How to Create a Group for List Mailing in macOS Mail

Build a mailing list on your Mac to message groups of people

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on December 4, 2022
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
lifewire's editorial guidelines

What to Know

  • To make an email group, go to Contacts > File > New Group, type a name, and press Enter.
  • To add members, go to Contacts > All Contacts, then drag and drop names into the group.

This article explains how to create a group for list mailing in macOS Mail on Macs running macOS Sierra (10.12) or later.

How to Make an Email Group in macOS

If you frequently email the same group of people when you send messages, assemble the relevant addresses into a group in the macOS Contacts application. That way, you can address messages to the group instead of the individuals in it. macOS Mail will send your email to each person in the group.

You could enter all their addresses one by one in the To, Cc, or Bcc field. However, making a group email saves time and ensures you include the same people each time you send a group email.

Before you can send a group email, you must create a group in the Contacts application and then select people to include. Here's how.

  1. Open the Contacts app on your Mac by clicking its icon in the Dock at the bottom of the screen.

    Contacts icon on the Dock of a Mac

  2. Select File > New Group from the Contacts menu bar.

    Contacts list menu bar showing New Group option

  3. Type a name for the new mailing list in the field that appears for an untitled group.

    A new unnamed group in Contacts

  4. Press Enter on the keyboard to save the new group, which currently has a new name but no members.

    Newly named group in Contacts on a Mac

How to Add Members to Your macOS Mail Group

Next, you add members to the group from your existing Contact entries or add new contacts as needed.

  1. Open the Contacts app on your Mac.

  2. Make sure the group list is visible in the Contacts app. If it isn't, go to View > Show Groups from the Contacts menu bar.

    The Show Groups option in the Contacts app on a Mac

  3. Click All Contacts at the top of the Group column on the left side of the screen to display every contact you have entered into the app in alphabetical order.

    Selecting All Contacts in the Contacts app on a Mac

  4. Drag and drop individual contact names in the list of names in the center column onto the new group you formed in the Group column. If more than one email address is listed for a given contact, macOS Mail uses the recently used address when sending a message to the list.

    If no email is listed on the contact, that person won't receive an email. However, you can click the contact's name and select Edit at the bottom of the contact's card to add an email address.

  5. If you need to add a new contact to the group, choose the plus sign (+) under the large contact card, select New Contact in the drop-down menu, and enter the contact's details. The new contact shows up under All Contacts automatically, where you can drag and drop it onto the group you just formed.

When you finish dragging contacts onto the new group, click its name in the group list to see the people you added.

If you decide to remove someone from a group, click the name to highlight it and press the Delete key on the keyboard. The name is removed from the group but not from the All Contacts list in the Contacts app.

To send an email to the group, open a new message in Mail and type the new group name in the To field. That action populates the field with the email addresses of the group members automatically.

FAQ
  • How do I BCC in Apple Mail?

    To use the Mac Mail BCC option, select New Message, select the drop-down menu at the top of the screen, and choose BCC Address Field. Enter your recipients' email addresses, put an address in the To field, and send your message.

  • How do I schedule an email in Apple Mail?

    To schedule an email in the Mail app on an iPhone, create your email, then tap and hold Send > choose Send Later. Enter a date and time and tap Done.

  • How do I add a signature in Apple Mail?

    To add a signature in Apple Mail, go to the Mail menu and select Preferences > Signatures > your email account. Click the plus (+) icon at the bottom of the Signatures window, describe your signature (e.g., "work"), and add your new signature information.

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