A faster way to speed up Mail.app

[MacBytes]

Category: Tips and How To's
Link: A faster way to speed up Mail.app
Description:: As everyone knows, it is possible to get quite a speed boost out of Mail.app by stripping all the bloat out of its Envelope index, an SQLite database Mail uses to store senders, recipients, subjects and so on. In the past, I suggested that quitting Mail, deleting the Envelope file and restarting Mail would force a rebuild that produces a leaner, faster email experience. In October last year Dallas noticed a faster way to get the same result using three Terminal commands.

Posted on MacBytes.com
Approved by Mudbug

[Mudbug]

I just did this myself, and to say there's a speed difference may be the understatement of the decade. Mail.app is easily twice the speed it was before running this.

[MacBoobsPro]

What is it deleting exactly?

What are the consequences?

[mkrishnan]

This doesn't interrupt threading of subjects or anything, does it? I have to try this when I get home!

[MacBoobsPro]

Originally Posted by mkrishnan

This doesn't interrupt threading of subjects or anything, does it? I have to try this when I get home!

My plan exactly but I need to know what it is actually doing incase something goes wrong.

[dr_lha]

Originally Posted by MacboobsPro

What is it deleting exactly?

Its not deleting anything, its optimizing the database

What are the consequences?

Faster Mail.app

[redwin11]

Impressive!
The sluggishness has disappeared, and even opening 5-10Mb attachments is quite nippy.

[MacBoobsPro]

Freakin Nora. It works great. Much faster!

Sweet!

[Jonnyfive]

I got an error in terminal when trying to enter the last line... am I doing something wrong?

sqlite> sqlite> vacuum subjects;
SQL error: near "sqlite": syntax error

[redwin11]

Originally Posted by Jonnyfive

I got an error in terminal when trying to enter the last line... am I doing something wrong?

Yes

[Jonnyfive]

Originally Posted by redwin11

Yes

Well what am I doing wrong?

[wrldwzrd89]

Hmm... I'll have to try this once I return to my Mac. My Mail.app hasn't been particularly sluggish.

[iMeowbot]

Originally Posted by Jonnyfive

Well what am I doing wrong?

You don't want to type the sqlite> part, that's the command prompt for the program.

[redwin11]

Originally Posted by Jonnyfive

Well what am I doing wrong?

Copy and paste it, ensures there's no errors for a start.

[Jonnyfive]

Originally Posted by iMeowbot

You don't want to type the sqlite> part, that's the command prompt for the program.

Originally Posted by redwin11

Copy and paste it, ensures there's no errors for a start.

Well, I guess that means copy and paste wouldn't work... Smart Guy.

[wrldwzrd89]

Originally Posted by Jonnyfive

Well, I guess that means copy and paste wouldn't work... Smart Guy.

It does work, you just have to make sure you don't accidentally copy the prompt. Also, don't try to copy both lines at once, as it won't work.

[Jonnyfive]

Originally Posted by wrldwzrd89

It does work, you just have to make sure you don't accidentally copy the prompt. Also, don't try to copy both lines at once, as it won't work.

Yeah I got it to work. Just saying that copying and pasting everything written on the page isn't the solution.

[redwin11]

Originally Posted by Jonnyfive

Well, I guess that means copy and paste wouldn't work... Smart Guy.

You're the one who's struggling with three lines of text!

[Jonnyfive]

Originally Posted by redwin11

You're the one who's struggling with three lines of text!

Touche.

[MacBoobsPro]

I copied and pasted all 3 lines and it seems to have worked for me?

So for people who are struggling can someone post a step by step? We are here to help people right? Maybe I didnt do it right but it seems faster to me.

[mainstreetmark]

Originally Posted by MacboobsPro

I copied and pasted all 3 lines and it seems to have worked for me?

So for people who are struggling can someone post a step by step? We are here to help people right? Maybe I didnt do it right but it seems faster to me.

Really?!?

Step 1: Quit mail
Step 2: Open Terminal (use Spotlight to find 'Terminal')
Step 3: Copy this bit and paste it in the terminal directly:

cd ~/Library/Mail
sqlite3 Envelope\ Index
vacuum subjects;

... and press return.
Step 4: When it says "sqlite>" again, close Terminal
Step 5: Open Mail

If you still have trouble, it's time to reconsider your ability to own a computer.

Mine sped up significantly!

[devilot]

Originally Posted by mainstreetmark

Really?!?

Thanks, it's appreciated, I'm sure by others too timid to now reply.

Anyway, definitely speeds things up. Can't wait to get home and try this out on my iMac. That fool needs the speed up more than my MB.

[mainstreetmark]

I'll do you all one better. Here's a quick app to do it for you:

A buddy of mine pointed out that you can use iCal, set a monthly alarm, and for the alarm action, use 'Run Script' and point to this file, and set it to go off every month. Neat, eh?

[IJ Reilly]

I just tried the easy way, deleting the Envelope file. After about five minutes of rebuilding, it had been reduced from 10 Mb to about 8 Mb. Speed improvements? Negligible, at best. Maybe mine wasn't large enough to make much difference, but I am unimpressed.

[mainstreetmark]

Mine went from 11 to 5. It used to be I could see the inbox populating up with messages. Would take seconds sometimes. Now, when Mail stars, my inbox just appears with no delay.