Welcome to the Aid4Mail Email Viewer, a powerful yet intuitive tool designed for professionals who need to efficiently browse, search, and review email collections. Whether you’re in digital forensics, eDiscovery, or litigation support, this guide will help you master the viewer’s features to streamline your workflow.
Key Features
The Email Viewer operates entirely on your local machine, requiring no web server and ensuring your data remains secure. It’s optimized for performance through virtual scrolling and optimized search algorithms, ensuring a responsive experience even with large collections.
Getting Started
Opening the Viewer
There are three ways to open the viewer:
- 1
Click the Open target link at the bottom of Aid4Mail’s Progress screen.
- 2
Navigate to your export folder and double-click
index.html - 3
Windows only: Double-click
Launch-Aid4Mail-Viewer.exe
Understanding the Interface
The Aid4Mail Email Viewer presents a clean, three-pane layout designed for efficient email review:
Top Panel (Toolbar)
- Search Bar: Quickly find emails using various criteria
- Folder Selector: Filter emails by their original folder
- Tag Actions: Commands for tagging and managing tags
- Security Toggle: Enable/disable email preview sandboxing
- Theme Toggle: Switch between light and dark modes
Center Panel (Email List)
Displays your emails with sortable columns including Date, From, Subject, Status, Attachments, and Classification.
Bottom Panel (Email Preview)
Shows the content of the selected email in a secure, sandboxed environment by default.
Deployment Options
The viewer supports flexible deployment scenarios:
- Local/Secure Sharing: Share via USB drives or secure network drives
- Web Server: Upload for collaborative review with authentication
- Public Access: Host publicly for FOIA responses or transparency
Viewing Emails
Navigating the Email List
- Scrolling: Virtual scrolling allows smooth navigation even with tens of thousands of emails
- Selection: Click an email to view its content in the preview panel
- Keyboard: Use Arrow Up/Down or J/K keys to move between emails
The Email Preview Pane
By default, each email is rendered in a sandboxed iframe with restricted permissions: JavaScript execution is blocked, external resources are not loaded, and email styles cannot affect the main viewer interface. This is crucial for digital forensics and eDiscovery professionals who must handle potentially malicious content safely.
Opening Emails in a New Window
For tasks such as accessing attachments or printing an email, click the Open email button in the toolbar (box with arrow icon).
Important
When you open an email in a new window, it is no longer within the viewer’s sandboxed environment. Always be cautious and verify the sender’s trustworthiness before interacting with content, especially attachments from unknown sources.
Searching Emails Efficiently
The search function offers both simple and advanced capabilities to help you quickly locate specific emails within large collections.
Search Modes
Standard Search
Word-prefix matching without field specifiers
- •
contfinds "contract" and "contact" - •
read.finds only "read" (exact match) - • Multiple words = phrase search
Fielded Search
Substring matching with field specifiers
- • Use
field:valuesyntax - • More flexible results
- • Combine multiple fields
Available Search Fields
Basic Fields
from:Sender name/emailto:Recipient fieldcc:CC fieldbcc:BCC fieldrecipients:All recipient fieldssubject:Email subjectdate:Date (prefix matching)
Advanced Fields
folder:Folder pathstatus:Email statushas:Attributes (attachment, starred, read)tag:Tag status (yes/no)class:AI classificationmih:Message ID Hash
Search Examples
from:alice subject:invoice Emails from Alice about invoices
date:2025-06 has:attachment -status:spam June 2025 emails with attachments, excluding spam
recipients:legal -tag:yes class:responsive Untagged responsive emails to legal team
Search Helper
Click the list icon next to the search bar to access quick patterns including tag searches, attribute searches, and example queries.
Organizing and Managing Emails
Tagging Emails for Review
Tagging is essential for eDiscovery and forensic review, allowing you to mark emails for various purposes—such as responsiveness, privilege, or further action—all while working offline.
