Email rules
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View as MarkdownWrite a rule in a sentence and alfred_ applies it to every email that comes in: put a client first, archive a digest, forward invoices, or text you when a message arrives.
On this page
An email rule is a standing instruction. Say it in a sentence and alfred_ applies it to every email that arrives from then on.
Making a rule
Ask alfred_ anywhere, or go to Settings → Rules:
- “Text me when an email from Dana Lee arrives”
- “Anything from @acmelaw.com is a client, put it first”
- “Archive the weekly report from reports@vendor.com”
- “Move receipts to the Receipts folder”
- “Forward invoices from Northside to billing@mycompany.com”
What a rule can do
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Text you | Sends you a text when a matching email arrives, with who it’s from and what they need |
| Protect | Keeps a sender in your inbox and first on Home, even if it looks like a newsletter |
| Label | Tags matching mail so it’s easy to find |
| Move | Files matching mail into a folder |
| Archive | Takes matching mail out of the inbox. Nothing is deleted |
| Forward | Sends a copy of matching mail to an address you choose |
| Draft tone, or no draft | Changes how alfred_ drafts replies to a sender, or stops drafts for them |
A rule matches on who sent it, the domain, what the email is about, attachments, and whether you’re on To or CC. Rules can’t reply to anyone.
When a rule is saved
- A rule that only texts you or labels mail is saved right away, and alfred_ tells you what it saved.
- A rule that archives, moves or forwards is shown to you first, and saved when you say yes.
After that, rules run on each matching email without asking again. That’s the point of a rule: you set it once.
Managing rules
Settings → Rules lists every rule you have, and the senders you’ve pinned or muted. Change or turn off a rule there, or ask alfred_ (“stop texting me about Dana’s emails”).
Rules and quiet hours
Rules that text you respect quiet hours. Alerts that come in during quiet hours wait and arrive together when quiet hours end.
Team rules
On a team, an admin can share rules with the whole team. A shared rule is off for each person until they turn it on. See Team library.
Rules or routines?
A rule acts on each email as it arrives. A routine does a bigger job, like a report or a round-up, on a schedule or when a matching email lands.