FAQ.
Mail Shepherd 3.0 for the Mac App Store (build 535) · Updated October 24, 2026
Does Mail Shepherd read my email?
No. It reads only each message’s headers (sender, subject, dates, Reply-To, Message-ID, mailing-list headers and iCloud’s authentication results) and its read and junk status, never message bodies or attachments. It never sets or clears the Flagged flag. See Privacy.
Does it send my data anywhere?
It talks only to your own iCloud account, to read and change your mail and to read your contacts. Your contacts are kept on this Mac only as one-way hashes of their addresses, with their domains. The version from the Take66 website also asks take66.ai which build is current, without sending anything about your mail. A message to support goes only when you send it.
Why does it need an app-specific password?
Apple lets you make a password just for Mail Shepherd, so it never needs your Apple Account password. It’s kept in this Mac’s keychain, and you can revoke it at account.apple.com at any time. See Settings.
Does Mail have to be open? Does Mail Shepherd control Mail?
No and no. Mail Shepherd works with iCloud directly, so Mail doesn’t need to be open, and it never controls Mail. It needs no Accessibility, Automation or Full Disk Access.
Which email accounts does it work with?
iCloud Mail accounts. Add each one on Settings with its own app-specific password.
Will it delete mail without asking?
No. It deletes only messages you choose: Delete Selected deletes the chosen Trash messages permanently (chosen Junk messages go to Trash), and Delete Permanently deletes one message for good. It asks first while Ask Before Deleting is on, and always while you hold Shift, Control, Option or Command. A Sweep or Auto-Sweep moves junk to Trash but never deletes it. See Deleting and Safety.
Can I try a Sweep without changing anything?
No, every Sweep changes mail. To look first, open Review Blocked and Review Junk: reading them changes nothing. Every change a Sweep makes is in the Action Log.
Does a Sweep ask before it starts?
No. It starts as soon as you click Sweep: it marks mail read, moves junk to Trash or your Inbox, and handles your Blocked Domains. Stop (⌘.) ends it after the current step.
How often should I run a Sweep?
Whenever junk piles up, or turn on Auto-Sweep on Automate and let Mail Shepherd do it while it’s open.
Why doesn’t Mail Shepherd tell me when it’s finished?
So it never interrupts you, especially when an Auto-Sweep runs while you’re away. The page simply updates. When something goes wrong, an orange warning triangle appears; click it to open the Action Log.
Why is my contact’s message still in Junk?
Mail from a contact or an Allowed Domain leaves Junk only if iCloud authenticated it and it passes all four spoof checks, since a junk sender can pretend to be someone you know. Otherwise it stays in Junk and is listed on Review Junk with why. Click Move to Inbox on its details if it’s genuine.
Why is a message on Review Blocked and not Review Junk?
Its sender or domain is blocked. A message shows on one Review page at most, and blocked wins.
How do I keep a sender’s mail out of Junk?
Add them to your contacts: on Review Junk, click one of their messages, then Open Contacts…. Once the contact syncs to iCloud, the next Sweep moves their junk to your Inbox. To always allow a whole domain, use Allowed Domains.
How do I unblock a sender or domain?
Click the sender on Blocked Senders. If Mail Shepherd blocks them, click Turn Off Blocking. If they’re on Mail’s Blocked Sender List, click Open Mail… and remove them in Mail (Settings › Junk Mail › Blocked); Mail Shepherd reads Mail’s list again before each Sweep. For domains, check them on the right of Blocked Domains and click Unblock.
Do my lists reach my iPhone and other devices?
What a Sweep does happens on iCloud, so moved and read mail looks the same everywhere. Mail Shepherd’s Blocked Senders, Blocked Domains and Allowed Domains are kept on this Mac and applied by Sweeps on this Mac. Mail’s Blocked Sender List is Mail’s own; Mail Shepherd reads it and never changes it.
Does Mail Shepherd have to stay open?
Only for Auto-Sweep. Turn on Open at Login on Settings to keep it running after you restart.
Can I use my Mac while it runs?
Yes, including Mail. An Auto-Sweep waits until you’ve left Mail Shepherd alone for 20 seconds, so it never starts while you’re working in it.
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