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In previous versions of Apple Mail, I could file an email by dragging it to the mailbox list and hovering over a nested folder. The folders would automagically expand and let me drop the email into one of the subfolders. Then the subfolders would revert, showing only the main folder. It was an efficient thing that saved space and time, now it's apparently gone.
Or, is it?
Mac mini 2018 or later
Hi VA3MTO,
It sounds like you're not able to move emails to a folder by dragging and dropping at this time, is that right? We'd like to see how we can help.
What happens when you try to drag an email to a folder now? Do you receive any errors?
Are you able to move emails using the steps outlined under the "Move emails" part of this page? Move or copy emails in Mail on Mac
In the meantime, you can find some great information on orgranizing your emails and Mail folders here: Organize email on your Mac
Thanks!
Hi and thanks for replying.
I can move mail items to a folder by dragging and dropping. It's dragging to a folder hierarchy I'm asking about. Let's suppose I have folder 'A' on my Mac, containing sub-folders A1, A2 and A3 (in Apple Mail, the folders are called mailboxes, but let's use the term folder for clarity). In its unexpanded state, I see only folder A in the mailbox list. It has a greater-than character to the left ( > ) indicating there are sub-folders. Prior to Big Sur, I could grab an email from the displayed list and drag it over folder A which, after a few seconds, would auto-expand to show subfolders A1, A2 and A3. I could then position it over folder A3 and drop it there. Then folder A would revert to its original, unexpanded, view in the mail list. With Big Sur, I need to firstly expand mailbox A manually, so the mail list shows the sub-mailboxes, then I drag the email and drop it in A3. This Big Sur method is less efficient.
Is there a way to get back the auto-expand feature described above?
Well, so I'll wait for this moment to change the behavior on my Mac too :-) Till then I don't know.
But it appears it must be somehow connected with some settings, the feature is obviously still there...
Hello MoonJ,
do you please have an idea, what setting can cause this behavior, which I still experience on my mac and which was so surprisingly solved by VA3MTO?
I would appreciate any hint.
I have checked your suggestions already.
Thanks!
Please ignore my reply. The feature is, thankfully, working now.
Cheers.
VA3MTO,
Thanks so much for following up with us.
We're happy to hear it's working as expected now. If the issue returns, please get back in touch.
Take care!
Hello, I've got the same issue, but unfortunatelly I was not able to find a key, how you resolved it. Could you please share?
Thank you
Sorry but I really don’t know what changed. I happened to try it just after writing that clarifying post and the feature worked.
Under Big Sur auto-expand of mailbox folders doesn't work
