# How to use VIP mailbox in Apple Mail on Mac: steps for macOS Sequoia

> How to use VIP mailbox in Apple Mail on Mac: add VIP senders, show the mailbox, set alerts, and fix a missing VIP section in the sidebar.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/use-the-vip-mailbox-in-apple-mail
Updated: 2026-11-07

To use the VIP mailbox in Apple Mail on Mac, hover over a sender's name in an open message and click the grey star to its left. Then choose View > Show VIP Mailboxes, and a VIP section appears under Favorites in the sidebar.

## Quick answer

- Hover over a sender's name in an open message, then click the grey star. It turns gold.
- Choose View > Show VIP Mailboxes to see the VIP section under Favorites.
- The VIP section stays hidden until at least one sender is a VIP.
- Set VIP alerts in System Settings > Notifications > Mail, in the VIP section.
- To remove someone, right-click their name in the header and choose Remove from VIPs.

Applies to: Apple Mail on Mac, steps checked on macOS Sequoia 15. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Mac with Apple Mail set up and at least one account signed in
- A message from the person you want to mark as a VIP
- Menu names may differ slightly on newer macOS releases

## How to Mark a sender as VIP and open the VIP mailbox in Mail in Apple Mail on a Mac

1. **Open a message from the sender.** Open Mail and select an email from the person you want to mark as a VIP. Work from an open message, not from the message list, because the star lives in the message header. Tip: A message you already read works fine. You only need the sender's name in the header.
2. **Hover over the sender's name.** Move the pointer over the sender's name in the header. A grey star appears to the left of the name. The star shows only while the pointer is over the name. Tip: If you do not see the star, check that you are pointing at the name in the header.
3. **Click the grey star.** Click the grey star. It turns gold, which means the sender is now a VIP. Their messages now collect in the VIP mailbox. Tip: Clicking the gold star until it clears removes VIP status.
4. **Or use the right-click menu.** (Right-click name > Add to VIPs) Right-click the sender's name, or Control-click it, and choose Add to VIPs. This does the same job as the star.
5. **Show the VIP mailbox.** (View > Show VIP Mailboxes) Go to the menu bar and choose View > Show VIP Mailboxes. Mail adds a VIP section under Favorites in the sidebar. Tip: The section appears only after at least one sender is a VIP.
6. **Open the VIP list.** Click the disclosure triangle beside VIP in the sidebar. Each VIP sender appears as a sub-mailbox underneath. Click a name to see only that person's messages. Tip: Collapse and re-expand Favorites if the list looks stale.
7. **Add more VIPs.** Repeat the hover and click steps for each person on your list. Keep the list short, so the VIP mailbox stays useful at a glance.
8. **Remove a VIP.** (Right-click name > Remove from VIPs) Right-click the sender's name in a message header and choose Remove from VIPs. You can also click the gold star until it clears.
9. **Open Notifications for Mail.** (System Settings > Notifications > Mail) Open System Settings, choose Notifications, then select Mail. Scroll down to the VIP section.
10. **Set a VIP alert style.** (System Settings > Notifications > Mail > VIP) In the VIP section, choose an alert style other than None. Then check that Focus is not blocking Mail alerts. Tip: A silent VIP message is usually an alert setting or an active Focus.

The VIP mailbox in Apple Mail gives you one place for messages from the people you care about most. You mark a sender as a VIP once. After that, their messages collect in a VIP section of the sidebar, so you can find them without searching a crowded inbox. It is a small feature, but it saves real time on busy days.

![Person at a Mac reading email, learning how to use the VIP mailbox in Apple Mail](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/use-the-vip-mailbox-in-apple-mail/how-to-use-vip-mailbox-in-apple-1-90c2f3.jpg)

## How to add a VIP sender in Apple Mail on Mac

There are two ways to mark a sender. The fastest is the grey star in the message header. The second is the right-click menu, which you can use if you prefer menus. Both do the same thing, so use whichever feels more natural.

- Star: hover over the sender's name in an open message, then click the grey star to its left.
- Menu: right-click or Control-click the name and choose Add to VIPs.
- Confirmation: the star turns gold, and the sender is now a VIP.
- Check: open the VIP mailbox and look for the new name.

Choose your VIPs with care. Good candidates include your manager, a key client, your child's school, or your landlord. Avoid newsletters, shipping notices, and store receipts. Those senders are numerous and rarely urgent. If too many senders are VIPs, the list stops helping and the mailbox becomes a second inbox.

## How to show the VIP mailbox in the Mail sidebar

The VIP section does not appear until at least one sender is a VIP. Once you have one, go to View > Show VIP Mailboxes in the menu bar. Mail adds a VIP section under Favorites in the sidebar. Click the disclosure triangle beside VIP to expand it. Each VIP sender then appears as a sub-mailbox, and clicking a name shows only that person's messages.

