Mail rules erased each time Mail.app starts

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movlas Author

Level 1

8 points

Mail rules erased each time Mail.app starts

This is an old problem that has not been resolved.

For me it just started after I installed the latest IOS update 916.6) on my iPhone.

Mail rule are located in ~/Library/Mail/V10/MailData/SyncedRules.plist.

I also have a V2 and V6 folder, but read on.

After my rules disappeared, I copied SyncedRules.plist from Time Machine and replaced the new one.

No joy.

Mail overwrote it when I restarted it.

Thinking that it might have had something to do with the file creation date, I copy/pasted the contents of the old file into the new.

No joy.

Same thing happened.

NOTE: The same plist exists in both V2 and V10, but they are not changed.

TIP: Here is an easy way of telling if a file has changed; tag it.

Tagging a file will put a colored dot beside it.

If the file is updated by the system, the dot will go away.

Theory: I have some rules set up via the iCloud online version of Mail.

Those rules are not affected by this BUG.

Maybe iCloud is erasing my local rules?

Are you listening Apple?

My next step will be to erase the iCloud rules and see what happens.

My guess is that this is not a bug, but moreover, a concerted effort by Apple to drive customers toward using iCloud more.

Stay tuned.

Mac Pro

Posted on Jul 27, 2023 11:34 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

movlas Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 28, 2023 7:08 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks for the reply.

You are correct that the culprit is iCloud Mail, but apparently not for the reason that you described.

I tried your suggestion and it did not work.

Mail kept on overwriting the plist file.

What did work was this:

I erased all of the rules that I had created on web based iCloud Mail.

That solved the problem.

I had created some rules there because I wanted those rules applied to all of my devices.

On my Mac Pro desktop, I had additional rules setup, because I do different things on the machine.

Apparently if you have rules on web based iCloud Mail it assumes that you want only those rules applied everywhere and erases any local rules.

I would be interested in knowing if anyone who is experiencing this problem had created rules online?

Thanks again.

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Answer 2

leroydouglas

Level 10

202,436 points

Jul 27, 2023 11:58 AM in response to movlas

movlas wrote:

Mail rules erased each time Mail.app starts

Are you listening Apple?

No Apple is not listening here—

you can however You can submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

or on line https://getsupport.apple.com/

Try turning off Mail in iCloud— edit /add rules and see if they saved properly; test accordingly, rebooting

>System Settins>AppleID>iCloud

Only then re-enable iCloud Mail and compare your results

Rules:

Change Add Rule settings in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Change Rule settings in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Filter emails in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Use rules to manage emails you receive in Mail on Mac ...

Use rules to manage emails you receive in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

verify your software is up to date…

The current stable release of Ventura including bug fixes, security updates is macOS Ventura 13.5

Keep your Mac up to date - Apple Support

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Answer 3

leroydouglas

Level 10

202,436 points

Jul 28, 2023 7:44 AM in response to movlas

movlas wrote:

Thanks for the reply.

You are correct that the culprit is iCloud Mail,

Good computing movlas

I did not describe a reason(?) — I provided you a trouble shooting protocol for isolating the issue...

and it sounds like it solved the problem.

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Mail rules erased each time Mail.app starts

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