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Creating and Managing Email Rules

Email Rules allow you to automatically organize, tag, and manage emails based on specific conditions. This powerful feature helps you maintain an organized inbox without manual effort.

What Are Email Rules?โ€‹

Email Rules are automated actions that run when emails match certain conditions. For example:

  • Automatically tag emails from specific senders
  • Move emails containing certain keywords to specific folders
  • Archive emails from mailing lists
  • Mark important emails based on subject patterns
Prerequisite

Email Rules must be enabled in Setup โ†’ Settings โ†’ Mailbox Settings before you can use this feature.


Accessing Email Rulesโ€‹

  1. Navigate to Mailbox โ†’ Rules in the main menu
  2. Or click the Rules button in the mailbox interface

Creating a New Ruleโ€‹

Step 1: Open the Rule Editorโ€‹

Click the Add Rule button (usually a "+" icon). The rule editor modal will open.

Step 2: Define Rule Nameโ€‹

Enter a descriptive name, such as "Tag Support Emails", "Archive Newsletters", or "Mark VIP Emails as Important".

Step 3: Set Conditionsโ€‹

Conditions determine when the rule should apply. You can add multiple conditions.

Available Condition Types:

ConditionDescription
FromEmail sender matches specific address or domain
SubjectSubject line contains specific text
BodyEmail body contains specific text
ToEmail is sent to specific address
Has AttachmentEmail has attachments (yes/no)
TagEmail has specific tag
Read StatusEmail is read/unread

Condition Logic:

  • All conditions must match (AND): Rule applies only if all conditions are true
  • Any condition matches (OR): Rule applies if any condition is true

Step 4: Define Actionsโ€‹

Actions specify what happens when conditions are met. You can add multiple actions.

Available Actions:

ActionDescription
Add TagAssign a tag to the email
Remove TagRemove a tag from the email
Move to FolderMove email to specific folder (Archive, Trash, etc.)
Mark as ImportantMark email as important
Mark as Read/UnreadChange read status
Star/UnstarAdd or remove star
DeleteDelete the email (use with caution!)

Step 5: Set Rule Orderโ€‹

Rules are processed in order. Lower numbers = higher priority (processed first).

Step 6: Enable/Disable & Saveโ€‹

Toggle the rule on/off and click Save. The rule will immediately start processing new matching emails.


Example Rulesโ€‹

Example 1: Tag Support Emailsโ€‹

SettingValue
NameTag Support Emails
ConditionsFrom contains: support@ OR Subject contains: support ticket
ActionsAdd Tag: "Support"
Order1

Result: All emails from support addresses or with "support ticket" in the subject are automatically tagged as "Support".

Example 2: Archive Newslettersโ€‹

SettingValue
NameArchive Newsletters
ConditionsFrom contains: newsletter@ OR Subject contains: newsletter OR Subject contains: unsubscribe
ActionsMove to Folder: "Archive", Mark as Read: Yes
Order2

Result: Newsletter emails are automatically archived and marked as read.

Example 3: Mark VIP Emails as Importantโ€‹

SettingValue
NameVIP Emails
ConditionsFrom contains: [email protected] OR From contains: [email protected] OR Subject contains: [URGENT]
ActionsMark as Important: Yes, Add Tag: "VIP"
Order1

Result: Emails from VIP senders or with urgent subjects are automatically marked as important and tagged.


Managing Rulesโ€‹

Editing Rulesโ€‹

  1. Navigate to Mailbox โ†’ Rules
  2. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) on the rule
  3. Modify conditions, actions, or settings
  4. Click Save

Deleting Rulesโ€‹

  1. Navigate to Mailbox โ†’ Rules
  2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
  3. Confirm the deletion
warning

Deleting a rule is permanent and cannot be undone.

Reordering Rulesโ€‹

Rules are processed in order. Use drag-and-drop handles or edit the rule's order number. Rules with lower order numbers are processed first.

info

The order matters! If multiple rules match the same email, they'll all be applied in order.


Testing Rulesโ€‹

  1. Create or edit the rule and save it
  2. Send a test email that matches the rule's conditions
  3. Check if the actions were applied correctly
  4. Review the Activity Log for rule execution messages

Best Practicesโ€‹

  1. Start Simple - Begin with basic rules and add complexity as needed
  2. Test First - Test rules with a few emails before applying broadly
  3. Use Descriptive Names - Name rules clearly so you remember their purpose
  4. Order Matters - Place more specific rules before general ones
  5. Review Regularly - Periodically review and update rules as needs change
  6. Be Careful with Delete - Avoid using "Delete" action unless absolutely necessary
  7. Combine Conditions - Use multiple conditions to make rules more precise

Common Issuesโ€‹

Rule Not Working:

  • Verify rule is enabled
  • Check condition logic (AND vs OR) and spelling
  • Review rule order
  • Ensure Email Rules feature is enabled in Settings

Too Many Rules Applied:

  • Review rule order and conditions - more specific rules should have lower order numbers

Rules Processing Slowly:

  • Reduce the number of rules or simplify conditions