Restoring lost emails from Time Machine.

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Restoring lost emails from Time Machine.

I have lost all my emails stored in folders in Mail from 27th July 2019 until yesterday (do ask how!). My 275,000 emails prior to 27th July 2017 are safely in the /Library/Mail folder. But I have Time Machine, so can I select, in Time Machine, those emails between 27/July/2019 and yesterday, and restore them to the Library/Mail folder?

I can't see how to do this.

I also have a separate backup Mail folder that I believe also has the missing emails, but I cannot see how to extract the missing emails from it. (I can't see where the emails are stored, somewhere inside a folder called "v7" I think.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

iMac 21.5" 4K, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 6, 2020 8:01 AM

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Answer 1

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leroydouglas

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Apr 6, 2020 8:58 AM in response to chrisgalway1

chrisgalway1 wrote:

Thanks, this is definitely helpful but I don't think will resolve the issue. The problem is my current Mail folder contains only messages older than 27th July 2019. The one on Time Machine, because of an earlier snafu, contains only a subset of those + all the ones since July 2019 (i.e. the one I want). But if I restore v7 from Time Machine, what will happen to all the (good) emails before July 2019? If the TM version of v7 replaces v7 in my Mail folder, won't I lose the ones already in the Mail folder? (Or perhaps it will merge them, not losing any?). What I ideally want to do is SELECTIVELY restore only those emails on TM between July 2019 and yesterday.

You do not clearly state if this all inbox / and therefore on the server and will remain on the server

or

these are all located in folders located in" On My Mac"

This also begs the question if you simply tried to rebuild the mailbox in question—

Rebuild mailboxes in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Selectively would seem an impossible undertaking in the complexity of the structure of the database—to piecemeal out individual emails.

On My Mac.mbox should be evident if you swing open any of the backups here.

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Answer 2

Apr 6, 2020 8:24 AM in response to chrisgalway1

First verify you have not hidden On MY Mac folders— if you hover your mouse on the right of the Category to reveal the Show /Hide button:

The complete path to Mail, from Finder>Go>Go To Folder, copy and paste:

~/Library/Mail

then proceed to Time Machine interface where you can restore the V7 folder.

IMAP mail stays on the server— so this is not the issue.

On My Mac are folders you have created and are stored locally only.

https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/import-or-export-mailboxes-mlhlp1030/mac

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Answer 3

chrisgalway1 Author

Level 1

13 points

Apr 6, 2020 8:48 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks, this is definitely helpful but I don't think will resolve the issue. The problem is my current Mail folder contains only messages older than 27th July 2019. The one on Time Machine, because of an earlier snafu, contains only a subset of those + all the ones since July 2019 (i.e. the one I want). But if I restore v7 from Time Machine, what will happen to all the (good) emails before July 2019? If the TM version of v7 replaces v7 in my Mail folder, won't I lose the ones already in the Mail folder? (Or perhaps it will merge them, not losing any?). What I ideally want to do is SELECTIVELY restore only those emails on TM between July 2019 and yesterday.

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Restoring lost emails from Time Machine.

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