Missing Mailboxes

Question

Level 1

20 points

Missing Mailboxes

I must have messed up my mailboxes on the Mail app on my iMac and other devices. I am able to do a search and see the missing mailbox title, but cannot find out where it is hiding now. I tried creating new mailboxes with the same names and dragging the contents into it but some of these boxes do not show more than just the first email. I keep trying to move emails. Is there a way to find out where these boxes (I had MANY) got to and is there a way to get them to show up again?

Thank you.

iMac 27", OS X 10.11

Posted on Jul 7, 2019 10:13 AM

Reply

Answer 1

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,500 points

Jul 7, 2019 11:42 AM in response to Sliphorn

Restore them from your Time Machine backup, if you have not backed up using Time Machine, they're gone. If you have been using Time Machine please read https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/restore-mailboxes-and-their-content-mail15172/mac

Reply

Answer 2

mulberry58

Level 6

10,436 points

Jul 8, 2019 11:23 AM in response to Sliphorn

Already tried this? Move your cursor to 'On my Mac'. Click on "show" next to the + symbol you'll see

Reply

Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,500 points

Jul 7, 2019 2:33 PM in response to Sliphorn

Possibly, you can click the arrow next to your mailboxes and see if your mailboxes are there. I will include a brief graphic.

Reply

Answer 4

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,500 points

Jul 7, 2019 1:07 PM in response to Sliphorn

If you have not been using Time Machine then your data and mailboxes are gone and cannot be recovered. Please read Back up your Mac with Time Machine to learn what Time Machine is. Operating any computer without a sound backup plan is a guarantee you will lose vital information. Would you trust your bank if you knew they did not have backups of your financial records?

Please get yourself a good quality External Hard Disk, one often recommended on these forums is the OWC Mercury Elite Pro, you can find them at https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-mercury-elite-pro/usb-3.1 and get one that has 2-3 times the capacity of your hard drive.

Good luck.

Reply

Answer 5

mulberry58

Level 6

10,436 points

Jul 8, 2019 11:55 AM in response to Sliphorn

Look at the left side of the window in your mail app

Reply

Answer 6

Sliphorn Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 7, 2019 12:27 PM in response to rkaufmann87

I did not use Time Machine and would have to learn how. One puzzling issue is that I can go to the search line at the top in th email app and type in the name of a mailbox I USED to have and it shows up among other things. Clicking on the mailbox name results in all the emails from that mailbox showing up.

I tired creating new mailboxes with the same names but some of the emails will not move into the new one.

I appreciate the help.

Reply

Answer 7

Sliphorn Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 7, 2019 1:37 PM in response to rkaufmann87

I will seek this out. I am still confused though about why the mailboxes come up in the search field at the top and I can click on them and see the contents that were there. I would think that if I can find them, they must be hiding somewhere. Was there a command I accidentally hit that hid mailboxes? Thanks.

Reply

Answer 8

Sliphorn Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 7, 2019 5:11 PM in response to rkaufmann87

In this top screen shot, it shows the name of a mailbox that is MIA now. In the lower screen shot, you can see the emails that are in that missing folder. This is what is perplexing. I DID try to click the triangles beside the folders at the left but it gave me nothing. Thanks.

Reply

Answer 9

Sliphorn Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 8, 2019 8:35 AM in response to Sliphorn

I think the thing that is most puzzling is that the top screen shot shows "on my mac" and that is how I got to the mailboxes and emails. Therefore, I don't think they are gone, just hidden somewhere. I'd love to figure out how to solve this. Thanks.

Reply

Answer 10

Sliphorn Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 8, 2019 11:35 AM in response to mulberry58

This is a screen shot of the area. I searched "Aceto" and could not get a mouse over to show anything. I did not see a + sign. This is in the upper right area where "Search" exists. I appreciate your patience. The result of clicking the on my mac yielded the emails that were in this MIA mailbox. I have created new ones and dragged in the contents to the new mailboxes but am sure I am not getting everything as I had tons of mailboxes. Thanks.

Reply

Answer 11

Sliphorn Author

Level 1

20 points

Jul 8, 2019 5:16 PM in response to mulberry58

AWESOME. The missing boxes showed up below this. I had no clue. Now I have to move things back from the new mailboxes that are not needed-a good problem to have. I must have clicked "hide" by accident.

I WOULD like to learn how an external hard drive functions in backing up emails, etc. I have no problem spending the money for a 3 TB hard drive.

Thank you!

Reply

Answer 12

mulberry58

Level 6

10,436 points

Jul 9, 2019 1:05 AM in response to Sliphorn

Glad I could help you with your missing mailboxes.

About making a backup with TimeMachine:

Please read this manual: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201250

Time Machine can automatically make backups: just select 'Back up automatically'

You can also select 'Show Time Machine in menu bar'. I find it handsome

If you ever need to restore from TimeMachine backup: you can easily find how to do that in the manual. Don't hesitate to ask for help hereif needed

Don't worry: the first time you make a backup, it can take a long time. If you choose to encrypt your backup (don't know if you think this is necessary) it even will take much more time

Reply

Missing Mailboxes

Similar questions