5 Must Have Apple Mail Enhancers


apple_mail_icon-tm.jpgApple Mail is a great email client…

…but there’s always room for improvement, and if you get a lot of mail, or compulsively check your mail, there are some really excellent Apple Mail plugins that can help you get more work done, and still stay on top of those forwards you love getting from grandma….

I’ve compiled a list of my favorite 5 Apple Mail Enhancers that I think are must haves for anyone using Apple Mail that has to deal with more than a few dozen emails a day…

DockStar – Dockstar can help you keep track of your email at a glance by creating multiple alerts in your dock Mail icon. For example, email in your business folder could appear as a yellow star with a number to indicate how many unread messages you have in that folder, or your husband/wife could appear via a heart symbol with a number in it. DockStar can really help you keep track of your mail without having to spend your entire day going back into Mail to see who sent you what.

Mail Widget – If you’re like me, then you probably feel the need to check your email every few minutes (at least)…but you may not want to keep Apple Mail open all the time…especially if you’re on a slower system and resources are valuable. Well, with this handy Widget you won’t have to. Now, checking your mail is just a click to Dashboard away…

Mail Tags – from enhanced organization through keyword, projects and due dates, to linking mail messages to iCal appointments Mail Tags takes Apple Mail to the next level, and makes it easier to organize your inbox, and get your work done.

Mail Act-On – also from the makers of Mail Tags, Mail Act-On allows you add keystrokes to Mail Rules, making it much easier to highlight messages you want to return to, and file your mail away with just one or two clicks. You can use it for very simple tagging, or build complicated systems to manage your mail with ease. A very powerful tool.

Mail Appitizer – Mail Appitizer is my favorite Apple Mail plug-in. This cool little free plug-in can really save you time if you’re constantly checking your email. When a new message comes in, Mail Appitizer pops up a small semi-transparent window with the email message in it. This gives you a look at your mail at a glance to let you know if you need to stop what you’re doing to respond now…or just wait until you have more time.

Do you have an Apple Mail plugin that you love that we didn’t mention here? Leave a link in the comments below and let us know about it!


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

9 Comments

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  1. it’s not a plugin and it ain’t free either, but i wouldn’t know what to do nowadays without spamsweep. terrific spam filter with next to 100% accuracy; keeps spam completely out of mail.app and very easy to use.

  2. Growl is the one I use for those little pop-up windows, similar to Appitizer, but can be used for other apps as well.

    My favourite SPAM filter has to be SpamSieve, like phil’s spamsweep, not free, but invaluable.

  3. I love Mail Widget. Wondering if it can improve to check multiple accounts? Currently, it’s checking one account only

  4. I like Herald. It works similar to Mail Appitizer and also allows mark mail read and reply right from the transparent window. This lets me keep Mail window closed and work only with this.