Black Magic? old emails disappearing from inbox on macbook

[jlmacrumors00]

Hi'yall,

Question please: how can I stop emails disappearing from my inbox?

Preface: from time to time, I email myself attachments that I frequently use and store it in my inbox. I've noticed that the emails which are more or less 6 months old disappear from my inbox in the iMail on MacBook (it's a gmail account connected to iMail or aka Mail application).

Troubleshooting: perhaps I do not know exactly where to look and what to change, but, I tried searching in the iMail settings to no avail (no special archive settings, no forwarding settings). Then I looked at the settings in gMail to no avail either (no special archive settings and no labels created).

Help!

 

[Slartibart]

You are using an IMAP or POP gmail account? Simplified: IMAP keeps mails on the server, POP not.

In any case, how long a read mail is kept, moved to a mail folder, deleted, etc. is also defined in settings of the email account. Connect via browser to your GMail account and go through all settings and adjust according to your wishes, particularly related to your inbox. (you can change e.g. the type of the gmail account there too.)

The settings of the mail client - Apple Mail in your case - have an additional, secondary effect (only).

 

[jlmacrumors00]

You are using an IMAP or POP gmail account? Simplified: IMAP keeps mails on the server, POP not.

In any case, how long a read mail is kept, moved to a mail folder, deleted, etc. is also defined in settings of the email account. Connect via browser to your GMail account and go through all settings and adjust according to your wishes, particularly related to your inbox. (you can change e.g. the type of the gmail account there too.)

The settings of the mail client - Apple Mail in your case - have an additional, secondary effect (only).

Thank you for the reply and recommendation. I changed in settings to 'Enable IMAP'. Originally it was marked 'Disable IMAP'. Perhaps that will solve the issue?

 

[Slartibart]

there are additional settings related to what will be done when you read or delete a message. Check all settings and adjust as you wish. E.g. in the screenshot zou provided you can see a deleted message will be moved to the trash. There is an additional setting you can adjust related to how-when the trash is actually emptied, et cetera.

 

[Fishrrman]

The "inbox" isn't the best place to "store" emails for the long-term.
Particularly if you're using IMAP.

Create a NEW folder in the "on my Mac" section of Mail.
Give it a name something like "archived mail" (the name can be anything you want).
Then, MOVE those emails with attachments into the archived mail folder.

When you do this (even with IMAP), it saves an actual COPY of the email into the folder.
Now the email is "on YOUR Mac", in a specialized folder that isn't the ordinary "inbox".
And... be sure to back up the Mac at regular intervals, as well.

Another thought.
Why is it necessary to email "attachments" to yourself?
Why not just save them onto an "archive" drive?
(and be sure to keep a copy of the archive drive, as well).
REASON WHY:
It's probably best practice to keep your "email" as "trim" as is practicable...

 

[curnalpanic]

Gmail does not work very well with the Mail app, due to how labels are used in place of folders. I stopped using it (the app) and moved to the web interface. There is also Mimestream, a third party app that is built for Gmail but it is a paid app with a subscription.