I deleted all my smart mailboxes for one account and somehow all my email from that account was deleted. I cannot find the files in Time Machine. Instructions say to open time machine while in the mailbox you wish to restore, but time machine opens with the Desktop. What am I doing wrong?
iMac Line (2012 and Later)
Thanks... I found yesterday's TM backup, opened Mail, located V9 folder and copied the entire thing to Desktop. 125,000 files. Then imported to Mail. looked thru a dozen numerically named folders and identified what I needed and what I didn't. Dragged them from the Mail "import" folder to correct email folder... I'm back to normal!!! Just deleted the "import" folder and all good!
Thanks... I found yesterday's TM backup, opened Mail, located V9 folder and copied the entire thing to Desktop. 125,000 files. Then imported to Mail. looked thru a dozen numerically named folders and identified what I needed and what I didn't. Dragged them from the Mail "import" folder to correct email folder... I'm back to normal!!! Just deleted the "import" folder and all good!
TM really does not support email any longer. However you may get a mailbox back by following this:
To restore mailbox:
Open Finder
Click “GO” in top menu bar then click option key
Open mail folder
Open V9 folder
Then find the folders labeled with cryptic titles (at this point you could open TM if you want to go back in time)
Look down through those folders to find a mailbox (note: there may be more than one with same label).
If it contains email you want you can copy to desktop
Go back into mail and import that folder from your desktop
Web search; maybe this can help: https://www.prodriveit.co.uk/blog/dont-panic-restoring-deleted-emails-in-outlook-and-mail
How to restore deleted mail from time machine - OSX Monterey
