# Connect Apple Mail

> Every account Mail already has, iCloud, Exchange, Gmail or any IMAP, in your Mac's notch. New unread mail in your inboxes, or only from the people and domains you pick, with no password given to CoIsland.

Source: https://coisland.app/docs/connect-applemail/

## What you need

- **You need:** No token, from Mail open; macOS asks to let CoIsland control Mail
- **The form asks:** Connector name
- **You can watch:** Unread mail, Mail from people
- **Access:** Read unread messages while Mail is open, never marking one read

To connect Apple Mail you need Mail open with your accounts in it. CoIsland asks Mail for its unread messages on your Mac: no password or app password for CoIsland, and nothing leaves the Mac. CoIsland reads Mail only while it is open and never opens it.

## Connect Apple Mail in CoIsland

1. Open **Mail**.
2. Open **Settings › Connectors**, click **+** and choose **Apple Mail**. Keep the name `mail`, or type your own.
3. Click **Test connector**. macOS asks "CoIsland wants access to control Mail": click **OK**. A success lists Mail's accounts and how many messages are unread in the inboxes.
4. Click **Add Connector**.

If you click **Don't Allow**, turn it on later in **System Settings › Privacy & Security › Automation › CoIsland › Mail**.

## Choose what to watch

- **Unread mail** alerts on each new unread message in every account's inbox, or in the mailboxes you pick.
- **Mail from people** alerts only on unread mail from the addresses or `@domains` you pick. Mail does not share its VIP list with other apps: add your VIPs here.

```sql
-- name: Mail from Acme
-- kind: applemail.senders
-- every: 1m

mailbox:inbox from:@acme.com
```

The kinds are `applemail.unread` and `applemail.senders`. `mailbox:` takes `inbox` or `Account/Mailbox` (write a space as `%20`; the editor lists them while Mail is open) and may repeat; `from:` takes an address or `@domain` and may repeat.

## What an Apple Mail alert shows

The subject, the sender, the account and the mailbox. Opened, it asks Mail for the recipients and the text, shown as plain text; the message stays unread. **Open in Mail** shows the message in Mail.

## Troubleshooting

- **Mail is not open.** Open Mail; the next check reads it. CoIsland never opens Mail itself.
- **CoIsland has not been allowed to read Mail yet.** Open Mail and press Test connector.
- **CoIsland may not read Mail. Turn Mail on under CoIsland in Privacy & Security › Automation.** **Open System Settings** goes there.
- **Mail took too long to answer.** A very large mailbox can be slow; the next check tries again. Pick a smaller mailbox if it keeps happening.

Next: the [Apple Mail connector](https://coisland.app/applemail/) for what it watches.