# Retrieve a message (/docs/api-reference/inboxes/get-inbox-message)

The message with its text, HTML and `extracted_text`. An outbound message's delivery is its email's (`email_id`).

`GET https://api.coss.com/v1/inboxes/{inbox_id}/messages/{message_id}`

Authenticate with your API key as a bearer token (`Authorization: Bearer coss_test_…`). Responses are JSON with snake_case fields; errors are `{ error: { type, code, message, param?, issues?, request_id } }` (https://coss.com/docs/api-reference/errors.md).

## Path parameters

- `inbox_id` (string, required): The inbox's id.
- `message_id` (string, required): The message's id.

## Example request

TypeScript (the `coss` package):

```ts
import { Coss } from "coss";

const coss = new Coss({
  apiKey: process.env.COSS_API_KEY,
  baseUrl: "https://api.coss.com",
});

const { data, error } = await coss.inboxes.messages.get("inbox_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz", "imsg_01k7c8m4s1d3c9x0z4e6g7h8j9");
```

HTTP:

```sh
curl -X GET "https://api.coss.com/v1/inboxes/inbox_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz/messages/imsg_01k7c8m4s1d3c9x0z4e6g7h8j9" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $COSS_API_KEY"
```

## Response 200

The message.

- `object` ("inbox_message", required)
- `id` (string, required)
- `inbox_id` (string, required)
- `thread_id` (string, required)
- `direction` ("inbound" | "outbound", required): `inbound`: received by the inbox. `outbound`: sent from it.
- `status` ("received" | "queued" | "sent" | "failed" | "scheduled" | "canceled", required): `received` for inbound messages; an outbound message's email status (`queued`, `sent`, `failed`, …): its email has each recipient's delivery.
- `from` (string | null, required): The `From` header.
- `to` (string[], required)
- `cc` (string[], required)
- `subject` (string | null, required)
- `preview` (string | null, required): The start of the message's own text (without the quoted conversation).
- `attachments` (object[], required): An inbound message's attachments (download them from the message).
  - `id` (string, required)
  - `filename` (string | null, required): `null` when the part named none.
  - `content_type` (string, required)
  - `content_id` (string | null, required): Set for parts the HTML references (`cid:` URLs).
  - `disposition` ("attachment" | "inline", required)
  - `size` (integer, required): Size in bytes.
- `spam` (boolean, required): Whether the receiving server judged it spam.
- `received_email_id` (string | null, required): The received email of an inbound message.
- `email_id` (string | null, required): The email of an outbound message: its delivery events and webhooks name it.
- `created_at` (string, required, date-time): When it was received or sent.
- `reply_to` (string[], required)
- `message_id` (string | null, required): An inbound message's `Message-ID` header (outbound ones get theirs at sending).
- `in_reply_to` (string | null, required)
- `references` (string[], required)
- `text` (string | null, required)
- `extracted_text` (string | null, required): The message's own text: `text` without the quoted conversation and signature below it (a heuristic; when nothing is left, all of `text`). Made from `html` when there is no `text`.
- `html` (string | null, required): The sender's HTML: sanitize it before showing it to anyone.
- `truncated` (boolean, required): Whether `text` or `html` were shortened (2 MB each).

Example:

```json
{
  "object": "inbox_message",
  "id": "imsg_01k7c8m4s1d3c9x0z4e6g7h8j9",
  "inbox_id": "inbox_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
  "thread_id": "thread_01k7c8m4r0c2b8w9y3d5f6g7h8",
  "direction": "inbound",
  "status": "received",
  "from": "Jane Doe <jane@example.com>",
  "to": [
    "support-agent@k3j9x2m7qp4l.inbound.coss.com"
  ],
  "cc": [],
  "subject": "My order arrived damaged",
  "preview": "Hi, the order arrived damaged. Can you send a new one?",
  "attachments": [
    {
      "id": "rcvdatt_01k7c8m4r0c2b8w9y3d5f6g7h8",
      "filename": "photo.jpg",
      "content_type": "image/jpeg",
      "content_id": null,
      "disposition": "attachment",
      "size": 48213
    }
  ],
  "spam": false,
  "received_email_id": "rcvd_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
  "email_id": null,
  "created_at": "2026-10-10T12:00:00.000Z",
  "reply_to": [],
  "message_id": "<CAF3k2m9qp4ld8sv@mail.example.com>",
  "in_reply_to": null,
  "references": [],
  "text": "Hi, the order arrived damaged. Can you send a new one?\n\nJane",
  "extracted_text": "Hi, the order arrived damaged. Can you send a new one?\n\nJane",
  "html": null,
  "truncated": false
}
```

## Errors

- `400`: The `Coss-Version` header names an unknown API version (`invalid_api_version`).
- `401`: The API key is missing, invalid, revoked or expired (`authentication_error`).
- `403`: The API key lacks the permission this endpoint needs (`permission_error`), or its organization is suspended (`organization_suspended`).
- `404`: No such inbox or message in this environment (`not_found`).
- `429`: Too many requests with this API key (`rate_limited`), or too many requests with invalid keys from this address (`too_many_failed_authentications`). Retry after `Retry-After` seconds. Successful responses carry `RateLimit-Limit`, `RateLimit-Remaining` and `RateLimit-Reset` (seconds until the limit is fully restored).
- `500`: Unexpected server error (`api_error` / `internal_error`).
- `503`: The API key could not be verified right now; retry (`service_unavailable`).