How do I completely reset Mail.app?

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Level 1

16 points

How do I completely reset Mail.app?

AppleCare don't seem to be able to fix my "Out of Application Memory" issue in Mail.app after migrating to an M1 iMac. The app starts fine, and then a few things appear in the activity window and those never complete. Memory usage grows to ridiculous amounts over the next few minutes (>70 Gb) and finally a crash. So I want to just start fresh since I don't seem to have any other options (4 separate calls to AppleCare, no progress)

I have found this question and solution https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2266399 but it mentions a folder called ~/Library/MailDownloads which doesn't appear to exist on my machine. Did this folder move somewhere else or are downloads stored under ~/Library/Mail now? (macOS 12.2)

PS If you have this issue too you should know that the dialog the Finder brings up to inform you that you are out of Application Memory often does not come up before Mail.app has already crashed. This then can give you the false impression that one of the ones in the dialog are the issue.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Feb 10, 2022 2:08 PM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,513 points

Feb 10, 2022 2:48 PM in response to jrb_retain

Are all the mail messages still on the server(s)?

If so then delete the accounts from the Mac and readd the accounts. the mail messages will be redownloaded to the Mac.

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

102,601 points

Feb 10, 2022 5:00 PM in response to jrb_retain

Any Third Party Applications that will interfere with the normal operation of the OS, alter, modify, remove or delete or attempt to do so is an invitation for disaster and may require a Reinstallation of the OS.

This includes AntiVirus, Disk Cleaners, Disk Optimizes, UnInstaller etc.

This will include CleanMyMac

This will include BitDefender

This will included Norton Antivirus

The The Built in Security is all that is required.

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Answer 3

jrb_retain Author

Level 1

16 points

Feb 10, 2022 10:33 PM in response to lllaass

lllaass I appreciate your help but deleting and re-adding accounts has been tried.

In case this is in some way helpful to you, in answer your question, some mail is on a server, some is not. If I add that server to a Mail on a fresh user account that seems to be happy. Now I just need to a) get the mail that isn't on the server into Mail which appears to work by importing mbox folders. Mail is oddly fussy about the nesting of these but I think I've found the recipe for success for multiple mailboxes at a time. and then b) get Mail into a clean empty state so that I can repeat that process in the original user account. That's why I think I need to get Mail.app into a clean state and want to know what happened to the maildownloads folder before I proceed.

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Answer 4

Owl-53

Level 10

102,601 points

Feb 11, 2022 2:12 AM in response to jrb_retain

What is “Other” storage on a Mac, and how can I clean it out?

Free up storage space on your Mac

OmniDiskSweeper Safe to use

GrandPerspective

How to delete Time Machine snapshots on your Mac

See used and available storage space on your Mac

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Answer 5

jrb_retain Author

Level 1

16 points

Feb 10, 2022 10:43 PM in response to Owl-53

P. Phillips thank you for the advice, which I would completely agree with. Do you know what happened to the maildownloads folder or how to get Mail into a pristine state?

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Answer 6

lllaass

Level 10

210,513 points

Feb 11, 2022 1:07 AM in response to jrb_retain

I have no knowledge of what happened to the mail downloads folder. Apple frequently does things and does not tell the public why.

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How do I completely reset Mail.app?

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