MsgFiler 1.0 - Mac OS X Mail Productivity Add-On

MsgFiler and its folder selector that finds the right mailbox if you type but a few characters in its name make moving messages particularly smooth and easy in Mac OS X Mail. Of course, a bit more automation by filters or machine learning could be nice.

Pros

Cons

How do you file messages in Mac OS X Mail? Whether you drag and drop or use the menu, if you have more than a handful of mailboxes you probably also have some trouble finding the right target quickly. Since moving messages is a bit tedious, you postpone it (until more messages headed for that same folder have accumulated) — routinely.

MsgFiler shows that moving mail can also be sweet and easy. Press "Command-9", type a few characters of the target folder's name, use the "down" key to select the appropriate folder from the list as soon as you spot it (and it will be very soon indeed!), and hit "Enter". You can file about 7 messages to separate folders, I wager, in the time it takes to describe the process. A "show" button lets you open folders in the same manner, too.

With all its simplicity and style, MsgFiler could still be simpler for the user, of course, by remember oft-used mailboxes and making them even easier to reach, or even by learning some cues about messages and where you typically move them. Manual filters could also be helpful.

Even without these refinements MsgFiler is a great help moving mail in Mac OS X Mail, though — and it will help you do it routinely, too.