The Bat! Professional Edition 12.3.1

The Bat! Professional Edition: Secure, Feature-Rich Desktop Email Client for Windows

The Bat! Professional Edition from Ritlabs is a Windows-native email client focused on security, configurability, and automated mail handling. Targeted at power users, IT professionals, and small teams that require local message control and advanced processing, the application supports POP3 and IMAP, modern TLS connections including TLS 1.3, and full Unicode handling for internationalized messages and domain names.

Security and Data Control

• End-to-end encryption: Native support for PGP/GnuPG (GPG) and S/MIME enables encrypted and digitally signed messages using either internal implementations or the Microsoft CryptoAPI.
• Local storage and on-the-fly encryption: Messages and indexes are stored locally on the PC with options for on-the-fly data encryption to limit reliance on cloud storage and retain direct control over mail archives.
• TLS and certificate management: Connections to mail servers are secured with TLS; recent releases add TLS 1.3 support plus configurable certificate caching and tools to view certificate chains presented by servers.

Advanced Mail Processing and Automation

• Sorting Office: A powerful rule engine that sorts incoming and outgoing mail, auto-responds with templates, forwards or redirects messages, runs external programs, and performs other automated actions.
• Templates and quick inserts: Per-mailbox and per-contact templates plus quick templates with macro support streamline repetitive replies and routine communications.
• Attachment and mailbox tools: Automated attachment saving, bulk extraction, mail store compacting, and tools for managing large mailboxes reduce manual maintenance.
• Postponed sending and notifications: Schedule messages for future delivery, introduce send delays, and configure granular new-mail notification sounds tied to filters.

Account Management, Search, and Synchronization

• Multi-account and IMAP handling: Manage numerous IMAP, POP3, and SMTP accounts with isolated profiles; IMAP implementation supports multiple simultaneous connections for parallel folder operations.
• Indexing and search: Fast indexed searches across accounts, folders, and message contents support complex queries and quick retrieval of archived messages.
• Address book and CardDAV: A feature-rich address book supports CardDAV synchronization (Google, iCloud and other servers), contact groups, mailing lists, custom templates per contact, and address history views.
• RSS and IDN support: RSS feed subscriptions are integrated into the message view, and internationalized domain names and extended codepage handling enable robust international compatibility.

Usability, Customization, and Extensibility

• Customizable interface: Layouts, message panes, colors, toolbars, and language switching (no restart required) can be tailored to personal workflows.
• Scripting and command-line: Macro and scripting support plus a command-line interface allow automation of tasks such as sending mail from scripts or batch files and integrating The Bat! into other processes.
• Import and portability: Import wizards support migration from a range of clients (Thunderbird, Outlook, Pegasus Mail, Eudora, and others). A portable build is available for use from removable media alongside a standard installer.
• Accessibility and media tools: Built-in image viewer, QR code generator, and configurable message rendering (including plain-text-only mode) add practical conveniences for diverse use cases.

Deployment, Licensing, and Downloads

• Trial and editions: A fully functional 30-day evaluation copy is available without registration; the Professional Edition includes extended security and automation features.
• Installer options and system requirements: 32-bit and 64-bit installers are offered, with separate packages that omit the auto-update component. Supported client operating systems include modern Windows releases; consult the official download page for exact supported versions.
• Upgrade policy and versioning: The product maintains a documented upgrade policy and revision history; recent builds include incremental fixes and new features such as TLS 1.3 and improved certificate handling.

Intended Use Cases

• Organizations and professionals requiring on-premises message storage and robust encryption options for confidential communication.
• Power users who need extensive automation, template systems, and advanced filtering to manage high message volumes.
• Administrators and technical users who benefit from scripting, command-line integration, and parallel IMAP operations for multi-account environments.