- name
- osascript-email
- description
- Send emails on macOS via AppleScript (osascript) using Mail.app — no SMTP credentials, passwords, or API keys required. Use when: sending automated emails from macOS, sending standup reports or alerts via email, emailing from a cron job or agent, or when other email tools (sendmail, himalaya, SMTP) are unavailable or unconfigured. Requires Mail.app to be installed and configured with at least one account. NOT for: bulk email sends; HTML email; email with large attachments; non-macOS environments.
osascript-email
Send email via Mail.app using AppleScript. No password or API key needed — Mail.app handles auth.
Prerequisites
- macOS with Mail.app installed
- At least one email account configured in Mail.app
- Verify the sender address matches a configured Mail.app account
- Authorization: This skill sends email silently from Mail.app. Only use with explicit user consent. Never use to send on behalf of a user without their knowledge.
Quick send (exec)
Use exec to run an inline osascript command. The script below is the canonical pattern — copy it exactly, then substitute values.
osascript << 'APPLESCRIPT'
tell application "Mail"
set m to make new outgoing message with properties {subject:"YOUR SUBJECT", content:"YOUR BODY", visible:false}
tell m
make new to recipient with properties {address:"recipient@example.com"}
make new to recipient with properties {address:"cc@example.com"}
end tell
send m
end tell
return "sent"
APPLESCRIPTEscaping rules:
- Double quotes inside subject/content must be escaped:
\" - Backslashes must be doubled:
\\ - Newlines inside content: use `\
` (AppleScript treats literal newlines in the string as content)
Python helper (for agent scripts)
Use when sending email from a Python cron script or agent workflow. Copy the function from scripts/send_email.py — do not rewrite it.
from scripts.send_email import send_email
send_email(
subject="Daily Report — 2026-01-01",
body="Here is the summary...",
to="primary@example.com",
cc="secondary@example.com", # optional
sender="your-mail-app-account@icloud.com" # must match Mail.app account
)See scripts/send_email.py for the full implementation.
Multi-recipient
Add additional make new to recipient lines inside the tell m block:
make new to recipient with properties {address:"a@example.com"}
make new to recipient with properties {address:"b@example.com"}Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
osascript: Mail got an error | Mail.app not open or account not configured | Open Mail.app, check accounts |
| Email lands in Drafts | send m not reached (script errored before) | Check escape characters |
execution error: Mail got an error: Invalid recipient | Address typo | Verify recipient address |
| Email sends but empty body | Newline escape issue in content string | Use Python helper instead |
returncode != 0 with no stderr | osascript permission denied | Grant Automation permission: macOS Ventura+: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Automation; older macOS: System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Automation |
Limitations
- Plain text only (no HTML, no inline images)
- Attachments possible but require additional AppleScript — see
references/attachments.md - Rate: Mail.app will queue and send; not suitable for bulk sends (>10 emails)
- Sender must be a configured Mail.app account — cannot spoof arbitrary addresses