Apple Mail Rules Don't work automatically

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Level 1

22 points

Apple Mail Rules Don't work automatically

This is another example of the poor execution and maintenance of Apple mail. When it works its great but there are so many little operational issues its becoming a joke for me. Before I move to Gmail I would like one more go at solving at least one of the bugs. This issue has been going on for years from what I can see from old threads.

I have set up a number of rules to delete certain email addresses. I select anything containing @emailaddress.com for instance. Set the rule and select delete. Now, it appears that sometimes it's working but I can't tell until I get a number of undeleted emails in my junk folder and have to apply the specific rules manually.

I have removed News from Apple from the rules, there are no duplications in the list and NO rules have "Stop Evaluating Rules" selected. I only assume it's working sometimes as of course having selected "delete" I would never see them as they go straight to the dark side ......

But again I then get a couple of the rogue emails pop into my junk file, having not been deleted, and as mentioned I have to manually apply the rules. That this is a long standing issue that people are having I can only assume competing with rival companies in mail management is low on Apples list of priorities. or more to the point, they just don't care. Apple Mail is full of little bugs like this. The other other is the constant request for password details for accounts for no obvious reasons. Typically with Outlook/Exchange which Apple has a particular issue with.

But if anyone has any ideas on the rules not applying I would be grateful

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mavericks (10.9.3)

Posted on Nov 4, 2017 10:20 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Root

Level 10

684,609 points

Nov 4, 2017 4:27 PM in response to 1topgazza

Do any of the rules work? If can isolate any that don't work, try deleting them and then add them back. You can post a screen shot of the rules that don't work and maybe someone can make a suggestion.

Screen shots

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Answer 2

1topgazza Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 4, 2017 10:59 AM in response to CT

Thats a good link, thanks CT. I've completed the feedback as a "Bug". I fear that Apple know of this but either can't or won't fix it. But I'm an optimist, so fingers crossed 😉

If anyone has any solutions in the meantime I would be grateful.

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Answer 3

1topgazza Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 4, 2017 5:04 PM in response to Eric Root

Hard to tell Eric if the rules are all working or partially working.

This all started when I went onto a web site to get some information. I normally won't go on websites that ask for my email address to just have a look around but I needed something specific and I used one of my spare/test email addresses. Its rare but comes in handy. In this case an outlook/Exchange one.

Sure enough I started getting bombarded with spam emails for recruitment and free gifts. So I set up rules for each one and I think I have covered all the ones I will get as I'm not getting any new addresses. Well, not at the moment. However the ones I have rules for sometimes appear in my Junk email as I initially moved them to the Junk folder as a first step. So that part appears to work. But the Rules should preclude that and I don't know if the lack of spam is because they are being deleted as per the rule or I am just not getting many more. I'm assuming that some spam servers eventually stop sending if they get no response of any kind. The few I do get now are varied and unpredictable. If I select "apply Rules" they get deleted so the rule itself is still valid just not automatically doing its job.

I wonder if its a timing issue or something similar as I know Apple and Yahoo and Outlook/Exchange don't like each other very much. One of my spare emails is a Yahoo one and I know for sure there are issues with IMAP across the email servers as with Outlook from time to time. For instance,I keep being asked for my Yahoo email password 3-4 times a month for no reason at all, it appears. I know some others have the same problem. I'll keep an eye and see if there's any pattern or consistency in the ones that sneak through to my Junk mail. But things like Rules should be a key and trustworthy filter system. Apple's version just seems a bit flaky and has been so for years now

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Answer 4

Eric Root

Level 10

684,609 points

Nov 5, 2017 9:03 AM in response to 1topgazza

That looks like it should work. Try deleting the rule and add it back.

Screen shots - post the screen shot in a Reply using the camera icon or you can drag the screen shot into a reply. Copy and paste doesn't work.

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Answer 5

1topgazza Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 5, 2017 10:06 AM in response to Eric Root

Removing and rewriting rules didn't work. They still appear. Reading old threads it seems this issue has been going on for years. Lots don't use rules of course but plenty do. What is frustrating is that it's something that should just work in a mail manager. It's such an essential part of the tool in these days of spam.

As before if I manually select "apply rules" the mails get deleted from the folder they are in. Something is stopping the script from running down the whole list, if at all. I have around 35 rules which shouldn't over strain any mail system IMO

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Answer 6

1topgazza Author

Level 1

22 points

Nov 7, 2017 10:45 AM in response to 1topgazza

One advantage of using a spare email address is that if the spam gets bad because you only use it on "suspect" sites you can delete the account and start another. For instance john.smith@outlook.com becomes johnsmith@outlook.com. Which has the added bonus of sending "no email account found" messages back to the spammers.

Doesn't excuse the Apple Mail rules not working but in the meantime it stops the spam

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