![MacBook on a desk, the kind of setup where email arrives all day](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/use-the-vip-mailbox-in-apple-mail/how-to-use-vip-mailbox-in-apple-2-d2d643.jpg)

If the section is still missing, check the View menu first. Then collapse the Favorites header and expand it again. That is the fix listed for a missing section. If the section still does not appear, confirm that at least one VIP exists.

## A worked example: a school, a landlord, and a busy week

Here is how the setup looks in practice. On Monday, a message arrives from your child's school. You open it, hover over the sender's name, and click the grey star. The star turns gold. Later that week, a landlord sends a repair notice, and you mark that sender the same way.

Then you choose View > Show VIP Mailboxes and expand the VIP section. On Friday, you open the VIP mailbox before your main inbox. The school note and the repair notice sit together, and the newsletters stay out of your way. That is the whole point of the feature.

## Why a short VIP list matters for email load

Email volume is large. Radicati Group projected more than 4.4 billion email users worldwide in 2024, and that figure is a forecast. Microsoft found that the heaviest email users, the top 25%, spend 8.8 hours a week on email. That data covers Microsoft 365 commercial users in a rolling 28-day period ending March 2023.

- **4.4 billion** Email users worldwide projected for 2024 (Radicati Group forecast) ([source](https://www.einpresswire.com/article/751597875/the-radicati-group-releases-email-statistics-report-2024-2028))
- **8.8 hours** Weekly email time for the top 25% of heavy users (Microsoft 365 data to March 2023) ([source](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work))

A VIP list will not cut that time on its own. It does give you a short, fixed place to look first. Pair it with a rule for when you check the main inbox, and the list does more of the work.

## How to remove a VIP sender in Apple Mail on Mac

Remove a VIP when the reason for the status ends. A project finishes, a client moves on, or a school year closes. Right-click the sender's name in a message header and choose Remove from VIPs. You can also click the gold star until it clears. Either method works from the message header.

| Task | Where to go | What to look for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add a VIP | Message header, hover over the sender's name | Grey star turns gold |
| Add a VIP (menu) | Right-click or Control-click the sender's name | Add to VIPs |
| Show the VIP mailbox | View menu | Show VIP Mailboxes |
| Remove a VIP | Right-click the sender's name in the header | Remove from VIPs |
| Turn on VIP alerts | System Settings > Notifications > Mail | VIP section, alert style not None |

_Where each VIP action lives in Apple Mail on Mac. Steps checked on macOS Sequoia 15 in a third-party guide._

## How to set VIP notifications in Apple Mail

VIP alerts have their own setting, separate from the mailbox. Open System Settings, choose Notifications, then select Mail. Scroll to the VIP section and pick an alert style. If the style is set to None, VIP messages arrive without any alert.

> **Focus can hide alerts:** An active Focus can block Mail alerts, including alerts from VIPs. If a VIP message seems silent, check the Focus status in Control Center before you change anything else.

## How to fix a missing VIP mailbox in Apple Mail

Most VIP problems have simple causes. Work through the checks in order, because the first one fixes most cases. Start with the menu, then confirm the list, then check alerts and sync.

1. No VIPs yet: the section stays hidden until one sender is marked VIP.
2. Menu: View > Show VIP Mailboxes, then collapse and expand Favorites.
3. Silent alerts: check Focus, then System Settings > Notifications > Mail.
4. Lists differ: confirm the same Apple ID and iCloud Drive on both devices.
5. Still stuck: sign out of iCloud on one device, then sign back in.

Sync problems take time to clear. The sources used for this page suggest waiting a few minutes before you sign out. If the lists match after that, you can stop. If they still differ, the sign-out step is the next thing to try.

## How to use VIP in Apple Mail on iCloud.com

The VIP feature also works in a browser. On iCloud.com Mail, select an email from the sender, click their name or email address in the header, and turn on VIP. Then select the VIP mailbox in the Mailboxes list to see every VIP email.

Apple's iCloud guide covers adding a VIP but does not explain how to remove one on iCloud.com. Test removal on your own account before you rely on it. Test the web view too, since the browser and the Mac app may show your list differently.

## Limits, versions, and what this page could not confirm

Two details here come from older sources. A 2018 MacRumors guide lists a limit of up to 100 VIPs. It also describes a Mail > Preferences > General > New message notifications path for alerts. That path is outdated for current menus, so use the System Settings route above.

> **Version check:** Apple's Mail User Guide is labeled for macOS 27. The steps here were checked against a third-party walkthrough on macOS Sequoia 15, and Apple's own VIP article could not be read for this page. Match the command, not the exact wording, if your menus differ.

For keyboard use, Command comma opens Mail settings in the sources checked. No shortcut for adding, removing, or viewing VIPs appears in them. The steps here stay with the pointer and the menus, so you do not waste time hunting for a combination that the sources do not list.

## VIP or a smart mailbox: which one fits your mail?

A VIP list tracks people. A smart mailbox tracks rules. Use VIP when a few senders matter most. Use a smart mailbox when you want every message that fits a pattern, such as unread mail in a certain project. For the rule side, read [how to create a smart mailbox in Apple Mail on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-smart-mailbox-in-apple-mail).

