Mac mail - rules valid but do not automatically apply

[straussjon]

Hi there

Ive got an iCloud account and set up a load of rules. I think they have worked in the past (i think) but I've just come back from holiday and found a load of emails that havent gone to their designated folders. Ive checked that they adhere to the rules by right clicking the message and selecting 'Apply Rules' and then it does move to its folder. So my question is why isn't it automatic and is there an option for this?

Thanks in advance.

El Capitain 10.11.3

 

[Scary Spice]

As a long time Mail user, I have had flakey rules enforcement for as long as I can remember.

Finally MS has mac Outlook to a point where it is useable and reliable.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I suspect it's because you have the rules set up in Mail and since the messages weren't "new" when you opened Mail (upon your return from holiday), and you had read the mails on a different device, the rules weren't applied. Someone else may be able to confirm this.

If you can set up the same rules at the iCloud webmail site then you'll avoid this behavior.

 

[straussjon]

Thanks Brian, makes sense. Ill set up the rules in iCloud and will post back if the behaviour still isn't as expected.
Cheers.

 

[KALLT]

BrianBaughn is correct. Mail “rules” will only be applied upon incoming mails in your inbox. Once you read them on another device then these read emails will be synced the next time you open Mail, as a result of which the rules will not be applied. Perhaps there are some plugins that can alleviate this, but I am not sure.

 

[straussjon]

So i presume you mean that if you set them up in iCloud then the rules effectively run before they're read on any devices. I have set them up - so far it works. Thanks for your help.