How to limit the number of emails synced through the Mail app?

[Mavericks]

The Mail app is syncing all of my emails... even those that are like from than a year ago and older... I don't need them, I'd rather get rid of them and free up some storage space if possible.. help?

 

[flynz4]

The Mail app is syncing all of my emails... even those that are like from than a year ago and older... I don't need them, I'd rather get rid of them and free up some storage space if possible.. help?

What type of mail protocol are you using? I use IMAP... so that all of my computers and devices have the same view to all of my mail. I also have it set to forward a copy of every email to an archive gmail account.

Then... I am ruthless about deleting email as soon as it arrives. I keep very little mail.... typically 5 mails or fewer in my inbox.

I will file a small amount away in folders... but typically that is very temporal as well. For example: information that I might need (and then delete) for a meeting next quarter... or tickets I bought for a conference 6 months from now.

It is "freeing" to delete email as it arrives, and see that "empty inbox". At the same time... knowing that I can log into gmail (I do not sync it to my mail.app) and search for every email that I've ever received is what gives me the "confidence" of deleting my primary email account at will.

/Jim

 

[takeshi74]

I don't need them, I'd rather get rid of them and free up some storage space if possible.. help?

Can you not delete them for some reason? What type of account and how is it set up (POP, IMAP, etc)?

 

[Mavericks]

can you not delete them for some reason? What type of account and how is it set up (pop, imap, etc)?

imap

 

[flynz4]

imap

Just curious. Is this by chance a Gmail account?

The reason that I ask is because Gmail acts differently than any other email system that I have used. For example, when you delete a message... it really is not deleted... just given a deleted label. (maybe I am remembering this wrong).

In any case... when I was syncing Gmail to my Mail.app, I needed to selectively decide which Gmail collections to sync.

If it is Gmail... someone else can help you, because I stopped doing it... and I do not want to re-learn.

/Jim

 

[BrianBaughn]

In your account's advanced settings you can change your "Keep copies..." setting to NOT keep copies of emails on your computer. This can save you a good bit of space. You'll still see all the headers and the email will load as long as your connected. MacBook Air users should probably go this way, currently. Also, if it's Gmail you'll save even more since "labeled" email is downloaded in full for every folder (label) it's in.