The Persistent Email Client
Many Mac users encounter a frustrating daily occurrence: every time they power on their computer or log into their user account, the default Apple Mail application automatically launches, sometimes even bouncing aggressively in the dock or throwing an empty inbox window right into the middle of the screen. If you exclusively use webmail (like Gmail in your browser) or prefer a third-party email client like Outlook, having the built-in Mail app force itself into your workflow on every boot wastes system resources and adds an unnecessary step to your morning routine as you immediately click “Quit.”
Revoking Startup Privileges
To ensure that Apple Mail only runs when you explicitly click on it and to stop macOS from automatically launching it in the background, you must inspect your user account’s login items.
Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings. Scroll down the left-hand navigation sidebar and click on General. In the right-hand panel, click on Login Items. You will see a list of applications grouped under “Open at Login.” Look closely at this list. If you see Mail listed here, click on it once to highlight it, and then click the small Minus (-) button at the bottom of the list to remove it. Furthermore, check your Dock. If the Mail icon is present, right-click (or Control-click) the icon, hover over Options, and ensure that Open at Login is absolutely unchecked. The application will no longer start automatically when you boot your Mac.