Microsoft Graph Search Skill

When asked to search OneDrive, Teams, Outlook, or other Microsoft 365 services, use curl commands to interact with Microsoft Graph API.

🔒 Security-First Design

ONE CRITICAL RULE: Claude NEVER displays your token back to you.

Simple workflow:

1. Claude opens Graph Explorer for you
2. You paste token in chat (it's fine)
3. Claude uses it in curl commands but never echoes it back

---

Step 1: Get Access Token

Simple 3-Step Process:

1. Claude opens Graph Explorer (automatically)

   # macOS: open "https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/graph-explorer"
   # Linux: xdg-open "https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/graph-explorer"
   # Windows: start "https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/graph-explorer"
   

2. You get token from browser:

   • Sign in with your Microsoft account
   • Click "Access token" tab (or profile icon)
   • Copy the access token
   • Paste it in chat (it's fine to paste)

3. Claude uses it silently:

   • Replaces TOKEN in curl commands
   • Makes API calls
   • Never displays it back

Token Notes:

• Expires in 69-90 minutes, just get a new one when needed
• Claude will store it for the session

---

Step 2: Search Using Graph API

Once you have the token, use these endpoints with curl:

Unified Search (Recommended)

Search across multiple services at once:

curl -X POST 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/search/query' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "requests": [
      {
        "entityTypes": ["driveItem", "message", "chatMessage"],
        "query": {
          "queryString": "search terms here"
        },
        "from": 0,
        "size": 25
      }
    ]
  }'

Entity Types:

• driveItem - OneDrive and SharePoint files
• message - Outlook emails
• chatMessage - Teams messages
• event - Calendar events
• person - People/contacts
• list - SharePoint lists
• listItem - SharePoint list items
• site - SharePoint sites

OneDrive & SharePoint Files

Search files:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/drive/root/search(q='"'"'search terms'"'"')' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

List files in OneDrive root:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/drive/root/children' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Files shared with me:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/drive/sharedWithMe' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Recent files:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/drive/recent' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Outlook Emails

Search emails:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/messages?$search="search terms"' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

List inbox emails (top 10):

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/messages?$top=10&$select=subject,from,receivedDateTime' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Filter by sender:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/messages?$filter=from/emailAddress/address eq '"'"'sender@example.com'"'"'' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Microsoft Teams

List my teams:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/joinedTeams' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Get team channels:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/teams/TEAM_ID/channels' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Get channel messages:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/teams/TEAM_ID/channels/CHANNEL_ID/messages' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

My recent chats:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/chats' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Calendar

List calendar events:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/calendar/events' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

Search events:

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/events?$search="meeting topic"' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

---

Query Parameters

Common query parameters:

• $search="keywords" - Search with keywords
• $filter=property eq 'value' - Filter results
• $select=field1,field2 - Select specific fields
• $top=N - Limit to N results
• $orderby=field desc - Sort results
• $skip=N - Skip N results (pagination)

---

Example Searches

"Find my recent Excel files"

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/drive/root/search(q='"'"'.xlsx'"'"')' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

"Search emails from John about budget"

curl 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/messages?$search="from:john budget"' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN'

"Find files shared with me containing 'proposal'"

curl -X POST 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/search/query' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "requests": [{
      "entityTypes": ["driveItem"],
      "query": {"queryString": "proposal"},
      "from": 0,
      "size": 25
    }]
  }'

"Show my Teams messages mentioning 'release'"

curl -X POST 'https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/search/query' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer TOKEN' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "requests": [{
      "entityTypes": ["chatMessage"],
      "query": {"queryString": "release"},
      "from": 0,
      "size": 25
    }]
  }'

---

Response Handling

Graph API returns JSON. Use jq to parse if needed:

curl '...' | jq '.value[] | {name: .name, createdDateTime: .createdDateTime}'

---

Error Handling

Common errors:

• 401 Unauthorized: Token expired or invalid - get a new token
• 403 Forbidden: Missing permissions - user needs to grant consent in Graph Explorer
• 429 Too Many Requests: Rate limited - wait and retry
• 404 Not Found: Resource doesn't exist
• 400 Bad Request: Invalid query syntax - check the API docs

When to Consult Documentation

Use WebFetch to look up documentation when:

1. Error occurs - Check error codes reference
2. Unsure about endpoint - Look up service-specific API docs
3. Query not working - Review query parameters guide
4. Permission denied - Check permissions reference
5. New requirement - Search for the specific API endpoint

Example:

# If you get a 403 error and aren't sure what permission is needed:
WebFetch "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/permissions-reference"
  "What permissions are needed for searching OneDrive files?"

