Com.apple.mail.plist

The com.apple.mail.plist file!

This file is a property list (plist) file used by Apple's Mail app on macOS. It contains configuration settings and data related to your email accounts, mailboxes, and other mail-related preferences.

Here's a breakdown of what you might find in this file:

  1. Email accounts: The file contains information about your email accounts, including account names, email addresses, passwords, and server settings.
  2. Mailboxes: The file stores information about your mailboxes, such as their names, types (e.g., Inbox, Sent, Trash), and locations (e.g., on the server or locally on your Mac).
  3. Preferences: The file contains various preferences related to Mail, such as:
    • Display settings (e.g., font sizes, colors)
    • Composing settings (e.g., signature, stationery)
    • Reading settings (e.g., threading, conversation view)
    • Sending settings (e.g., default senders, reply-to addresses)
  4. Rules: The file stores rules you've created in Mail, which define actions to take when certain conditions are met (e.g., moving messages to specific folders, deleting messages).
  5. Smart Mailboxes: The file contains information about your Smart Mailboxes, which are custom mailboxes that automatically filter and organize your messages based on specific criteria.

The com.apple.mail.plist file is stored in the following location:

~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist

You can edit this file using a text editor or a plist editor, but be careful not to modify it incorrectly, as this could cause issues with your Mail app. It's generally recommended to use the Mail app's built-in settings and preferences instead of editing the plist file directly.