Storage issue on MacBook Pro (mid 2014) running macOS High Sierra

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Level 1

9 points

Storage issue on MacBook Pro (mid 2014) running macOS High Sierra

Hello - I've got 251 GB of Flash Storage and almost all of it (~ 3/4) is consumed by Mail. I've got like 30,000 msg's in the mail app. Have tried numerous times to delete hundreds if not thousands of the msg's, even prioritized deleting one's w/ attachments 1st. When I shut down and restart it seems like the system freed up 4 or 5 GB, then as I run the Mail app, and subsequently check storage an hr later via the About This Mac window, i find that the available storage has dwindled again to less than 1 GB.

I told a mac-enabled friend and he's like, 'yeah, those msg are deleted but they're not gone off ur machine' (?). Note - I'm emptying trash on a regular basis.

Have taken to running Google Mail via Web so as not to take up space consumed by running Mail App (still only have 2.5 GB storage available), but miss the ease of Mail app.

I did take a quick run thru Storage posts in the forum and bought High Sierra for Dummies book, still couldn't get to corrective action. Help, plz

Thank u!

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.13

Posted on Mar 25, 2020 1:13 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Eric--F

Community Specialist

Mar 26, 2020 1:47 PM in response to jabXhook

Hello jabXhook,

Thanks for asking the Apple Support Communities for help with your Mac storage.

It sounds like you're seeing an unexpectedly high amount of storage being used for Mail on your Mac. To verify, this is happening on macOS High Sierra and you're using a Gmail account. Is that right?

Which specific macOS High Sierra version are you using? Updating to the latest version of macOS High Sierra (10.13.6), may be helpful:

Back up your Mac with Time Machine

How to update the software on your Mac

If that doesn't resolve the issue, I recommend getting in touch with Apple directly: Contact Apple Support

Thanks and have a wonderful day.

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Answer 2

a brody

Level 10

83,047 points

Mar 26, 2020 1:59 PM in response to jabXhook

Mail can either be stored on the "server", a remote computer, or on your Mac.

When you setup Mail to use POP, by default it stores on the Mac.

When you setup Mail to use IMAP, by default it stores on the server, and typically can be accessed on the web. With Google, web based mail is simply gmail.com.

If you look at Mail's left sidebar, it will even indicate "On my Mac" or "On this Mac" in the header of the folder. Try to keep messages you don't need immediately on the server, and back them up to your Mac, or an external hard drive or thumb drive if you can't depend on the server.

Users -> yourname -> Library (Go menu -> Go to Folder ~/Library)

stores your Mail folders. Keep them there as long as they are stored on your Mac.

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Answer 3

a brody

Level 10

83,047 points

Mar 26, 2020 4:23 PM in response to jabXhook

What does the left sidebar of Mail look like? Does it say anything like On my Mac?

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Answer 4

jabXhook Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 26, 2020 4:13 PM in response to Eric--F

Hi, yes, Gmail is the foundation of my mail as I understand, and Mail app get it's content from there. And yes, using HighSierra 10.13.6. Thx

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Answer 5

jabXhook Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 26, 2020 6:29 PM in response to a brody

On my mac.

Most times I'm dealing w/ email, I'm on-line, therefore I could certainly store most NOT on my mac

Thx

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Answer 6

jabXhook Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 26, 2020 6:45 PM in response to a brody

Hi - when I go to User & Groups in System Preferences, it doesn't lead me to Library; that's where I want to go to reassign where I'm keeping mail right, put it on the server (?)

Thx

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Storage issue on MacBook Pro (mid 2014) running macOS High Sierra

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