Mail Assistant Support

Why is Mail Assistant asking me to select a folder?

Mail Assistant needs permission to access the email data Apple Mail stores on your Mac. The first time you use the application, macOS will ask you to select Apple Mail's data folder through a standard file selection window. If you try to select any other folder that's not the ~/Library/Mail the app will reject it and prompt you to please select the right folder and guide you to it.
This is a one-time setup step. Once you've granted access, macOS remembers your selection, and you won't need to repeat the process unless access is revoked.
You do not need to enable Full Disk Access to use Mail Assistant.

Why is macOS asking for permission to control Apple Mail?

macOS requires your approval before one application can request that another application perform certain actions.
Mail Assistant needs this permission when you want to make changes to your messages, such as moving them between folders, sending them to Trash, or changing their read status.
You'll see this request the first time you perform an action that requires Apple Mail's assistance. Searching and viewing reports do not require this permission.

Why isn't anything showing up in Mail Assistant?

If your reports and search results are empty, start by checking your Apple Mail access settings.

1. Open Mail Assistant and click the tab called Settings › Apple Mail Access in Mail Assistant.
2. Check whether access is showing as Granted.
3. If access hasn't been granted, click the Choose Mail's Folder Again. This will bring a prompt with the location of the folder for you to select. Select the folder name Mail and hit Grant Access.
4. Open Apple Mail and make sure your accounts are configured/signed in and your messages have finished downloading. Note that Apple Mail needs to have at least one account signed and have messages already downloaded to Mail folder in order for Mail Assistant to work as intended.
5. Return to Mail Assistant and select Refresh Report.

If you've recently used Revoke Access, you'll need to grant access again before Mail Assistant can display your email information.

Why do Gmail messages sometimes appear in both the old and new folders after moving them?

This is related to how Gmail organizes email.

Unlike traditional email folders, Gmail uses labels. A message can have multiple labels at the same time, which means it can appear in more than one location.
When Mail Assistant asks Apple Mail to move a Gmail message, Gmail may apply the destination label without removing the original one. As a result, the message can continue appearing in its previous location.
This is a limitation of how Apple Mail handles Gmail label operations through its supported automation features.

How can I move a Gmail message to just one location?

To remove the original label completely, use Apple Mail directly or manage the labels through Gmail's website.
Moving messages to Trash works differently. Gmail removes the message from its existing locations when it is sent to Trash.
Mail Assistant displays a warning about this behavior before you perform affected operations so you know what to expect.

Can I undo an action?
Yes! Mail Assistant includes a Restore feature for supported operations.
Messages moved to Trash: Restore returns eligible messages to their original folders.
Messages marked as Read: You can mark them as Unread again.

You can also review your previous operations under Recent Actions, where you'll find a record of what was performed and when.

Please keep in mind that messages permanently deleted by an email provider's retention policy or manually removed from Trash cannot be restored through Mail Assistant.

Why do some operations take longer than others?

When processing large numbers of messages, Mail Assistant works through the requested changes individually by asking Apple Mail to perform each operation in batches.
This means the time required depends on several factors, including the number of messages selected, your email provider, and how quickly Apple Mail processes each request. For larger operations, Mail Assistant keeps the interface available while processing and provides a Stop option if you decide to interrupt the operation. Any changes completed before you stop will remain in effect. Messages that haven't yet been processed will not be included in those completed changes. The advantage is that you can identify messages across multiple accounts and senders, then manage them together rather than repeating the same process manually for each sender.

Is it safe to use the Unsubscribe feature?

Mail Assistant is designed to help you make a more informed decision before following an unsubscribe request.

It identifies unsubscribe information supplied by the sender in the email's message headers, rather than relying on potentially misleading links embedded in message content.

Depending on what the sender provides, you may be presented with one of two options:

• Website unsubscribe: Opens the sender's published unsubscribe address in your default browser.
• Email unsubscribe: Opens a pre-addressed message in your email application. You review and send it yourself.

A word of caution about unfamiliar senders:
Following an unsubscribe link can confirm that your email address is active. This is generally expected when dealing with legitimate newsletters or companies you've previously interacted with. However, if you receive an unexpected message from an unfamiliar sender, following its unsubscribe link may not be the safest option. For that reason, Mail Assistant considers your previous correspondence with the sender and provides additional context before you proceed. For unfamiliar or suspicious senders, we recommend using Apple Mail's Mark as Junk feature instead.

What is the Trends tab used for?

The Trends tab helps you identify patterns and activity in your inbox so you can decide what deserves your attention.
It highlights several areas:

• Weekly Activity: See how many messages arrived each week and identify your busiest periods.
• Unopened Senders: Discover senders whose messages you've never opened.
• Dormant Senders: Find addresses you haven't received messages from in over a year.
• Unread Mail: Identify where unread messages are accumulating.

You can filter and sort the lists to narrow down the results, including focusing on senders you've never corresponded with.
Trends is an informational feature. It does not automatically move, delete, or modify your messages.
When you find a sender you'd like to investigate, use the Show button to open that sender in Sender Reports, where you can explore their messages and available management options. Clicking search on a sender in Senders Report will take you to Advance Mail Search and show that sender's emails.

Does Mail Assistant connect to the internet or send my emails anywhere?

No. Mail Assistant is designed to operate locally on your Mac and does not transmit your email data to external servers. It does not require an account, sign-in, or cloud service.
No. For a complete explanation of what information the application accesses, what it stores, and how permissions work, please see our privacy policy for the detail.

If you decide to remove Mail Assistant, we've made the process straightforward. You can also find these instructions in the application under Setup Guide › Removing Mail Assistant, where it describes how to uninstall.
Follow these steps:

1. Disable Launch at Login (if enabled). Select Disable Launch at Login from the Mail Assistant envelope icon in your menu bar, then quit the application.
2. Remove the application. Quit Mail Assistant and move it from your Applications folder to the Trash, just as you would with any other Mac application.
3. Remove its application data. Open the folder using the shortcut in Settings.
   Move the Mail Assistant folder to the Trash. This removes locally stored application information, including saved searches, reports' search indexes, action history, sender preferences, and settings.
4. Optional: Remove Automation permission. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Automation and remove Mail Assistant from the list if its permission entry is still present.

What happens to my email?
Uninstalling Mail Assistant does not delete your email accounts, messages, or folders from Apple Mail. Your existing mail remains managed by Apple Mail, and any changes you previously made will remain in effect.