Scan Inbox
Analyzes your Apple Mail inbox to identify unread, actionable, and priority messages within a specified time range.
When to Use This Skill
Activate this skill when the user asks questions like:
- •"Check my email"
- •"What unread emails do I have?"
- •"Any urgent emails?"
- •"Show me actionable items from my inbox"
- •"Triage my email from today"
What This Skill Does
- •Scans all inbox accounts in Apple Mail
- •Filters messages by time range (default: last 24 hours)
- •Identifies unread messages
- •Detects actionable keywords (deadline, urgent, action required, meeting, request, etc.)
- •Identifies priority/flagged messages
- •Returns structured data with counts and message details
Instructions
Step 1: Determine Time Range
Ask the user if they want a specific time range, or use these defaults:
- •"Today" or "recent" → 24 hours
- •"This week" or "recent days" → 48-72 hours
- •Specific request → Honor their time range
Step 2: Execute the Scan
Run the AppleScript skill using the Bash tool:
```bash osascript .claude/skills/scan-inbox/scripts/scan_inbox.scpt <hours> false ```
Parameters:
- •
<hours>: Number of hours to look back (e.g., 24, 48, 72) - •
false: Set totruefor priority-only mode
Step 3: Parse Results
The script returns:
- •
success: boolean (true/false) - •
unreadCount: Total unread messages - •
actionableCount: Messages with actionable keywords - •
priorityCount: Flagged/priority messages - •
unreadList: Array of unread message details (sender, subject, date, flagged status) - •
actionableList: Array of actionable messages - •
priorityList: Array of priority messages
Step 4: Present Results to User
Format the output in a clear, actionable way:
Example Response: ``` 📬 Inbox Summary (Last 24 Hours)
📊 Overview:
- •38 unread messages
- •0 actionable items
- •0 priority/flagged
📧 Recent Unread:
- •Google - Security alert
- •C# Digest - Newsletter
- •BAC Credomatic - Transaction notification ... (showing top 5-10)
💡 Next Steps:
- •No urgent items requiring immediate attention
- •Review newsletters when you have time ```
Step 5: Offer Follow-up Actions
Ask if the user wants to:
- •See more details about specific emails
- •Flag or organize certain messages
- •Extract tasks from actionable emails
- •Check a different time range
Actionable Keywords Detected
The skill identifies these keywords in email subjects:
- •deadline
- •urgent
- •action required
- •meeting
- •request
- •please review
- •asap
- •todo
- •action item
Error Handling
If the script fails:
- •Check Mail automation permissions: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation → Terminal/Claude
- •Verify Apple Mail is running
- •Try with a smaller time range if timeout occurs
Example Usage
User: "Check my email from today"
Claude Response: ```bash osascript .claude/skills/scan-inbox/scripts/scan_inbox.scpt 24 false ```
Then format and present the results to the user.
Supporting Files
For advanced usage and detailed documentation, see reference.md.
For examples of common use cases, see examples.md.
Performance
- •Typical execution: ~2 seconds
- •Max timeout: 30 seconds
- •Works with multiple Mail accounts
Privacy Note
This skill only reads mail metadata (sender, subject, date, flags). It does not access email body content to protect privacy.