Mac mail archiving

[Dave2022]

Hi everyone,

I'll be picking up my new Macbook Pro M2 Max this week. I am currently using a mid 2009 Macbook Pro. I use Mac Mail for my ISP and have several thousand e-mails archived on my Mac many of which are important but only needed to be filed. I also have a lot of junk e-mail but don't really want to go through several thousand e-mails and delete them. I have made backups in Time Machine on an external drive. Is it possible when I set up my new Mac mail to receive current e-mails from my ISP server but block the population of archived of old e-mails from the server so it only brings in new e-mails?

Thank you

 

[gilby101]

The essence of the IMAP protocol (for communication between mail client and server) is that it keeps the client (apple Mail) in sync with what is on the mail server (gmail, outlook, etc.).

So when you first run Mail on your new Mac (and connect to your mail services) Mail will synchronise with the servers, downloading all your mail.

At some point (either before on old Mac or after on the new) you need to be more organised about archiving old mail to somewhere outside Apple Mail. You could delete mail after either a) print emails to PDF or b) copy message files out of the mail library. I don't recommend either of these approaches (particularly the copying message files). Much better to use an email archiving program (it will cost you money, but save on time). I suggest either:

EagleFiler (which I use), or
Mail Archiver (looks equally good).

Both have free trials.

 

[Fishrrman]

I realize it's a job, but I'd go through that junk mail and get rid of it.
Or... just bite the bullet and delete it ALL AT ONCE, be gone!

 

[Dave2022]

Thanks for the advice I figured I will have to delete the junk. I have a backup on all my devices so may not even port the account.

 

[adrianlondon]

I create a smart mailbox which shows all mails over x years old (I edit it as required).

I then drag all those mails to an "On My Mac" mailbox. So, they're still on my laptop but it takes them away from my IMAP provider. However, as it seems I am nowhere near close to running out of space with my IMAP provider, I've since copied them all back

So now I use the "On My Mac" mailbox as a backup.