Types of Apple Mail Extensions
Extensions are categorized based on their core features, though these days some may offer more than one function. These are the 4 main types:
- Compose. These help you write emails through a variety of ways such as smart suggestions, email templates, and even checkers to validate your recipients’ email addresses as you type them.
- Take Action. Everything that has to do with managing your inbox falls under this category. Common features include smart tags for easier organization of files and emails, actions that allow you to flag certain messages or automatically move them to another mailbox, automated e-mail clean-up, and more.
- Content Tracker Blocker. These extensions help protect your privacy and block suspicious content and trackers. They can prevent remote attachments (e.g. images or videos) from being loaded automatically when you open emails and only do so with your permission.
- Increase Security. Straightforward but very strong, this type of extension helps you with encrypting, decrypting, and signing emails securely.
Downloading Apple Mail Extensions
There are two places where you can download extensions for Apple Mail:
- App Store. Official extensions are usually found here.
- Official developer website. Extensions can also be downloaded via their official websites. Just make sure you’re downloading from a trusted source to avoid any security risks.
📌 Important tip: Before you download, make sure that the extension is compatible with your current Mac OS. To ensure you’re downloading the correct version, search for the indicated OS versions the extension is compatible with on the App Store page or the official developer website.
How to Use Apple Mail Extensions
To begin using an extension, you must first double-click the downloaded file and go through its installation process. They are typically stored in your device under ~Library/Mail/Bundles. Afterwards, you’ll need to activate it before it reflects in Apple Mail. You can do so by following these 3 steps:
- Open Apple Mail.
- On the menu bar, select Mail → Settings.
- In the popup window, select Extensions and choose which one you want to turn on.
Most Popular Extensions for Apple Mail
Extensions can help with a number of features, from basics like searching through mail to setting custom rules. Get started with some of the best Apple Mail extensions below:
For Email Composition & Content Creation
1. MailButler
Compatible with macOS 10.15, macOS 12, macOS 11 Big Sur
MailButler is an award-winning extension with an impressive list of features, so don’t be surprised when you see them on this list more than once! Its Smart Assistant is worth highlighting because it basically gives you an AI email assistant. It can help you write, reply, summarize, and even proofread emails, saving you a lot of time and effort.
MailButler can also be used as an email organization tool! Its inbox-organizing features include Smart Tags, Email Tracking, Automated Tasks, Snooze, Smart Send Later, and many more.
Image source: MailButler’s official website
2. ReplyCube
Compatible with macOS 12 or greater
If your line of work requires you to type out the same responses to multiple emails every day, an email management extension like ReplyCube can save you a lot of time.
Its main feature is called “canned messages,” which are essentially email or message templates that you can save on iCloud. You can access them on any of your devices, whether that’s iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and drag, select, or copy and paste your saved responses to your Compose window.
If you have a variety of canned messages, you can also organize them across different categories, making high-volume replies much easier to deal with.
Image source: 9to5Mac
For Organizing Your Inbox
3. EagleFiler
Compatible with macOS 13 and later
This filer lets you do an eagle-eyed search through all your files, from notes, emails, and web pages. The three-panel interface allows you to place files in corresponding folders, annotate with notes and tags, or sift through them quickly using a live spotlight search.
Image source: Mac App Store
4. MailSteward
Compatible with macOS 16 or greater
If you’re looking for an email manager that can do some serious heavy lifting, this one is for you. Mail Steward comes free for 15,000 emails and can sort through years’ worth of mail in an easy-to-use archive. Its premium versions, MailSteward Pro and MailSteward Lite, are recommended for enterprise accounts and users who want to organize over 15,000 emails respectively.
Image source: Softpedia
For Blocking Trackers
6. Mail Tracker Blocker
Compatible with macOS 14.3 and greater
You might not know it, but some marketers have spy pixels in their emails that let them track your activity. To keep your inbox protected, this blocker can identify which ones are tracking you and then remove the spy pixels from the HTML.
Image source: https://apparition47.github.io/MailTrackerBlocker/
For Increased Email Security
7. SpamSieve
Compatible with macOS 15, macOS 14, and macOS 13 Ventura
Known as the most accurate spam filter for Mac—even stronger than Mail’s in-app spam filter—this extension rids your inbox of unwanted emails. There are personalized filters that allow you to customize which messages are good or not, as well as an allowlist and a blocklist to ensure the accuracy of filtered messages.
Image source: C-Command SpamSieve’s website
8. GPG Suite
Compatible with macOS 10.15 and greater
GPG Suite, an open-source and free software, is a stronghold that keeps your files protected. It can encrypt, decrypt, sign, and verify files or messages. Apart from the extension, its other services include GPG Keychain, GPG Services (that integrates its features into almost any Mac application), and the encryption engine itself called MacGPG.
Image source: GPG Suite’s official website
9. Mac Mail PGP Extension
Compatible with macOS 14.0 and greater
An alternative for email protection is PGP (“Pretty Good Privacy”) encryption. Closed-source and proprietary, these typically come with licensing fees. However, it can be worth the extra expense considering that it’s one of the most secure forms of data protection.
This PGP extension integrates encryption straight to your workflow, so you can sign and encrypt sensitive and confidential emails with ease.
Image source: Mac App Store
10. PwMailExt
Compatible with macOS 13.6 or greater
This extension uses a key encryption method to protect emails when installed on both sides.
After downloading, there’s no need to adjust settings. You can continue to use your Mail app as is, and emails with registered recipients are automatically encrypted or decrypted.
Image source: Mac App Store
Bonus: Enhance Your Apple Mail Experience with Clean Email
Email extensions are useful, but sometimes they might not cover all your mailbox issues. If you're looking for a tool that combines most of these functionalities into one app, consider Clean Email. You can download the app for Mac, iPhone, or iPad and enjoy its features alongside your Apple Mail app.
The Clean Email app includes features like Cleaning Suggestions, Smart Folders, and many more useful tools to keep your inbox organized. With it, you can unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters in bulk and apply complex filters that make sorting through mail a breeze.
Additionally, it has a security feature called Privacy Monitor that lets you monitor data breaches, ensuring your information is always protected.
You can also benefit from the Screener tool, which intercepts messages from unknown senders, keeping them out of your inbox until you review and either block or allow them.
While Clean Email is not an Apple Mail extension itself, it can be used alongside Apple Mail extensions, giving you the freedom to clean up your inbox as you prefer while still using your favorite email client. The best part is that the app is also available on the web and is compatible with any platform, including Mac, iOS, and Android devices.
Wrap-up
Apple’s Mail extensions are great additions for managing your inbox, with different options that address various email concerns. If you’re looking for more capabilities from your email, don’t be so quick to look for other email clients such as Gmail just yet. Consider pairing your Apple Mail extensions with an inbox cleaner app like Clean Email. Their features help you optimize and navigate any inbox with peace of mind.
