Want to highlight a helpful answer? Upvote!

Did someone help you, or did an answer or User Tip resolve your issue? Upvote by selecting the upvote arrow. Your feedback helps others! Learn more about when to upvote >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

After upgrade to 10.8.4 all my rules in Mail have disappeared!?!?

Hello, I have a MacBook Air and upgraded to 10.8.4. Today ALL my rules in Mail (Mail/Preferences/Rules) have dissapeared. 😟 I had a large number set up to filter emails to specific folders.


Is this a known issue? Does anyone know if I can get them back without recreating them?


Thanks for you advice.


Kelli

Mail-OTHER, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Aug 6, 2013 3:18 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 6, 2013 4:26 PM

Please follow these directions to delete the Mail "sandbox" folder.

Back up all data.

Triple-click the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

Services Reveal

from the contextual menu.* A Finder window should open with a folder named "com.apple.mail" selected. If it does, move the selected foldernot just its contents — to the Desktop. Leave the Finder window open for now.

Log out and log back in. Launch Mail and test. If the problem is resolved, you may have to recreate some of your Mail settings. You can then delete the folder you moved and close the Finder window. If you still have the problem, quit Mail again and put the folder back where it was, overwriting the one that may have been created in its place. Post your results.

Caution: If you change any of the contents of the sandbox, but leave the folder itself in place, Mail may crash or not launch at all. Deleting the whole sandbox will cause it to be rebuilt automatically.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C). In the Finder, select

Go Go to Folder...

from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens (command-V). You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

2 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Aug 6, 2013 4:26 PM in response to Daisykins

Please follow these directions to delete the Mail "sandbox" folder.

Back up all data.

Triple-click the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

Services Reveal

from the contextual menu.* A Finder window should open with a folder named "com.apple.mail" selected. If it does, move the selected foldernot just its contents — to the Desktop. Leave the Finder window open for now.

Log out and log back in. Launch Mail and test. If the problem is resolved, you may have to recreate some of your Mail settings. You can then delete the folder you moved and close the Finder window. If you still have the problem, quit Mail again and put the folder back where it was, overwriting the one that may have been created in its place. Post your results.

Caution: If you change any of the contents of the sandbox, but leave the folder itself in place, Mail may crash or not launch at all. Deleting the whole sandbox will cause it to be rebuilt automatically.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C). In the Finder, select

Go Go to Folder...

from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens (command-V). You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

Aug 7, 2013 2:08 AM in response to Linc Davis

Dear Linc Davis,

Thank you so much for the effort you went to in order to provide such a comprehensive solution. I really appreciate it. I checked Mail again this morning and, bizarrely, all the Rules have returned. A friend just sent me this link, it seems it's a known issue following upgrade to Mtn Lion.

Again, thanks for your help 🙂

Kelli


http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4387


OS X Mountain Lion: Mail rules may not appear after upgrading from Mac OS X v10.6


Symptoms

When a system is upgraded from Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard to OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion, existing rules may not appear the first time Mail is opened.

Resolution

Quit Mail and reopen it. The Mail rules should appear.

After upgrade to 10.8.4 all my rules in Mail have disappeared!?!?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.