Gmail Drafts IMAP issue

Question

Level 1

5 points

Gmail Drafts IMAP issue

First of all, I am trying to fix everything up on GMail. My problem is specifically related to using Lion's Mail app. When creating a draft through GMail via the web, it is saved to the Gmail "Drafts" folder. When using Gmail via the web, the draft is saved to the "Drafts" folder on my Gmail account. It is also saved to the "Drafts" folder on my iPhone and iPad. It is not however, saved on my Mail app client "Drafts" folder. It is saved to a buried folder that is the Mail app equivalent of the "[Imap]/Drafts" in Gmail. When creating a draft in the Lion Mail app, it is saved to the "Drafts" folder on the Mail app, but winds up in the "[Imap]/Drafts" on my Gmail and thus also buried in a subfolder in my iOS Mail client. Not being able to find my drafts in the proper folder is getting irritating.

I know that in previous versions of OS X and the Mail app, people could select which folder to use as a drafts folder:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/357905?answerId=1725905022#1725905022

When trying to figure out if I can specify a certain folder to be used for the client rather than it going to the Imap folder, I found this in the iOS preferences:

Why isn't there a preference like this in the OS X Mail client? It exists and works well in the iOS Mail client. 😟

Any help would be appreciated, I have been skimming through Google discussions and Apple support forums for some time now. I have messed with most of the settings and even tried using the recommended Gmail settings for Apple mail but the "Drafts" folder will not sync properly between Gmail and the OS X Mail client

Mail-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 28, 2012 9:59 PM

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Answer 1

Tollins

Level 2

210 points

Apr 12, 2012 2:10 PM in response to ktstan

I am trying to find a solution to the very same problem. You may have discovered this by now, but...

The "Use This Mailbox For..." setting that we remember from Mail.app in Leopard has been moved to the Mailbox menu in Lion's Mail.app. For me, as you can see, I cannot select the "Drafts" option to assign it where I want it: Mail.app's Draft's folder!

I wonder if the change must be made on the Gmail end rather than the Mail.app end.

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Answer 2

Apr 12, 2012 2:20 PM in response to Tollins

Have a look at this thread

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3868804?answerId=18108077022#18108077022

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Answer 3

ktstan Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 12, 2012 4:39 PM in response to Tollins

@Tollins: I was never really able to get it working. I know exactly what you were trying to do with the "use the mailbox for" option. I stopped using the apple mail app and instead bought Sparrow off of the Mac app store. It syncs all of the folders perfectly, and I like using it more than Mail. If you're interested there is a free version of the app so you can try it out first.

Also to note, I went to the apple store and was asking about it, the person helping me suggested exactly what you did and I informed them that it doesn't work in lion. He told me that if it was hurting my productivity I could schedule an appointment with a genius. I'd just rather Mail work as well as other apps that do it automatically.

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Answer 4

Tollins

Level 2

210 points

Apr 12, 2012 4:42 PM in response to Alberto Ravasio

This helped!

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Answer 5

Tollins

Level 2

210 points

Apr 12, 2012 5:25 PM in response to ktstan

I found a solution and configured Mail.app to work the way I want it (in part thanks to Alberto)!

First, I had to log on to gmail.com and edit my account settings. I unchecked all of the "Show in IMAP" checkboxes, then I re-checked just the ones that I wanted (Sent Mail and Drafts):

Next, I launched Mail.app (v5.2) and set my account settings like this:

Note that if you don't set limits message deletion, Mail.app will try to sync your entire folders.

Also note that these are not the settings that Google recommends. After I completed the following step, Gmail archived all of the emails that I have ever sent from that account (about 5,000), minus those that I have sent in the past month. They are still available at gmail.com in my "All Mail" folder (which I did opted not to show in IMAP).

Last---thanks to some magic, I guess--I was able to select my "Sent" and "Drafts" Gmail folders nested below my "[Gmail]" folder and (from the menu bar) select Mailbox > Use This Mailbox For > Sent / Drafts, respectively. My mailboxes now appear as such (note that no folders nest below [Gmail]:

Everythings syncs perfectly across my laptop, iPhone, and web access.

Two notes: 1) If you start writing an email in Mail.app, a draft will be saved in your "Drafts" folder at gmail.com. If you update that email and save another draft, the latest version is saved in your Drafts folder at gmail.com, but the previous edit is sent to your Trash folder at gmail.com. I have discovered dozens of old, unrevised drafts in my Trash folder online. This doesn't bother me because the Trash deletes items after 30 days, and the last draft or (sent message) appear in their appropriate folders. 2) I chose not to sync my Gmail Trash. If you do, be aware that deleting an email in Mail.app sends that email to your Gmail Trash folder--not your "All Mail" archive folder.

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Answer 6

stuggi90

Level 1

8 points

Dec 6, 2012 2:41 PM in response to Tollins

Thanks, Tollins! Worked like a charm!

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Answer 7

closs

Level 1

0 points

Aug 21, 2013 9:49 AM in response to ktstan

Thanks! This really helped me, too!

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