# If you need to find a specific endpoint:
WebFetch "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/resources/driveitem"
  "How do I filter files by file type in OneDrive?"

---

Documentation & Reference

Use WebFetch to consult these docs when needed:

Core Documentation

• Graph API Overview: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/overview
• Graph Explorer: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/graph-explorer (Interactive testing)
• API Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/overview?view=graph-rest-1.0

Search API

• Search Overview: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/search-concept-overview
• Search Query API: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/search-query

Service-Specific APIs

• OneDrive/Files API: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/resources/onedrive
• Drive Item (files): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/resources/driveitem
• Outlook/Mail API: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/resources/message
• Teams/Chat API: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/resources/teams-api-overview
• Calendar/Events API: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/api/resources/event

Troubleshooting

• Error Codes: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/errors
• Permissions Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/permissions-reference
• Throttling/Rate Limits: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/throttling
• Best Practices: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/best-practices-concept

Query Parameters

• Query Parameters Guide: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/query-parameters
• OData Query Options: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/filter-query-parameter

---

Permissions Required

The Graph Explorer token typically includes:

• Files.Read.All - Read OneDrive files
• Mail.Read - Read emails
• Chat.Read - Read Teams chats
• ChannelMessage.Read.All - Read Teams channels
• Calendars.Read - Read calendar

If a request fails with 403, the user needs to consent to additional permissions in Graph Explorer.

---

Best Practices

1. Start with unified search (/search/query) for cross-service searches
2. Use specific endpoints for better performance when you know the service
3. Limit results with $top parameter (default is often 10)
4. Select only needed fields with $select to reduce response size
5. Handle pagination for large result sets using $skip and @odata.nextLink
6. Token security: Never echo or print the token - it grants access to user's data

---

Output Format

Present results clearly:

📁 OneDrive Search Results for "quarterly report"

Found 3 files:

1. Q4-2024-Report.xlsx
   Modified: 2024-12-15
   Path: /Documents/Reports
   🔗 [View in OneDrive]

2. Quarterly-Summary-Final.docx
   Modified: 2024-12-10
   Path: /Documents/Reports
   🔗 [View in OneDrive]

3. Q4-Presentation.pptx
   Modified: 2024-12-05
   Path: /Shared/Team Reports
   🔗 [View in OneDrive]

---

Common Queries

"Find my files in OneDrive"

→ Open Graph Explorer, get token, use /me/drive/root/children or search endpoint

"Search my emails for X"

→ Open Graph Explorer, get token, use /me/messages?$search="X"

"Show files shared with me"

→ Open Graph Explorer, get token, use /me/drive/sharedWithMe

"Find Teams messages about X"

→ Open Graph Explorer, get token, use unified search with chatMessage entity type

"What meetings do I have?"

→ Open Graph Explorer, get token, use /me/calendar/events

---

Workflow Summary

When user asks to search Microsoft 365:

1. Open browser automatically to Graph Explorer
2. Wait for token from user (they paste it in chat)
3. Run curl commands replacing TOKEN with user's token
4. Parse and present results in readable format
5. Handle errors (expired token = open browser again)
6. Use WebFetch to consult docs if you encounter issues

---

Important Notes

• Token flow - You paste token in chat (it's fine), Claude never displays it back
• Token expires in 69-90 minutes - User will need to refresh if searches stop working
• Rate limits apply - Microsoft Graph has throttling limits
• Permissions vary - Some operations require admin consent
• Beta endpoints exist but use /v1.0/ for stability
• Search syntax varies by entity type - Some support KQL (Keyword Query Language)
• Graph Explorer is great for testing - Users can try queries there first
• Use WebFetch for docs - When stuck or encountering errors, look up relevant documentation
• Documentation is comprehensive - Most issues can be resolved by checking the official Microsoft Learn docs

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Last Updated: 2026-01-11

Security Notice: The ONE rule: Claude never displays your token back to you. Paste it in chat, Claude uses it silently in curl commands.