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How to Add and Change the Reply-To Header in macOS Mail

Use a Reply-To header to outsmart your spam filter

By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 8, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Yahoo! Mail Gmail

What to Know

When composing, go to View > Reply-To Address Field. Enter new addresses in the Reply-To field. Send as usual.The keyboard shortcut to add the Reply-To address field is Command+Option+R.Each new email displays an empty Reply-To header until you disable it. Toggle off, leave blank, or add a different address for each email. By default, responses to emails you send from macOS Mail are sent to the address entered in the From field. If you prefer to have responses sent to a different address than the one in the From field, add a Reply-To header to the email and enter a different address. We show you how to do this using Apple Mail 11 and later.

How to Add a Reply-To Header in macOS Mail

If you don't see a Reply-To header on your new email screen, add the Reply-To field and then enter an email address. Here's how: Create a new message by clicking the Compose button in Mail. Select View > Reply-To Address Field in the Mail menu bar to add a Reply-To header to your email. The keyboard shortcut is Command-Option-R. Type the email address to which you want replies to go in the Reply-To field. Continue writing your message and send it as usual.

Why Use a Reply-To Header

The reply-to header can be useful when you're afraid the reply to an email might fall into your spam filter. For example, if you did not get an email—a newsletter, perhaps—you expected to receive, you might inquire from the sender whether the message was delivered normally by sending an email. If you use your normal email address for that inquiry, you may never see the reply. The same spam filter that caught the newsletter might catch the reply, too. You can't use a different email address altogether, though, because then the sender might not recognize you. This is the right time to add a Reply-To header to your email. Kronick / Getty Images

Change the Header for Each Email

After you turn on the Reply-To header, each new email displays an empty Reply-To header until you disable the feature. You can toggle it off, leave it blank, or type a different return email address in it for each email you send. If you are sure you want to automatically add the same Reply-To header to every message you send, the Mail application can do that for you automatically, but you have to go into Terminal to make the permanent change, and you can't modify it in the Mail application afterward. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Specify a Reply-To Address in Outlook.com How to Forward an Email as an Attachment in Outlook How to Change the Email Sender Name in Microsoft Outlook How to Send Email to Undisclosed Recipients From Gmail How to Send Mail From All Your Accounts in Yahoo! Mail How to Send iPhone Mail From a Different Account The Quick and Easy Way to Add Bcc Recipients in MacOS Mail How to Send a Message From a Different Account in OS X Mail How to Send a New Email With iPhone Mail App How to Send Group Emails on Your iPhone or iPad How to See Bcc Recipients of Your Emails in Mac OS X Mail How to Add Strikethrough Text in macOS Mail How to Reply to an Email in Yahoo Mail Hide the Preview Pane and Delete Mail Without Opening It How to Send Email to Bcc Recipients in iPhone Mail How to Email Multiple Recipients Using Cc and Bcc Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies