How to request email silently in a loop?

Question

How to request email silently in a loop?

Hen Golden 20

Sridevi Machavarapu , I am currently running the following loop to continuously fetch the incoming mail list:

    while True:
        result = await graph_client.me.messages.get(request_configuration=request_configuration)
    
        messages_list = []
        if hasattr(result, "value"):
            for msg in result.value:
                msg_dict = {
                    "id": msg.id,
                    "subject": msg.subject,
                    "from": msg.from_.email_address.address if msg.from_ else None,
                    "bodyPreview": msg.body_preview,
                    "receivedDateTime": str(msg.received_date_time)
                }
                messages_list.append(msg_dict)
        
        print(json.dumps(messages_list, indent=4))
        await asyncio.sleep(1)

Although the app only ask for authentication in a pop-up window for the first iteration, I wonder if the authentication will expire and need to be manually re-authenticate? and in that case, how could I implement this such that it can proceed silently, without the need to intervene?

Rukmini 43,915 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-27T13:10:53.56+00:00

Hello Hen Golden,

As you are making use of Personal Microsoft Account, Refresh tokens cannot be silently reused in public client native applications, such as your Python script. Microsoft protects customer accounts against token theft by enforcing reauthentication. This is by design.

Let me know of any further queries!

Rukmini 43,915 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hen Golden,

Use the below code for Work or school account:


CLIENT_ID = "ClientID"

TENANT_ID = "TenantID"

# First-time login scopes

LOGIN_SCOPES = [

    "User.Read",

    "Mail.Read",

    "Mail.ReadBasic",

    "Mail.ReadWrite",

    "offline_access",

    "openid",

    "profile"

]

# Silent scopes (no popup)

GRAPH_SCOPES = [

    "User.Read",

    "Mail.Read",

    "Mail.ReadBasic",

    "Mail.ReadWrite"

]

CACHE_PATH = "graph_mail_cache"

cache_options = TokenCachePersistenceOptions(

    name=CACHE_PATH,

    allow_unencrypted_storage=True

)

credential = InteractiveBrowserCredential(

    client_id=CLIENT_ID,

    tenant_id=TENANT_ID,

    cache_persistence_options=cache_options,

    enable_persistent_cache=True

)

def ensure_token():

    try:

       

        credential.get_token(" ".join(GRAPH_SCOPES))

        print("Silent login: Cached token used")

    except Exception:

        print("No valid token found. Login required...")

        credential.authenticate(scopes=LOGIN_SCOPES)

        print("Login successful and refresh token saved")

ensure_token()

graph_client = GraphServiceClient(

    credentials=credential,

    scopes=GRAPH_SCOPES

)

async def fetch_recent_emails():

    query_params = MessagesRequestBuilder.MessagesRequestBuilderGetQueryParameters(top=3)

    request_config = RequestConfiguration(query_parameters=query_params)

    result = await graph_client.me.messages.get(request_configuration=request_config)

    messages_list = []

    if hasattr(result, "value"):

        for msg in result.value:

            messages_list.append({

                "id": msg.id,

                "subject": msg.subject,

                "from": msg.from_.email_address.address if msg.from_ else None,

                "receivedDateTime": str(msg.received_date_time)

            })

    print(json.dumps(messages_list, indent=4))

async def main():

    print("Silent mail watcher started...")

    while True:

        await fetch_recent_emails()

        await asyncio.sleep(20)

if __name__ == "__main__":

    asyncio.run(main())

Let me know of any further queries!

Rukmini 43,915 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-28T11:02:10.64+00:00

Hello Hen Golden,

Following up to see if the above provided information was helpful. If you have any further queries do let us know.

Your answer

Rukmini 43,915 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-27T13:10:53.56+00:00

Hello Hen Golden,

As you are making use of Personal Microsoft Account, Refresh tokens cannot be silently reused in public client native applications, such as your Python script. Microsoft protects customer accounts against token theft by enforcing reauthentication. This is by design.

Let me know of any further queries!
Rukmini 43,915 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-27T13:18:32.2066667+00:00

Hen Golden,

Use the below code for Work or school account:

CLIENT_ID = "ClientID" TENANT_ID = "TenantID" # First-time login scopes LOGIN_SCOPES = [ "User.Read", "Mail.Read", "Mail.ReadBasic", "Mail.ReadWrite", "offline_access", "openid", "profile" ] # Silent scopes (no popup) GRAPH_SCOPES = [ "User.Read", "Mail.Read", "Mail.ReadBasic", "Mail.ReadWrite" ] CACHE_PATH = "graph_mail_cache" cache_options = TokenCachePersistenceOptions( name=CACHE_PATH, allow_unencrypted_storage=True ) credential = InteractiveBrowserCredential( client_id=CLIENT_ID, tenant_id=TENANT_ID, cache_persistence_options=cache_options, enable_persistent_cache=True ) def ensure_token(): try: credential.get_token(" ".join(GRAPH_SCOPES)) print("Silent login: Cached token used") except Exception: print("No valid token found. Login required...") credential.authenticate(scopes=LOGIN_SCOPES) print("Login successful and refresh token saved") ensure_token() graph_client = GraphServiceClient( credentials=credential, scopes=GRAPH_SCOPES ) async def fetch_recent_emails(): query_params = MessagesRequestBuilder.MessagesRequestBuilderGetQueryParameters(top=3) request_config = RequestConfiguration(query_parameters=query_params) result = await graph_client.me.messages.get(request_configuration=request_config) messages_list = [] if hasattr(result, "value"): for msg in result.value: messages_list.append({ "id": msg.id, "subject": msg.subject, "from": msg.from_.email_address.address if msg.from_ else None, "receivedDateTime": str(msg.received_date_time) }) print(json.dumps(messages_list, indent=4)) async def main(): print("Silent mail watcher started...") while True: await fetch_recent_emails() await asyncio.sleep(20) if __name__ == "__main__": asyncio.run(main())

Let me know of any further queries!
Rukmini 43,915 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-28T11:02:10.64+00:00

Hello Hen Golden,

Following up to see if the above provided information was helpful. If you have any further queries do let us know.