Com apple mail plist

The .plist file!

.plist is a file format used by Apple to store configuration data in a human-readable format. It's commonly used in macOS and iOS to store settings, preferences, and other data.

In the context of Apple Mail, a .plist file is used to store the configuration settings for the email client. Here's a breakdown of what you might find in an Apple Mail .plist file:

Top-level keys

• Apple Mail: This is the top-level key that contains all the settings for Apple Mail.
• Accounts: This key contains a list of email accounts configured in Apple Mail.
• Preferences: This key contains general preferences for Apple Mail, such as the default email client, font sizes, and more.

Account-specific keys

• Account: Each email account has its own key, which contains settings specific to that account, such as:
  • IMAP: Settings for IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) connections.
  • SMTP: Settings for SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) connections.
  • POP: Settings for POP (Post Office Protocol) connections.
  • Username and Password: The username and password for the email account.
  • Server: The hostname or IP address of the email server.

Other keys

• Filters: This key contains settings for email filters, which allow you to automatically sort, forward, or delete emails based on specific criteria.
• Rules: This key contains settings for email rules, which allow you to automatically perform actions on emails based on specific criteria.
• Signature: This key contains the text of your email signature.

Example .plist file

Here's an example of what an Apple Mail .plist file might look like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
  <dict>
    <key>Apple Mail</key>
    <dict>
      <key>Accounts</key>
      <array>
        <dict>
          <key>Account</key>
          <dict>
            <key>IMAP</key>
            <dict>
              <key>Host</key>
              <string>imap.gmail.com</string>
              <key>Port</key>
              <integer>993</integer>
            </dict>
            <key>SMTP</key>
            <dict>
              <key>Host</key>
              <string>smtp.gmail.com</string>
              <key>Port</key>
              <integer>587</integer>
            </dict>
            <key>Username</key>
            <string>your_email_address</string>
            <key>Password</key>
            <string>your_email_password</string>
          </dict>
        </dict>
      </array>
      <key>Preferences</key>
      <dict>
        <key>Default Email Client</key>
        <string>Apple Mail</string>
        <key>Font Size</key>
        <integer>12</integer>
      </dict>
    </dict>
  </dict>
</plist>

This example shows an Apple Mail .plist file with a single email account configured, along with some general preferences.