Apple Mail: Manually moving mails to local mailbox copies them instead of moving

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Level 1

8 points

Apple Mail: Manually moving mails to local mailbox copies them instead of moving

I just got a new MPP 16" with Monterey and I realized that Apple Mail copies e-mails instead of moving them if I activate them, then right-click with the mouse and use the pop-up window offered by 'Move to'. The message stays in the in-box and I see 'Undo Copy Message' under 'Edit' in the Menu Bar on top. The messages are correctly copied if I use the 'Move to' popup-icon on the Toolbar or the 'Move to' proposal from the popup menu upon right-clicking on the message. Restarting Apple Mail or the computer doesn't solve this problem. – Does anyone else have this issue too? Can it be solved?

MacBook Pro, OS X 10.11

Posted on Jan 25, 2022 12:04 AM

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Answer 1

TammyW_03

Community Specialist

Jan 25, 2022 6:16 PM in response to roebu

Hello roebu,

We're glad you thought to ask Apple Support Communities about the issue you're having with Mac Mail copying emails to your inbox when choosing to move them to another folder when right-clicking. First, be sure you're not accidentally choosing "Copy To" as it is an option just below "Move To". Those details and more can be found here: Move or copy emails between mailboxes in Mail on Mac

If that's not the case check for any Mail rules that contain the copy command: Use rules to manage emails you receive in Mail on Mac

If that's not the case, let us know more:

Which exact version of macOS Monterey is installed? To find out select the Apple menu > About This Mac > Overview.
If you use more than one email account in Mac Mail, does this happen with all accounts and email messages?

The more details you can provide the better.

Take care.

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Answer 2

TammyW_03

Community Specialist

Jan 26, 2022 11:48 AM in response to roebu

Robert,

Those are great details. Let's help to further narrow this down and isolate it by testing this issue in safe mode and a test user account. Safe mode will tell us if a third-party process/app is possibly causing this, as well as completes great checks during startup that could help. Here's more information on safe mode and how to start there. You mention your Mac is new, be sure to note the different steps for a Mac with Apple silicon or with an Intel processor: How to use safe mode on your Mac

Be sure to continue with the steps for if the issue does or does not happen while started to safe mode. If the behavior continues, create a new user account to see if the issue happens there. This will tell us if the issue is system-wide or only happening within your user account: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

Keep us posted.

Cheers.

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Answer 3

roebu Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 26, 2022 9:47 AM in response to TammyW_03

Hi TammyW_03,

Many thanks for your hints. I double checked that there is no rules or that I'm not accidentally using the 'Copy to' command. The latter was of course the first thing I thought of. What I found out is that moving a message by choosing the respective command via right-clicking on the mouse, works once after Apply Mail was started, and from then on it copies the message instead. If the 'Move to ....' with suggestion by the program is used, that works. Also using the popup folders in the toolbar works.

I'm using macOS 12.1 (21C52) on a MPB 16" with 64 GB RAM and 4 TB SSD. All my mail accounts behave the same for this. 'Move to' works the first time, then it's copying.

All the best,

Robert

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