A Silverstone
Level 1 (13 points)
Apple TV

Q: IMAP Gmail account shows 1000s of emails, is this slowing down Mail?

Hi

 

The Gmail IMAP email accounts show 1000s of emails in mail.

 

Is this clutter that is slowing down performance?  Is this being stored on my hard drive too?

 

Screen Shot 2013-08-03 at 5.35.43 PM.png

MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)

Posted on Aug 3, 2013 2:36 PM

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A Silverstone

Q: IMAP Gmail account shows 1000s of emails, is this slowing down Mail?

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  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 3, 2013 2:38 PM in response to A Silverstone
    Level 9 (51,462 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 3, 2013 2:38 PM in response to A Silverstone

    Imap accounts (like Gmail) synchronize with the local client (in your case Mail). Thus if you have 10,000 emails in the account you will have 10,000 in the client for that account.

     

    They are stored locally on your Mac as well as on the server, deleting from one will delete from the other.

  • by A Silverstone,

    A Silverstone A Silverstone Aug 3, 2013 2:41 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 3, 2013 2:41 PM in response to Csound1

    Thanks.  What's the most space saving method to do?

     

     

     

    Do I have a storage location option?

     

     

    Thanks


    AS

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 3, 2013 2:46 PM in response to A Silverstone
    Level 9 (51,462 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 3, 2013 2:46 PM in response to A Silverstone

    You can create one or more 'local' folders (in On My Mac) and move mails from the Gmail account to the local ones, this will remove the emals from the server account and store them on your Mac.

  • by A Silverstone,

    A Silverstone A Silverstone Aug 3, 2013 3:34 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 3, 2013 3:34 PM in response to Csound1

    What options take up the least space on my computer?

     

    I don't see a need to store all my messages on every computer I use.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 3, 2013 3:36 PM in response to A Silverstone
    Level 9 (51,462 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 3, 2013 3:36 PM in response to A Silverstone

    You seem to be misunderstanding, email that is in the Gmail account is on all computers that are connected to Gmail. If the mail is in the local (On My Mac) folders it is only on that computer, not anywhere else.

  • by A Silverstone,

    A Silverstone A Silverstone Aug 3, 2013 3:44 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 3, 2013 3:44 PM in response to Csound1

    I am confused on what is being stored where. 

     

    Based on the photo I attached in my question, are 2268 and 787 messages being stored locally on my computer?

     

    Or are these number indicative of what is being stored in Gmail's (spy) cloud in the sky?

     

    These number appear in all the Mail accounts I have on my various Macs.

     

    I notice if I open Mail on a Mac I've not used in a few days it seems to take hours for it to update the mail.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 3, 2013 3:48 PM in response to A Silverstone
    Level 9 (51,462 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 3, 2013 3:48 PM in response to A Silverstone

    All of the mail is on your computer, the Gmail is also on the Gmail server. If you want to get it off of the Gmail server then move it to a local folder.

     

    If you want it completely off of your computer delete it and empty the trash. If you delete Gmail emails they will also be deleted from the Gmail server.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Aug 3, 2013 4:56 PM in response to A Silverstone
    Level 10 (208,059 points)
    Applications
    Aug 3, 2013 4:56 PM in response to A Silverstone

    Is this clutter that is slowing down performance?

     

    Having that many messages doesn't in itself slow down performance. You're the only one who knows whether performance is slow. If it is, there's some other reason.

     

    Is this being stored on my hard drive too?

     

    That depends on whether or not you selected the option to keep copies for offline viewing in the account settings. If you did, then it is being stored locally. If not, then only an index is stored.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 3, 2013 4:56 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 9 (51,462 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 3, 2013 4:56 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Hi Linc, the GMail default (if autosetup is used is to store locally, many (most) just leave it like that.

  • by A Silverstone,

    A Silverstone A Silverstone Aug 3, 2013 6:13 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 3, 2013 6:13 PM in response to Csound1

    Thanks.  Here's my current settings.  Can you help me decipher my settings?

     

     

     

    Screen Shot 2013-08-03 at 9.08.48 PM.png

    Screen Shot 2013-08-03 at 9.12.35 PM.png

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 3, 2013 7:13 PM in response to A Silverstone
    Level 9 (51,462 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 3, 2013 7:13 PM in response to A Silverstone

    Post the Advanced tab as well:

     

    This tab shows that Junk mail is saved on the server, it is not deleted until you delete it, change that to after a week or so.

     

    Received mail is saved on the server, Drafts and Sent are not.

     

    I suggest changing Sent to save on server, changing Junk to delete after a time period you choose.

  • by A Silverstone,

    A Silverstone A Silverstone Aug 3, 2013 7:32 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 3, 2013 7:32 PM in response to Csound1

    Thanks. This is helpful advice.

     

    Wen I posted th screen shots the portion of the Advanced Tab bled into the Mailbox Behaviors Tab, or are you asking for something different.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 4, 2013 6:12 AM in response to A Silverstone
    Level 9 (51,462 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 4, 2013 6:12 AM in response to A Silverstone

    No it didn't, you posted the Mailbox Behaviors tab, I'd like to see the Advanced tab as well.

     

    Ah, I see what you mean, it's not necessary now that I can focus.

  • by chrisfromcohasset,

    chrisfromcohasset chrisfromcohasset Aug 30, 2016 2:00 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Aug 30, 2016 2:00 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Thank you! This is THE CRITICAL QUESTION.

     

    Are the emails stored on my mail app, and syncing with my gmail account, SLOWING MY COMPUTER?

     

    AND what do I do about it?

     

    Is your answer:

    1. Yes they are slowing your computer

    2. You can speed up your computer by taking these emails off your mac and ... BTW taking them off your gmail account too ...

    3. If you want to keep them elsewhere where they don't slow down your computer , you can store them ________________ WHERE?

     

    This is like observing an artist talking with an engineer. Unless you have the exact question, you get gobligook!

     

    PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION

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