Gmail Help

[Newmacer2]

One other thought:
I'd consider a different email provider (rather than Gmail).

Hmmm...
This doesn't help now, but might for 2023 (since we're here already):
Create a new folder on the Mac: "Taxes 2023".
Put sub-folders into it as needed.
Put all your tax documents into them, instead of "into the email".

Thanks Fishrrman. I’ve considered getting rid of Gmail in the past. Never really liked it, but didn’t want to go through the hassle of notifying everyone. I may need to do it now though. Any recommendations other than Yahoo? I do keep my tax documents in folders on my iMac, but not my emails. My iMac is on its last legs and I created email folders as backup for important stuff.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"My iMac is on its last legs and I created email folders as backup for important stuff."

Do you keep a backup?
If not, time to start one.

My suggestion:
Get a Samsung t7 "Shield" SSD.
Then, download "SuperDuper" from here:
download (link)

SD is very easy to use. I don't think they could make it any easier.
It will create a "cloned backup" of your internal drive.
You should be able to boot from it, too.

SD is FREE to download and use.
However, if you want to do "incremental" backups, you have to register (not much $$).

 

[Newmacer2]

Yes, I have a Seagate portable drive hooked up. It seems to work fine. However, I appreciate the tip about "SuperDuper". It wouldn't hurt to have both. BTW I've contacted Google customer service for the third time. Third time's the charm? I've also vented on "Pissed Consumer". It won't help, but it made me feel better.

 

[KaliYoni]

Some of these emails were very old, but very important to me

I have two comments to add to the ongoing discussion:

1. For most archival uses, an SSD is overkill. A "traditional" spinning HD will give you more storage at a lower cost. In addition, any USB 2 or USB 3 HD is fast enough for maintaining backups unless you have a need for ultra-fast backup operations.
2. If you are located in the US, just about all financial services firms that are required to send tax information about you to the IRS maintain accessible copies of your account statements and other relevant documents for at least seven years after issuance. Seven is not a random number; it is derived from the time limits the IRS faces for investigating, auditing, and prosecuting taxpayers. So you should be able to either download 7 years+ of documents from your providers' websites right away or ask a client services rep to mail you paper copies.

I use spinning HDs to maintain two backups of my 2 TB Mac. One is for Time Machine and is always connected. The other is for Carbon Copy Cloner (there are plenty of threads here on MR if you want to learn about CCC) and is connected once a week or before major updates to macOS. Both are encrypted.

 

[Newmacer2]

Update: I joined a Gmail forum in hopes to find an answer to my problem. From what I’ve seen, it definitely seems to be a Mac issue, not Gmail. Others are experiencing the same thing. One Mac user wrote:

Emails disappearing from folders​

“When I open a folder in gmail, all my stored there disappear. Have tried all the solutions offered, including two hours “chatting” with someone at Google and then going through all the remedies they subsequently sent. I’ve lost years of emails and there is no explanation.“

 

[BrianBaughn]

Update: I joined a Gmail forum in hopes to find an answer to my problem. From what I’ve seen, it definitely seems to be a Mac issue, not Gmail. Others are experiencing the same thing. One Mac user wrote:

Emails disappearing from folders​

“When I open a folder in gmail, all my stored there disappear. Have tried all the solutions offered, including two hours “chatting” with someone at Google and then going through all the remedies they subsequently sent. I’ve lost years of emails and there is no explanation.“

This post is confusing matters and I think you need to re-read the forum you're referencing as I don't think it applies to your situation…unless you've omitted some vital information here. How can the Mac be at fault when you don't use an email client on the Mac to access Gmail? The answer is: It can't. There's nothing in macOS that is going to affect a Gmail account accessed via a browser.

One thing you might want to check at the Gmail website is "Third-party apps with account access." Go to Gmail, click on your account logo/photo, click "Manage your Google account", click "Security", scroll down to "Third-party apps with account access" and then select "Manage third-party access". If there's anything there then you have given something permission to access your account and it could be the thing deleting your emails.