Moving mail to new machine.

[dcmaccam]

Hi, I am moving to a new MacBook Pro from a 2019 iMac. On the iMac I have always upgraded the OS over the previous version. With the MacBook I intend to do a clean install rather than migrate from a TM backup so as not to bring any old files over. Firstly I don't use iCloud. I use Mac Mail to receive and manage my mail. I keep mail in about 60 mail folders each titled with a description of the individual content.

Once I have setup my mail account on my new MacBook how do I get these mail folders transferred over? so my mail looks the same as it was on the iMac. (Both Machines will be running Sonoma)

 

[orbital~debris]

Would like to know this too, as has been a while (a few versions of macOS ago) since I did a manual transfer of Mail mailboxes/folders.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Because you're asking about this we can assume that the 60 mail folders are under "On my Mac"?

 

[dcmaccam]

Yes they are all under "On my Mac" then Mail

 

[dcmaccam]

Might have found the way. Export all the mailboxes to a folder. Move to the other machine and re-import them.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Should work. The results will seem a bit wonky but easy to straighten out.

I stopped storing emails under "On my Mac" a long time ago…I'd rather it all be in IMAP or Exchange folders.

 

[orbital~debris]

Any ideas if the data is in a User folder on a non-bootable backup, instead of being able to export then import?

 

[ChrisA]

Hi, I am moving to a new MacBook Pro from a 2019 iMac. On the iMac I have always upgraded the OS over the previous version. With the MacBook I intend to do a clean install rather than migrate from a TM backup so as not to bring any old files over. Firstly I don't use iCloud. I use Mac Mail to receive and manage my mail. I keep mail in about 60 mail folders each titled with a description of the individual content.

Once I have setup my mail account on my new MacBook how do I get these mail folders transferred over? so my mail looks the same as it was on the iMac. (Both Machines will be running Sonoma)

You are gambling that Apple did not change the format of the mail files and folders. If this is true then just copy them over. Use a network share and just drag them over to the new Mac.

If the details of how mail is stored changed then using either iCloud or Time Machine would be required. iCloud makes moving the data trivial because you do nothing and the mail (and other data) just shows up on the new Mac.

 

[dcmaccam]

Hi, As a test I tried exporting a mailbox to the desktop and then deleted the mailbox out of mail.
Then imported same mailbox. It thenputsf it back in an "Imported" folder under "On My Mac" I then just placed it into the correct location.into the correct location.

On a side note. How do I get my mail folders to populate alphabetically under "On My Mac" It used to, but now it doesn't. Maybe I have accidentally clicked something.

 

[Cyby-CyberDog]

Why not use Migration Assistant?

 

[dcmaccam]

I wanted to do a clean install so no old files are carried over from a previous migration.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"It thenputsf it back in an "Imported" folder under "On My Mac" I then just placed it into the correct location.into the correct location.
On a side note. How do I get my mail folders to populate alphabetically under "On My Mac" It used to, but now it doesn't. Maybe I have accidentally clicked something."

I've used the same method to "manually migrate" old Mail to a newer Mac.

Once the emails are imported into the "imported" folder, well, you have to "move them manually" to wherever they belong.

As far as "the alphabetical issue" goes, my suggestion is to just "grab them" with the pointer and move them to where you want them to be. Alphabetical, or whatever.

Sometimes one has to do... what one has to do.

 

[adrianlondon]

Do you have a lot of mail? If not, create an IMAP account somewhere, drag/copy all your "on my mac" folders to your new IMAP account, then on your new laptop simply log into that account and ... well, either leave them there or drag/copy them to "on my mac".

 

[JamesMay82]

Should work. The results will seem a bit wonky but easy to straighten out.

I stopped storing emails under "On my Mac" a long time ago…I'd rather it all be in IMAP or Exchange folders.

I’m the same now that iCloud is so good etc. what’s the benefit of keeping them on the mac?

 

[dcmaccam]

I just don't like iCloud,never have. I like keeping all my stuff in my possession/control and not stored in some remote server somewhere.

 

[JamesMay82]

I just don't like iCloud,never have. I like keeping all my stuff in my possession/control and not stored in some remote server somewhere.

You got me thinking about it now!

I’m just in the process of moving my
Photos from iCloud. Mainly to save the £8.99 a month as it seems wasteful when I have plenty’s of local storage.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I just don't like iCloud,never have. I like keeping all my stuff in my possession/control and not stored in some remote server somewhere.

I have two daily backups of my emails stored locally and I don't have a single email under "On my Mac".

 

[dcmaccam]

I have two daily backups of my emails stored locally and I don't have a single email under "On my Mac".

How do you store the and on what media?

 

[BrianBaughn]

How do you store the and on what media?

Hard drives. Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner.

 

[Boyd01]

I wanted to do a clean install so no old files are carried over from a previous migration.

Sorry if I'm missing something. But AFAIK you can choose only the files that you want Migration Assistant to transfer.

Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support

Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.

support.apple.com

 

[dcmaccam]

Really the only thing I would like to migrate would be Mail.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Really the only thing I would like to migrate would be Mail."

On the old Mac:
- connect an external USB drive
- open your home folder
- open the library folder (in your home folder)
- see the folder named "Mail"? Copy it to the USB drive.
- take the USB drive to the new Mac.

On the NEW Mac:
- open Mail
- go to the File menu and choose "import"
- in the window that opens, I'd try "import data from Apple Mail" first. If that doesn't work, try "Files in mbox format".
- click continue and now "point the way" to the Mail folder on the USB drive.
- I'd just try to import that way.

What will probably happen:
The imported emails will go into an "imported items" mailbox (or something named similarly).
Once they are "in there", it's now UP TO YOU to grab the mailboxes (or even individual emails) and drag and relocate them to where you want.

Good luck!

 

[JamesMay82]

I've just tried moving my iCloud mail sent items to my on my Mac folder on my laptop and it worked but its kept the files in the cloud still which means its still downloaded on my other devices.. any ideas?

 

[dcmaccam]

OP wrote:
"Really the only thing I would like to migrate would be Mail."

On the old Mac:
- connect an external USB drive
- open your home folder
- open the library folder (in your home folder)
- see the folder named "Mail"? Copy it to the USB drive.
- take the USB drive to the new Mac.

On the NEW Mac:
- open Mail
- go to the File menu and choose "import"
- in the window that opens, I'd try "import data from Apple Mail" first. If that doesn't work, try "Files in mbox format".
- click continue and now "point the way" to the Mail folder on the USB drive.
- I'd just try to import that way.

What will probably happen:
The imported emails will go into an "imported items" mailbox (or something named similarly).
Once they are "in there", it's now UP TO YOU to grab the mailboxes (or even individual emails) and drag and relocate them to where you want.

Good luck!

Hi, Thanks for the info, did what you suggested. Everything moved over. It took a wee bit of time to move everything to the correct place but all done now.