How do you add an email account on a Mac?

To add an email account on a Mac, the most effective method is to navigate through the System Preferences. By choosing the Apple menu and then selecting System Preferences, you can click on Internet Accounts. This section allows you to easily manage different types of accounts, including email. Once you’re in Internet Accounts, you can select the specific type of email account you want to add, such as iCloud, Exchange, Google, or others, providing a streamlined process for setting up and configuring the email account directly within your Mac's system settings.

This method is optimal because it centralizes the management of various internet accounts, allowing for easier adjustments and settings modification. It also ensures that once the email account is added, it's available across all applications on your Mac that can utilize the Internet Accounts setup, such as Mail, Calendar, and Contacts.

The other methods mentioned, while potentially valid, do not provide as comprehensive a setup procedure or may involve additional steps, making them less efficient for adding a new email account.