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User profile for user: Roger0582
Roger0582 Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Mail attachments remain after message deleted

When an attachment is opened in Mail, a copy(?) is stored in a folder called Mail Downloads. I discovered that there are dozens of "former" attachments still in this file for emails I've deleted. (I also found a few "former" attachments in the Mail application folder itself.) Big Sur 11.6.2


I tested this by sending myself a message with an attachment. I opened the message and opened and closed the attachment. I deleted the message. A copy of the attachment was still on the Mail Downloads folder.


Can I delete the contents of the entire Mail Downloads folder without deleting the attachments of those emails still on mail? If so, what is the purpose of the copies in the Mail Downloads folder? If not, is there some way to re-synch the Mail Downloads folder to contain just those attachments for which messages exist?


In future, should I delete the attachments before I delete the message in mail? How will this delete the copy in Mail Downloads?

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Jan 16, 2022 10:50 AM

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User profile for user: RogierDG
RogierDG
User level: Level 1
118 points

Posted on Jan 17, 2022 3:12 AM

Hi Roger

As with many software developments, cleanup is the lowest priority when the software is released, since memory became inexpensive. Apple is no exception to that !! And the Mail app is particullary bad in cleanup.


The mail attachements kept in ~/library/containers/..../Downloads must be deleted manually, else they will stay there forever.

Deleting them has no impact on your existing mail, and you can always download again, with a new copy in the Dowloads folder.

If your mail account is Imap the mail attachements also stay on your mailserver.


As for the attachements and/or emlx files left in ~/library/mail/V8/.., again the cleanup is not done as it should, but there it is best you clean it through the menu bar of the mail app, select a mailbox and go to mail> mailbox > rebuild mailbox.

That will get rid of leftovers.


Hope this helps

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User profile for user: RogierDG
RogierDG
User level: Level 1
118 points

Jan 17, 2022 3:12 AM in response to Roger0582

Hi Roger

As with many software developments, cleanup is the lowest priority when the software is released, since memory became inexpensive. Apple is no exception to that !! And the Mail app is particullary bad in cleanup.


The mail attachements kept in ~/library/containers/..../Downloads must be deleted manually, else they will stay there forever.

Deleting them has no impact on your existing mail, and you can always download again, with a new copy in the Dowloads folder.

If your mail account is Imap the mail attachements also stay on your mailserver.


As for the attachements and/or emlx files left in ~/library/mail/V8/.., again the cleanup is not done as it should, but there it is best you clean it through the menu bar of the mail app, select a mailbox and go to mail> mailbox > rebuild mailbox.

That will get rid of leftovers.


Hope this helps

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Mail attachments remain after message deleted

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