Importing saved mail · Apple Mail export

Export Apple Mail mailboxes to .mbox

Export mailboxes from Mail on the Mac as .mbox, then import them into any IMAP mailbox.

5 steps 1 min read

Export from Mail

1
In Mail, select one or more mailboxes in the sidebar (hold ⌘ to select several).
2
Choose Mailbox → Export Mailbox…, pick an empty folder, and click Choose.
3
Mail writes one Name.mbox folder per mailbox, each holding a file called mbox.

Import

1
Open Import files and press “Choose a folder”. Pick the folder you exported into.
2
Each Name.mbox becomes a folder called Name; INBOX.mbox lands in the inbox.

Good to know

Dates, senders, attachments and folders come across as they are. When an export carries no read or unread status for a message, it is imported as read.

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