Notifications on desktop Mac of e-mails from my wife

When my wife is out, the most reliable way for her to contact me is via e-mail. When I'm working on a novel, I don't like to be disturbed by the presence of open browsers or even of notification of e-mails received as many apps will do. But is there an app or Chrome add-in (or add-in for another browser for that matter) that can be set up up to notify me only of e-mails received from specific addresses, like my wife's. I don't have a smart phone and we don't have mobile reception at home anyway.

In Apple Mail > Preferences, the General tab has the option for "New message notifications:", select VIPs, and make sure your wife's email address has VIP status.

Thanks for the reply. I forgot to say I don't use Mail. My e-mails got so tangled up, I decided to do without it. But if all else fails I could try and resurrect it.

Then, if you receive email notifications, from your email providers web interface, they may a similar setting, for how Notifications are handled?

Sadly, not that I can find.

How about using Messages instead? She can text you instead of emailing and it will pop as a notification, then disappear in a few seconds. Will that work, or do too many people have your phone number for texting?

That's a thought but too many people do have my number for texting. I'm surprised I haven't yet found a Gmail app that gives more control over notifications received. CheckerPlus for Gmail comes close with a sound played when a chosen e-mail comes in but I would prefer something more concrete like a pop-up. A sound could be missed if I have background music on.

Are the sounds customizable? If so, have your wife record something you would notice, like "Hey, it's me, pick it up!" You would most likely hear that over any music. Our ears get attuned to spouses...

MacInWin said:

Are the sounds customizable? If so, have your wife record something you would notice, like "Hey, it's me, pick it up!" You would most likely hear that over any music. Our ears get attuned to spouses...

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I'd say resurrecting Mail.app email would be the easiest solution and stop all non-wife notifications, but setup a rule for any from her to play a loud custom sound, and/or maybe even flash the display.

The rule could even be set to only work when certain text is included to trigger the rule. The Rule setup even allows new custom sounds to be used, and something better than "Beep" or some feeble default sound would be best. Lots out there on the web… even possibly something of a screaming banshee, just to get one's attention of course. No implication intended of course!!!


PS: Lots right here that should certainly get one's attention and maybe create a mess somewhere personal if one was busy writing… ;-(

https://www.pond5.com/sound-effects/1/banshee.html

And this still works:
Mac tip: How to pick a new alert sound, or install your own
https://heresthethingblog.com/2013/11/19/mac-tip-pick-alert-sound-install/

And typical source etc:
http://soundbible.com



- Patrick
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Thanks for the ideas but I really don't like unwanted noises and don't need to be using Mail. I'm actually coming down on one of two possibilities. One is an app that sits on the menu bar and gives me access to Gmail even when the browser is closed. It will notify me of all news e-mails sadly but I can hopefully learn to ignore the ones other than those from my wife. The other is an add-in for Chrome which will do exactly as I want but I find it a little unwieldy and I may be changing my browser anyway before long. Will go the Mail route if I find the notifications too distracting. Thanks for the help everyone.

Is your wife, using a Mac, to send you emails? If so, you can both set up Messages, and use that to communicate, instead of using email.

She's using an iPhone. Her own computer is a PC. That's an interesting thought. I know nothing about Messages - I've never got into it - but it might be worth me checking out setting it up. Is it iMessage on the iPhone? Presumably, I would receive a pop-up notification in the same way as I would with Mail. And I wouldn't receive messages from anyone else. Is that right?

You rejected Messages when I suggested it in post #6. You will receive messages from anyone who texts you that knows your telephone number. You said that would be too distracting. (Although, you don't need to advertise that you are now using Messages, so maybe nobody but your wife will know?)

Sorry. Having another look at it. And don't quite understand it. My wife tried sending me a text but using my e-mail address and it worked. Our mobile phones are useless at home and the surrounding area because there is no reception. So presumably people who know my e-mail address and are on a Mac or iPhone could send me a message. Is that right? And to get a notification from Messages of my wife's text I just need to set up Messages in Notifications. I've used a Mac for nine years but this is a side of the OS that I've never dealt with or never felt the need to. I'm running El Capitan right now on a 2009 Mac Mini and need to buy a new one. Maybe Messages is more sophisticated now. Is there the option to restrict messages received to certain addresses?

Mikethebook said:

She's using an iPhone. Her own computer is a PC. That's an interesting thought. I know nothing about Messages - I've never got into it - but it might be worth me checking out setting it up. Is it iMessage on the iPhone? Presumably, I would receive a pop-up notification in the same way as I would with Mail. And I wouldn't receive messages from anyone else. Is that right?

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If you set it up properly, and only have it associated with your Apple ID email address, and not list your phone number, you should be fine.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202549

Depending on which iOS version is on the iPhone, it should just be the Messages app. Your wife would need to set it up to use your Apple ID email address, and send messages to that. This way, will only work with Apple devices, so that may be an issue, if she is on her winOS pc.

It can also be used for FaceTime with this setup.

Sounds good! Messages is only associated with my Apple ID e-mail address. I never quote my mobile phone because it's basically useless here. I don't know what iOS version my wife is using. How do you find out? The iPhone (6 Plus) was a recent gift from her son and she says it has iMessage on. She must already have it set up because she sent me a test text using my e-mail address. Happily she has no cause to contact me through her PC. Thanks very much. We'll give that a try for a while. I should be able to close my browsers and get on with some writing and still receive a message from my wife when she's out.