If a sender should stop reaching you, a VIP list does not help. Block them instead. The steps are in [how to block a sender in Apple Mail on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/block-a-sender-in-apple-mail).

![Hands on a laptop keyboard with a phone beside it showing message alerts](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/use-the-vip-mailbox-in-apple-mail/how-to-use-vip-mailbox-in-apple-3-66590c.jpg)

## Common mistakes with the VIP mailbox in Apple Mail

Most problems come from expecting more from VIP than it does. These four mistakes are easy to avoid.

- Marking everyone: a long VIP list hides the point of the mailbox.
- Expecting alerts: VIP alerts live in Notifications, so check them once.
- Looking in the message list: the star sits in the header of an open message.
- Assuming the web view matches the app: test removal and the mailbox yourself.

Start with a few people you need to hear from fast. Add more only when the mailbox earns its place in your day.

## Next steps after your first VIP sender

Once your first VIP is set, open the VIP mailbox each morning for a week. Notice which messages you open first. Then update the list. Remove anyone whose messages no longer need fast attention, and add anyone who keeps getting missed.

## Shortcuts

- Open Mail settings (Preferences in older guides): ⌘,

## If it does not work

- **The VIP mailbox does not appear in the sidebar.** Mark at least one sender as a VIP, then choose View > Show VIP Mailboxes. Collapse and expand Favorites if it still does not show.
- **The star does not appear when I hover.** Hover over the name in the header of an open message, not in the message list. Make sure the message itself is open.
- **VIP messages do not make a sound or show an alert.** Check Focus first. Then open System Settings > Notifications > Mail, go to the VIP section, and set an alert style other than None.
- **VIP lists differ between two Macs or devices.** Use the same Apple ID on both, with iCloud Drive turned on. If the lists still differ after a few minutes, sign out of iCloud on one device and sign back in.
- **The menu names in this guide do not match my Mac.** Older guides use Mail > Preferences. Search the Help menu for VIP, and match the command rather than the exact wording.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where's the Show VIP Mailboxes option?”: Lazur points at the View menu item, then waits while you click. It guides you one click at a time. (Walks you through it)

## FAQ

### Why is the VIP mailbox not showing in Apple Mail?

The VIP mailbox stays hidden until at least one sender is a VIP. Mark one sender, then choose View > Show VIP Mailboxes. If it still does not appear, collapse and expand the Favorites header in the sidebar.

### Is there a keyboard shortcut for VIP in Apple Mail on Mac?

Not in the sources checked for this page. Command comma opens Mail settings, but no shortcut adds, removes, or shows VIPs. Use the grey star in the header and the View menu instead.

### How many VIPs can I have in Apple Mail?

A 2018 MacRumors guide lists a limit of up to 100 VIPs. That figure is old, so check it on your own Mac. Keep your list short anyway, so the mailbox stays useful at a glance.

### Where do I turn on VIP alerts?

Open System Settings, choose Notifications, then select Mail. Find the VIP section and set an alert style other than None. If messages still seem silent, check whether a Focus is active.

### How do I remove someone from the VIP list?

Right-click their name in a message header and choose Remove from VIPs. You can also click the gold star until it clears. Both methods work from the message header.

### Does VIP work on iCloud.com?

Yes, according to Apple's iCloud guide. Click the sender's name or email address in the header and turn on VIP, then select the VIP mailbox. Apple's guide does not explain how to remove VIP status on iCloud.com.

### Why do my VIP lists differ between two devices?

Confirm both devices use the same Apple ID and have iCloud Drive turned on. If the lists still differ after a few minutes, sign out of iCloud on one device and sign back in.

## Sources

1. [Apple Mail VIP on Mac: What Changes When You Mark a Sender](https://aiemaily.com/blog/apple-mail-vip-mac), aiemaily.com (third-party), checked 2026-11-07
2. [How to Set Up Mail VIP Contacts in macOS, iOS 11, and iCloud Mail](https://www.macrumors.com/guide/apple-mail-vips-macos-ios-11-icloud/), MacRumors (third-party, 2018), checked 2026-11-07
3. [How to Set Up VIP Notifications in Apple Mail](https://thesweetsetup.com/how-to-set-up-vip-notifications-in-apple-mail/), The Sweet Setup (third-party, 2021), checked 2026-11-07
4. [Make a sender a VIP in Mail on iCloud.com - Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/make-a-sender-a-vip-mma27f86124d/icloud), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
5. [Mail User Guide for Mac - Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/welcome/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
6. [The Radicati Group Releases Email Statistics Report, 2024-2028](https://www.einpresswire.com/article/751597875/the-radicati-group-releases-email-statistics-report-2024-2028), EIN Presswire (republishes Radicati Group release), checked 2026-11-07
7. [Microsoft WorkLab: Work Trend Index, Will AI Fix Work](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work), Microsoft, checked 2026-11-07