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If you have more than one email account set up in Apple’s Mail application, you might have noticed that, at some point, you sent an email from the wrong email account. Why? Because Mac OS X’s default configuration for composing or replying to email addresses is to send an email from the previously viewed account. That means that if you have a Gmail account and a MobileMe account, when you start typing a new email, Mail is going to send your email from whichever account you last looked at!
Does this make any sense? On the one hand, yes it does. Many people have separate email accounts for separate purposes, such as one for work and another for friends and family. If you’ve just looked at a work email and click the “New Message” button, it makes some amount of sense to assume you’ll want to send an email from the work account.
Of course, the problem is that you won’t always feel that way, and unless you’re conscious of what is selected on the “From:” line in your email (it’s the last selection line before your email text), you might send the message using the wrong account.
Luckily, you can change Mail’s behavior to allow you to have a default account. What is a default account?
- When you select a default account, Mail will use this account whenever you create a new message, regardless of which account you last viewed. You still have the option of changing the account you’re sending from by modifying it in the “From:” selection.
- When you are replying to a message you received, Mail will assume you want to reply to the message using whichever account in which you received the message (but again, you can change this by selecting a different address on the From: line).
Changing Your Default Email Account
- To change your default email account, you first need to open Mail and go into its preferences. You can find the preferences either by holding down the command key and pressing the comma key, or you can go up to the Mail menu and select Preferences.
- From the Preferences window, select the Composing tab.
- Under the Addressing section, there is a line that reads, “Send new mail from:” and allows you to make a selection from a pop-up menu. Here is where you select the mail account you want to use.
- Change “Account of last viewed mailbox” to the account you prefer, and you’re done! Simply close the preferences window, click to create a new message, and notice that the “From:” line contains the email address you selected.
Did this tip work for you? Do you have a better way of handling multiple mail accounts in Apple’s Mail program? Let others know in the comments section!
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Thank you so much for this tip. I have sent out numerous emails from the wrong account and it’s frustrating when that happens. This will solve everything! Great article. Thank you.
Thanks that was driving me nuts
Thanks! Also, is there a way to set a default “From” account when replying? I have multiple accounts but want to only use one when replying to messages. Unfortunately I can’t find a way other than manually selecting the “From” account every time I send a message.