todd1010

Q: How to backup Apple Mail?

I'm helping a friend because he's transferring his company email domain to another company and he wants to backup all of his Apple Mail before hand.

 

Ideas?

iPad 2, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Jan 14, 2012 3:10 PM

Close

Q: How to backup Apple Mail?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by Csound1,Helpful

    Csound1 Csound1 Jan 14, 2012 3:12 PM in response to todd1010
    Level 9 (50,876 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 14, 2012 3:12 PM in response to todd1010

    Mailbox Menu>Export Mailbox

  • by todd1010,

    todd1010 todd1010 Jan 14, 2012 3:25 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 14, 2012 3:25 PM in response to Csound1

    thanks, and I would guess that "import mailboxes" is what I'd need to bring them in?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jan 14, 2012 3:35 PM in response to todd1010
    Level 9 (50,876 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 14, 2012 3:35 PM in response to todd1010

    todd1010 wrote:

     

    thanks, and I would guess that "import mailboxes" is what I'd need to bring them in?

    Yes it would be, one thing to note, ensure to give the exports descriptive names, otherwise you'll end up with mailbox1 mailbox2 etc.

  • by todd1010,

    todd1010 todd1010 Jan 14, 2012 3:47 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 14, 2012 3:47 PM in response to Csound1

    Maybe I'm not sure what your meaning but are you refering to how the mailbox is named-file wise?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jan 14, 2012 8:58 PM in response to todd1010
    Level 9 (50,876 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 14, 2012 8:58 PM in response to todd1010

    todd1010 wrote:

     

    Maybe I'm not sure what your meaning but are you refering to how the mailbox is named-file wise?

    Exactly

  • by Brij011,

    Brij011 Brij011 Jan 27, 2013 7:53 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 2 (157 points)
    Jan 27, 2013 7:53 AM in response to Csound1

    Csound1 wrote:

     

    Mailbox Menu>Export Mailbox

     

    This is what I do but it's a laborious process as I have around a dozen mailboxes.

     

    I'm used to Outlook where you can backup a folder (ie mailbox) and include sub-folders. The equivalent doesn't seem posible with Apple Mail.

     

    Could someone tell me whether this is possible or whether there's another easy way to backup multiple folders?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jan 27, 2013 7:55 AM in response to Brij011
    Level 9 (50,876 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 27, 2013 7:55 AM in response to Brij011

    Brij011 wrote:

     

    Csound1 wrote:

     

    Mailbox Menu>Export Mailbox

     

    This is what I do but it's a laborious process as I have around a dozen mailboxes.

     

    I'm used to Outlook where you can backup a folder (ie mailbox) and include sub-folders. The equivalent doesn't seem posible with Apple Mail.

     

    Could someone tell me whether this is possible or whether there's another easy way to backup multiple folders?

    Time Machine

  • by Brij011,

    Brij011 Brij011 Jan 27, 2013 8:21 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 2 (157 points)
    Jan 27, 2013 8:21 AM in response to Csound1

    Thanks for the reply. I use time machine but I like to keep two backups, one with Time Machine and one manual on two seperate EHDs. This may seem paranoid but I've had my fingers burnt before.

     

    So to repeat the question in a slightly different way. Could you tell me whether it's possible to backup a mailbox and sub-mailboxes in one operation or whether there's another easy way to manually backup multiple folders?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jan 27, 2013 8:26 AM in response to Brij011
    Level 9 (50,876 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 27, 2013 8:26 AM in response to Brij011

    Brij011 wrote:

     

    Thanks for the reply. I use time machine but I like to keep two backups, one with Time Machine and one manual on two seperate EHDs. This may seem paranoid but I've had my fingers burnt before.

     

    So to repeat the question in a slightly different way. Could you tell me whether it's possible to backup a mailbox and sub-mailboxes in one operation or whether there's another easy way to manually backup multiple folders?

    No

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jan 27, 2013 8:54 AM in response to Brij011
    Level 9 (50,876 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 27, 2013 8:54 AM in response to Brij011

    Try selecting multiple mailboxes and choosing export, this works for me (be sensible, a few at a time) 4 to 5 large mailboxes took 30 minutes or so to complete. Allow them to complete, wait until the word 'partial' is removed from the file name.

  • by Brij011,

    Brij011 Brij011 Jan 27, 2013 9:04 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 2 (157 points)
    Jan 27, 2013 9:04 AM in response to Csound1

    Thanks, this worked perfectly. I can't believe I didn't try it before.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jan 27, 2013 9:05 AM in response to Brij011
    Level 9 (50,876 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 27, 2013 9:05 AM in response to Brij011

    You're welcome.

  • by dave3122,

    dave3122 dave3122 Jan 28, 2013 3:18 PM in response to todd1010
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac App Store
    Jan 28, 2013 3:18 PM in response to todd1010

    Just FYI because it sounds like the objective has been met. But if you ever need automated backup of Mail, the best thing I've come across is MailSteward (just add ".com" and you're there). As the old informercial line goes, "Just set it, and forget." I've been using it for years, and it has saved my posterior on several occasions.

  • by gausina,

    gausina gausina Apr 27, 2013 10:02 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 27, 2013 10:02 AM in response to Csound1

    Last week I had my IMAP server full. I used the export mailbox function on smart mailboxes and it was working perfectly. I could create one archive file per year, then delete the files from imap server and re-import the mbox files to keep a local access of my old messages within mail. Really convenient and quick way to archive your mails with all the filtering possibilities of smart boxes.

Page 1 Next