How to Tag
- • Single: Click checkbox in email row
- • Bulk: Use Tag Actions menu
- • Search: Use
tag:yesortag:no
Tag Features
- • Persist across sessions (local storage)
- • Export tag lists as MIH values
- • Import tags from colleagues
- • Pre-configure with Tagged.js
Exporting and Importing Tags
Export Tags
Save tagged email MIH values to a date-stamped text file. Useful for:
- Archiving review decisions
- Collaborating with colleagues
- Integration with other eDiscovery tools
Import Tags
Apply tags from exported files using MIH matching. Existing tags are preserved, and the viewer reports how many emails were successfully tagged.
Sorting and Filtering
- Sorting: Click any column header to sort (click again to reverse)
- Folder Filter: Use dropdown to show emails from specific folders
Customizing Your View
Theme Options
- Automatic: Follows your operating system’s light/dark mode setting
- Manual Toggle: Click the sun/moon icon to switch themes
- Persistent: Your preference is saved for future sessions
Managing Email Preview Security
Sandboxing ON (Default)
Maximum security prevents:
- JavaScript execution
- Form submissions
- External resource loading
- Pop-ups and dialogs
Sandboxing OFF
Full functionality allows:
- JavaScript to run
- External resources to load
- Full CSS styling
- Interactive elements
Security Warning
Disabling sandboxing allows email content to execute scripts and access external resources. Only disable if you trust the email content and understand the security risks. Re-enable immediately after viewing trusted content.
Accessibility Features
The viewer is designed to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards, ensuring users with diverse needs can effectively navigate and review email collections.
Keyboard Navigation
Operate most functions using only your keyboard. See shortcuts below.
Screen Reader Support
Compatible with modern screen readers using ARIA labels and semantic HTML5.
High Contrast
Light and dark themes with proper contrast ratios for visual accessibility.
Skip Navigation
"Skip to main content" link available for faster navigation.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
↑ / ↓ or J / K | Navigate between emails |
Enter or Space | Open selected email preview |
/ | Jump to search box |
Escape | Exit search / Clear selection |
F6 | Switch focus between panels |
Ctrl+O (Mac: ⌘O) | Open email in new window |
F1 | Open user guide |
Security and Best Practices
Understanding the Viewer’s Security
- Sandboxed Display: Emails shown in isolated iframes with sandboxing enabled by default
- Offline Operation: Runs entirely client-side with no data sent to servers
- Local Storage Only: Settings and tags stored in browser local storage
Best Practices for Secure Review
Keep Sandboxing Enabled
Always start with sandboxing enabled, especially for unknown sources
Verify Sender Information
Scrutinize sender details before trusting email content
Exercise Caution with Attachments
Only open attachments after verifying trustworthiness or scanning for malware
Re-enable Sandboxing After Use
If you disable sandboxing temporarily, remember to re-enable it
Report Suspicious Behavior
Contact IT or support if you encounter security concerns
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Email Images Not Loading
Local images may be blocked by security restrictions when sandboxing is enabled.
Solution:
- Try disabling sandboxing temporarily if you trust the email source
- Alternatively, click the Open button to view in a new window
Email Content Not Displaying Properly
Emails may require JavaScript or external resources to display correctly.
Solution: Temporarily disable sandboxing if you trust the source, then re-enable after viewing.
Attachments Not Opening
Attachments are sandboxed and cannot open directly from the preview pane.
Solution: Click the Open button to view the email in a new window where attachments are accessible.
Scrolling Issues
Solution:
- Refresh the page:
Ctrl+R(or⌘Ron Mac) - Hard reload:
Ctrl+Shift+R(or⌘⇧Ron Mac)
Emails Not Loading
Check:
- Ensure
email-data.jsis present in the same folder asindex.html - Verify all email HTML files are in the
emails/subfolder - Open browser console (F12) to check for error messages
Search Not Working
Try:
- Clear browser cache and reload
- Ensure JavaScript is enabled
- Use a compatible browser (Chrome 90+, Firefox 88+, Safari 14+, Edge 90+)