Would you like to spend less time filing your email messages? If so, you should try MsgFiler. It is a keyboard-based filing system for Apple Mail. MsgFiler (read “Message Filer”) is critical to me. I should note that Mail uses the term Mailbox instead of mail folder, but in this context they are synonymous.

MsgFiler is a plug-in for Apple’s Mail application. It lets me quickly file email messages into mail folders which I have already created using only keystrokes.  This way I don’t have to waste time moving my hand onto the mouse to open a folder or sub-folder. Here’s how it works: I select one or more messages in my Inbox. I then press Command-9 which brings up the MsgFiler window. Next, I type the first few characters of a folder name. MsgFiler displays a list of folders whose names match the characters I’ve typed. I can either type a couple more characters until the list of matches is only one folder or I can use the arrow key to select the folder from the matches. Pressing the Return key then moves the email message into the selected folder. MsgFiler gives me the option of copying the message if I prefer that instead of moving it.

MsgFiler can also be used to quickly open a mail folder using only keystrokes. This is a fast way to open a folder that is buried inside several levels of folders.

You can watch a short video on the developer’s web site to see how MsgFiler works. As of early 2018, MsgFiler costs $10.