> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.macro.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# ReadChannelMessages

> Read a small structured window of top-level messages from a channel. Use this for latest messages, bounded time ranges, cursor continuation, or a window around a message. For full thread replies, use ReadChannelThread.

# ReadChannelMessages

Read a small structured window of top-level messages from a channel. Use this for latest messages, bounded time ranges, cursor continuation, or a window around a message. For full thread replies, use ReadChannelThread.

## Parameters

| Parameter               | Type                                                                         | Required | Description                                                                                 |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `channelId`             | string                                                                       | Yes      | Channel id to read.                                                                         |
| `windowType`            | `"latest"` \| `"timeRange"` \| `"aroundMessage"` \| `"page"` \| `"messages"` | Yes      | Type of channel timeline window to read.                                                    |
| `from`                  | string                                                                       | No       | Inclusive lower bound for activity timestamps. Required when windowType is timeRange.       |
| `to`                    | string                                                                       | No       | Exclusive upper bound for activity timestamps. Required when windowType is timeRange.       |
| `messageId`             | string                                                                       | No       | Anchor message id. Required when windowType is aroundMessage.                               |
| `cursor`                | string                                                                       | No       | Opaque cursor returned by this tool. Required when windowType is page.                      |
| `direction`             | `"older"` \| `"newer"`                                                       | No       | Direction to read from the cursor. Required when windowType is page.                        |
| `messageIds`            | string\[]                                                                    | No       | Top-level message ids to read. Required when windowType is messages.                        |
| `limit`                 | integer                                                                      | No       | Maximum number of top-level messages to return. Defaults to 25, maximum 100.                |
| `includeThreadPreviews` | boolean                                                                      | No       | Whether to include thread preview replies on returned top-level messages. Defaults to true. |
| `maxCharsPerMessage`    | integer                                                                      | No       | Maximum characters to return per message/reply. Defaults to 4000, maximum 16000.            |