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Does the mail app store mail locally?

Gix1k

Gix1k

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 16, 2008
3,590
1,296
I started to add my gmail account to my work MB today. It began to pull down 17000 messages. I then thought I have some images that aren't appropriate in my mail, so I force closed it and disabled the account in mail settings. However, I cannot totally remove the acct because it says internet accounts has been disabled by my admin.
When I open mail, there isn't any email in there now. It's not cached anywhere is it?
 
whitedragon101 said:
Emails are stored in

YourUserName/Library/Mail/V2
Click to expand...

I can't find that folder on mine!
ScreenShot2014-03-17at231826.png


Barney
 
No still no luck.
If I type ~/library/mail/v2 into finder it shows nothing.
If I go MacintoshHD>Users>Barney> there is a hidden folder Library but it won't open.
If I go MacintoshHD>Library there is just one hidden file in there ".localized" plus loads of visible coders, but not mail.
I have used the "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES" command to show hidden files.
Maybe Mail hasn't stored anything local on mine.

Barney
 
whitedragon101 said:
Its hidden. Use this to view hidden files :

http://www.mikesel.info/show-hidden-files-mac-os-x-10-7-lion/

Hidden files are hidden because they are not designed for direct interaction with the user. Deleting random bits can cause apps to crash or behave strangely when info is missing
Click to expand...

That's the wrong way to show the user's Library.
In Mavericks, open the home folder, then open "View Options" and check the box to show Library.
In earlier OSes, open Terminal and paste or type:
Code: 
chflags nohidden ~/Library
 
Here's a visual. If you don't have this, I don't know anything more about OS X



Then I saw this



Above these folders was my mail account. I could expand it and see my folder structure, etc. I deleted the whole thing.
 
chrfr said:
That's the wrong way to show the user's Library.
In Mavericks, open the home folder, then open "View Options" and check the box to show Library.
In earlier OSes, open Terminal and paste or type:
Code: 
chflags nohidden ~/Library
Click to expand...

Depends if you want to see it from now on or quickly look into it then hide it again.
 
The best way to getting to Library without messing with the 'hidden' attribute, is to ALT+click the Go menu option in Finder.
 
Barney63 said:
No still no luck.
If I type ~/library/mail/v2 into finder it shows nothing.
If I go MacintoshHD>Users>Barney> there is a hidden folder Library but it won't open.
If I go MacintoshHD>Library there is just one hidden file in there ".localized" plus loads of visible coders, but not mail.
I have used the "defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES" command to show hidden files.
Maybe Mail hasn't stored anything local on mine.

Barney
Click to expand...

go to finder holt alt and click "go". you will se library under "go".
 
Are all gmail messages stored locally if you use imap or do you have to change some setting? If they are stored are they then picked up in a time machine back up?

I am wanting to make sure that all of my gmail emails are backed up on the mac side in case something happens (unlikely I know) on the server side.

Does using gmail imap store all the message content and the attachments?
 
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