User level: Level 1 (4 points)Hi, I would like to better understand how the Mail Previous Recipients List works. With each contact (mail) it shows the date it was last used - does the date show only the date I used the e-mail (so contacted it), or does it also take into an account the last time I received an email from them?
Thank you for your help!
Posted on Oct 22, 2026 12:24 AM
User level: Level 10 (123,805 points)Oct 22, 2026 2:09 AM in response to Tereza_111
In Apple Mail on your MacBook Air (M2, 2023), the Previous Recipients list keeps track of email addresses you have used when sending messages.
The Last Used date indicates when you last used an address as a recipient, rather than simply when you last received an email from that person.
For example, if someone emails you on October 20 but you don't reply, that incoming message alone should not update the date.
However, Apple's documentation explains the purpose of the list but does not explicitly confirm the precise update rules for the Last Used date.
For further information, please consult Apple's official guides:
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256380702