the conversation [#reply-in-the-conversation]

Reply to one of its messages, not to the thread ID: pick the entry you're answering and follow [Reply to a message](https://cherami.to/docs/guides/sending#reply-to-a-message).

## Label or delete it [#label-or-delete-it]

`update_thread_labels` (`PATCH /v1/threads/THREAD_ID`) adds or removes labels on every message now in the conversation; see [Label a conversation](https://cherami.to/docs/guides/labels#label-a-conversation).

To delete the conversation, use `delete_thread` (`DELETE /v1/threads/THREAD_ID`). Its messages move to Trash, where each can be restored for seven days before it's deleted for good. See [Delete a conversation](https://cherami.to/docs/guides/deletion#delete-a-conversation).

[Thread response fields and operations](https://cherami.to/docs/api/threads)