Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Graph) permission, in plain English

What can an AI agent do with
Read your email (Mail.Read, delegated)?

It can open and read every email in your mailbox, including the full message and attachments. It acts as you, so it only sees your own mailbox.

How to spot it

On a Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Graph) connection or settings screen, this is Mail.Read.

Strongest thing it allows: Can read.

With it, an agent can

  • Read the full text of every email in your mailbox
  • Open attachments on your emails
  • See who you email and what you write about

It cannot, on its own

  • Send email
  • Delete, move, or change your emails
  • Read other people's mailboxes in this delegated form

What a bad day looks like

A tricked agent could read private customer emails or password reset links and repeat them in its replies or reports.

Set it up safer

Ask the company selling the agent

Source

Checked against Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Graph) documentation on 2026-09-28. All Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Graph) permissions →

Thinking about a specific agent?

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This page explains what a permission allows. It does not describe, test or rate any product. Permission details are summarized in our own words from the provider's documentation, linked on the page; providers change their documentation, so check the source before you rely on a detail.