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User profile for user: harrytucker
harrytucker Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Automated creation of "Recovered Mail" in Apple mail


I am a 20-year user of Apple Mail, and have been bedeviled in the past couple of years by a problem that I see noted by users, and then ignored or misunderstood by the answerers.


When I am writing an email - and also in viewing some incoming messages - Apple Mail creates a "Recovered Messages" folder (one for each email address) and inserts large numbers of copies of the messages into that folder.


These are not "Drafts" folders, they are "Recovered Messages" folders. They are not created as a result of an upgrade or crash. They are an everyday occurrence.


In writing a simple email I can end up with 50 or more copies of the message stored in this "Recovered Messages" folder. I see no user-modifiable setting that will stop this. Please Help

MacBook Air, macOS 13.3

Posted on Apr 9, 2023 4:53 AM

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User profile for user: harrytucker
harrytucker Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Apr 10, 2023 6:08 AM in response to James Brickley

Thanks for reply but it is putting emails into the recovered mailbox so which mailbox do I rebuild? I assume the sent mail box but the emails seem to get created before they are sent?

I have tried rebuilding all mailboxes one at a time as I can not find how to rebuild them all at the same time.

Looking at emails in the recovered mail it seems that if I write a short email and sent it quickly it does not get put into recovered mail. It only happens with longer emails that I take 10+ minutes to type out but then it can save 50+ versions of the same email in recovered mail. BUT each email will have a little more typing in it

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User profile for user: James Brickley
James Brickley
User level: Level 5
5,368 points

Apr 9, 2023 11:02 AM in response to harrytucker

I only ever encounter 'Recovered Messages" when there is a problem with that particular mailbox. Meaning the mailbox is damaged and you need to rebuild that mailbox.


If messages are in a Recovered Messages mailbox in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Rebuild mailboxes in Mail on Mac - Apple Support


ALWAYS BACKUP BEFORE YOU REBUILD A MAILBOX!


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User profile for user: James Brickley
James Brickley
User level: Level 5
5,368 points

Apr 10, 2023 9:29 AM in response to harrytucker

In Mail Accounts, you can uncheck the Enable this account for your outlook.com email. Then add a new account and re-add the outlook.com mail. This will redo everything for the outlook.com account. Then test with that account. Your previous one is still there it's just not used due to the checkbox. See if the problem continues or not. If all is working well and you are not missing data. You can remove the disabled mailbox safely.

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User profile for user: James Brickley
James Brickley
User level: Level 5
5,368 points

Apr 10, 2023 11:24 AM in response to harrytucker

I am guessing that mailbox for 'Easily Imap HT' is damaged. As I was saying previously;


In Mail -> Settings -> Accounts. Uncheck the Enable this Account and then go and add a new email account and setup the same mailbox "Easily Imap HT" and see if the problem goes away. Providing you didn't lose any emails. Then you can safely remove the disabled copy of this account.

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Automated creation of "Recovered Mail" in Apple mail

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