How to create a rule in Apple Mail on Mac: sort incoming email, step by step

Apple Mail rules are the built-in way to sort incoming mail on a Mac. A rule checks each new message against conditions you set, then acts on the messages that match. The action most people use is Move Message to a mailbox. This page covers that path, plus the checks that keep a rule from catching the wrong mail.

Apple's Mail guide covers macOS 27 Golden Gate and also macOS Tahoe 26. The labels in the rule window can shift slightly between versions. Apple's full dialog text was only partly available when this page was written, so if a label on your screen differs, look for the control that does the same job.

Choose conditions that match the mail you want to sort

A condition tells Mail what to look for. Each row has a pop-up for the part of the message to check, such as From or Subject. A second pop-up sets the test, such as Contains, and a text box holds the words to match.

Picking the right field matters more than picking clever words. A sender's address rarely changes, so From is steady for bills and newsletters. Subject changes with every message, so a subject rule needs words that stay the same, such as receipt or invoice.

• From: best for bills, banks, and newsletters that always send from one address.
• Subject: best for fixed words such as receipt, invoice, or order confirmation.
• To or CC: best for mail sent to a shared address or to a project group you belong to.
• Several conditions together: use all when one condition alone catches too much.

Here is a worked case. You want receipts from your bank in a Finances mailbox. Set the rule to all, add From with your bank's address, and add Subject with the word receipt. Requiring both cuts false matches, since a marketing email from the same bank probably does not say receipt in its subject.

Test your words on a few real messages before you trust a rule. Open a message from the sender and read its subject line. Match the exact wording you see, not the wording you hope for.

Decide whether a rule covers mail you already have

When you click OK on a new rule, Mail asks whether to apply it to existing messages or only to new ones. Choose existing messages if you want an old pile of receipts sorted now. Choose new messages only if the old mail can stay where it is.

A rule for new messages works over time, so you do nothing once it is saved. A rule for existing messages works once, on mail that is already filed. A bulk move makes a bad match harder to spot, so check the results before you walk away.

Order matters when several rules apply

Mail runs rules from top to bottom in the Rules list. A message that matches an earlier rule can be handled before a later rule sees it. Drag rules up or down to set the order, and put narrow rules above broad catch-all rules.

A rule with a Stop Evaluating Rules action tells Mail to stop checking later rules for that message. Use that action on purpose, and check for it when a rule seems to skip mail. To pause a rule without deleting it, clear its checkbox. Only rules with a selected box run.

Duplicate copies a rule so you can edit the copy. That beats building a near copy from scratch, and it keeps the conditions you already tested. Remove is for rules you no longer need, so use it after you are sure.

Run rules by hand with Apply Rules and its shortcut

Mail normally runs rules as messages arrive. To run active rules on mail already in your mailboxes, choose Message > Apply Rules. This is the quickest way to test a new rule, and it is the fallback when a rule seems to ignore mail.

The shortcut for this is less settled than it should be. Apple's keyboard shortcuts page lists Apply active Mail rules as ⌃⌘L. A macOS Tahoe 26.0.1 thread on Apple Community gives Option + Command + L, ⌥⌘L, for the same job. Open the Message menu on your Mac and read the shortcut shown there. That is the one that counts on your machine.

Rules compared with Smart Mailboxes and Mail's own sorting

A rule moves messages into a mailbox. A Smart Mailbox only collects them. To make one, choose Mailbox > New Smart Mailbox, enter a name, pick a condition type in the first pop-up, add conditions, choose any or all when you have two or more, then click OK.

Use a Smart Mailbox when you want to look at a group of messages without changing where they are filed. Use a rule when you want the mail to end up in one particular place. Many people use both, with a rule filing receipts and a Smart Mailbox showing them in one list.

Mail also sorts some incoming messages into Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions on its own. That sorting is separate from your rules. If a message lands somewhere you did not expect, check that category before you blame your rule.

Rules on other Macs and on iCloud.com

Rules you make on a Mac sync to your other Macs when iCloud Drive is on and Mail is selected in iCloud Drive options. Files attached to a rule, such as a sound file or a script, do not sync. Recreate those by hand on each Mac.

Mail on the web works differently. Go to icloud.com/mail, click the settings button above Mailboxes, choose Settings, select Rules, and click Add in the top-right corner. iCloud Mail on the web allows up to 500 rules. A new or changed rule can take up to 15 minutes to affect incoming email, so wait before you judge it.

Mistakes people make with rules

• Using one broad condition, such as Subject contains order, that catches unrelated mail. Add a second condition to narrow it.
• Leaving the any or all choice on the wrong setting, so the rule matches far more or far less than you meant.
• Assuming the bottom rule wins. Mail runs rules from top to bottom, so an earlier match can take the message first.
• Applying a new rule to existing messages before testing it, which moves a batch you did not mean to move.
• Forgetting to select the rule's checkbox, then wondering why nothing happens.

Sorting is not only about tidiness. Microsoft Research followed 40 information workers across two workweeks. The study linked more time spent on email with lower perceived productivity and higher stress. A study like this does not prove a rule will fix your day, but fewer interruptions from mail is a fair goal.

Worked examples you can copy

A few rules cover most needs. Write each one down before you build it, so you know the condition, the mailbox, and whether it should cover old mail. The examples below use the same steps you saw earlier.

1. Receipts: all conditions. From contains your bank's address. Subject contains receipt. Action: Move Message to a mailbox called Finances.
2. Newsletters: one condition. From contains the newsletter's sender address. Action: Move Message to a mailbox called Newsletters. Apply to new messages only.
3. Project mail: any condition. To contains the project's shared address. CC contains the same address. Action: Move Message to the project mailbox. Test on existing messages first.
4. Utility bills: all conditions. From contains the utility's domain. Subject contains bill. Action: Move Message to a mailbox called Bills.

Give each rule a description you will recognize later, such as Receipts to Finances. The description is what you see in the list. It is also the first thing you will check when a rule misbehaves.

Fixes when an Apple Mail rule is not working

When a rule seems idle, start with the basics. Confirm its checkbox is selected, its destination mailbox still exists, and no earlier rule stops evaluation. Then run it by hand with Message > Apply Rules. If it moves mail that way, the problem is timing or order, not the conditions.

Some people report that rules only run after they click Apply Rules. Others say rules vanish after a system update. Those reports appear in Apple Community threads about macOS High Sierra, Ventura, and Sonoma. An Apple Community specialist pointed people back to the rules guide and to list order. No confirmed fix was posted.

Keep rules working after macOS updates

After any update, open Mail > Settings > Rules. Check that each rule you need is still there and still checked. Keep a short written list of your rules and their mailboxes, so a missing rule takes minutes to rebuild instead of a guessing game.

Rules on iCloud.com can lag too. A new or changed rule can take up to 15 minutes to affect incoming email. Wait that long, then send a test message before you change the rule again.

Where to go next

Once your rules sort mail, the next problem is usually the sender that still gets through. A rule files mail, but it does not stop it, so block a sender in Apple Mail on Mac when a rule is not enough. If you send a lot of mail from Gmail, check how that account is set up in Apple Mail on Mac. Schedule outgoing messages with send later.