How do you export LOCAL mail folders from Mac Mail - as .mbox files ideally?

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Level 1

33 points

How do you export LOCAL mail folders from Mac Mail - as .mbox files ideally?

I have 15+ years of email in Mac Mail running on Mojave (important as I think format of mailbox files changed later).

I'd like to export all my mail, many many GBs worth of hundreds of nested folders all "On My Mac" (i.e. local, not on any server).

Is it possible to export ALL mail, every single thing from all accounts, all folders?

thanks

PS can't "tag" my question as 2013 iMac isn't included

Earlier displays & monitors

Posted on Feb 22, 2024 10:04 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

adrianwillson

Level 1

9 points

Feb 29, 2024 3:03 AM in response to joeyjohnson

You want to export local mail folders from Mac Mail as .mbox files. You can easily export your Mac Mail files without any problems. Here are the steps for exporting Mac Mail Mailbox files:

1. In your Mac Mail software, choose one or more mailboxes, and then click Mailbox > Export Mailbox.

2. Select an existing folder or create a new one, then click Choose.

3. Mail outputs mailboxes as .mbox files. If you previously exported a mailbox, Mail does not replace the existing .mbox file; instead, it produces a new .mbox file, such as My Mailbox 3 .mbox.

You can also import and export the Mac Mail files on your PC. You can read and open this link, and it will help as: https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mail/mlhlp1030/mac.

Most people can convert and export the Mac Mail files into Outlook PST file format. I suggest the Mailvita MBOX to PST Converter Software as a helpful solution.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

250,619 points

Feb 24, 2024 10:26 AM in response to joeyjohnson

Copy this whole folder & use it to import into Mail, Attachments that aren't inline will be lost, likely in your Downloads folder...

/Users/YourUserName/Library/Mail

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

250,619 points

Feb 26, 2024 7:13 AM in response to joeyjohnson

Are you running Thunderbird 78.0 version.

Here it s described how to do it.

Open Thunderbird Import Wizard tool and click on Add File.

Add the MBOX file and click on Open.

Select profile from the Identity list and click Import.

The software will successfully import Apple Mail MBOX file in Thunderbird.

If not try TBird extension...

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Answer 4

joeyjohnson Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 27, 2024 3:20 AM in response to BDAqua

Thanks very much. I don't actually have TB installed yet. My actual desire is to convert Mail to TB so I can then take the TB files over to Linux (Fedora), but that second part doesn't need to be part of this conversation necessarily as I BELIEVE TB files will work if moved from mac to linux (i wait to see on that)

I am told the ExportToolsNG plugin no longer works (but I am on old version of Apple mail (Mojave))

I can try it I suppose, but here's my concern:

The mail i wish to move is all just local folders, but a LOT of them, and subnested into categories over 15+ years of use. 40GB ish in total. I may have to just try it

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,619 points

Feb 27, 2024 7:38 AM in response to joeyjohnson

I have to likely retract my suggestion, but there are different versions, that may ork on yoursetup.

I tried extensively & the old version (?68) of TB didn't work with the ET NG version I tried. :(

I originally thought it was working because all the folders I was seeing, but all folders were empty thiugh it was still working at it.

Supposedly this works...

https://www.macmister.com/mbox/thunderbird.html

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Answer 6

joeyjohnson Author

Level 1

33 points

Feb 27, 2024 8:46 AM in response to BDAqua

Thanks. I actually found a good paid tool a while back, looks better, more established and cheaper too, worth a bookmark if you (or anyone else) may want to pay to have this conversion done properly - (I have no affiliation, of course!) https://weirdkid.com/emailchemy/

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Answer 7

Feb 24, 2024 9:48 AM in response to joeyjohnson

Hey Joey.

I want to do this too! Have you worked anything out? I've changed jobs after 27 years (!) and want to start over but still have access to decades of correspondence if I need it...

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