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

The conversation with its latest messages, oldest first, each with its text and `extracted_text` (its own words, without the quoted conversation): what an agent reads before it replies. HTML is the sender's: sanitize it before showing it to anyone.

`GET https://api.coss.com/v1/inboxes/{inbox_id}/threads/{thread_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.
- `thread_id` (string, required): The thread'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.threads.get("inbox_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz", "thread_01k7c8m4r0c2b8w9y3d5f6g7h8");
```

HTTP:

```sh
curl -X GET "https://api.coss.com/v1/inboxes/inbox_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz/threads/thread_01k7c8m4r0c2b8w9y3d5f6g7h8" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $COSS_API_KEY"
```

## Response 200

The thread.

- `object` ("inbox_thread", required)
- `id` (string, required)
- `inbox_id` (string, required)
- `subject` (string | null, required): The first message's subject.
- `participants` (string[], required): Addresses of everyone in the conversation but the inbox (Bcc'd ones never).
- `message_count` (integer, required)
- `preview` (string | null, required): The start of the latest message.
- `last_message_at` (string, required, date-time)
- `last_inbound_at` (string | null, required, date-time): When its latest inbound message arrived: later than `last_message_at`'s outbound one means the conversation awaits a reply.
- `created_at` (string, required, date-time)
- `messages` (object[], required): The thread's messages, oldest first: its latest 50 (see `message_count`; list the inbox's messages for older ones).
  - `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_thread",
  "id": "thread_01k7c8m4r0c2b8w9y3d5f6g7h8",
  "inbox_id": "inbox_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
  "subject": "My order arrived damaged",
  "participants": [
    "jane@example.com"
  ],
  "message_count": 2,
  "preview": "Sorry about that, Jane! A new one is on its way.",
  "last_message_at": "2026-10-10T12:01:00.000Z",
  "last_inbound_at": "2026-10-10T12:00:00.000Z",
  "created_at": "2026-10-10T12:00:00.000Z",
  "messages": [
    {
      "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
    },
    {
      "object": "inbox_message",
      "id": "imsg_01k7c8m5t2e4d0y1a5f7h8j9k0",
      "inbox_id": "inbox_01k7c8m4q2f3e9v6t5r1n0p8yz",
      "thread_id": "thread_01k7c8m4r0c2b8w9y3d5f6g7h8",
      "direction": "outbound",
      "status": "queued",
      "from": "\"Acme Support\" <support-agent@k3j9x2m7qp4l.inbound.coss.com>",
      "to": [
        "jane@example.com"
      ],
      "cc": [],
      "subject": "Re: My order arrived damaged",
      "preview": "Sorry about that, Jane! A new one is on its way.",
      "attachments": [],
      "spam": false,
      "received_email_id": null,
      "email_id": "email_01k7c8m5t2e4d0y1a5f7h8j9k0",
      "created_at": "2026-10-10T12:01:00.000Z",
      "reply_to": [],
      "message_id": null,
      "in_reply_to": "<CAF3k2m9qp4ld8sv@mail.example.com>",
      "references": [
        "<CAF3k2m9qp4ld8sv@mail.example.com>"
      ],
      "text": "Sorry about that, Jane! A new one is on its way.",
      "extracted_text": "Sorry about that, Jane! A new one is on its way.",
      "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 thread 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`).