Backup Apple Mail to External Hard Drive on Mac and Windows

Apple Mail is one of the most popular choices for Mac users to manage emails easily and effectively. However, securing mail data from unauthorized accessibility is becoming a difficult task for professionals. Eventually, taking a backup on an internal drive is not a great choice. Therefore, many users want to create a backup of Apple Mail to an external hard drive.

Why Backup Apple Mail to External Hard Drive?

Here are some scenarios why backing up emails into the external hard drive is needed:

• Protects against accidental deletion or system failures.
• Carry your emails anywhere using an external drive.
• Easily transfer data between devices or operating systems.
• Free up space on your primary storage by keeping older mail safe.

How to Save Emails to External Hard Drive on Mac?

In this section, we discuss how to backup Mac Mail to an external hard drive manually as well as professionally. Moreover, the manual method contains some limitations and has a chance of data loss or misinterpretation. If you want to create a backup without any difficulty then, use a professional method.

Dedicated Software to Backup Apple Mail to External Hard Drive

SysInfo iCloud Backup Tool is the most reliable and effective solution to back up iCloud emails into local drives. This tool allows users to import Apple Mail to Outlook and several email clients including Gmail, Office 365, Thunderbird, etc. Additionally, it backs up emails in various file formats like PST, PDF, CSV, MBOX, and many more. Furthermore, it contains more additional features or filters that help backup Apple Mail to hard drive smoothly and securely.

Execution Steps to Backup Apple Mail to Hard Drive

1. Launch the SysInfo iCloud Backup Tool as an administrator.
2. Now, enter iCloud details and press on the Sign in button.
3. After that, select and preview the folders. Click Next.
4. Choose a saving format from the drop-down list.
5. Apply additional features or filters as per your need.
6. Provide the Destination folder path to save the resultant file.
7. Lastly, click on the Convert button to backup Apple Mails.

Manual Technique to Backup Apple Mail to External Hard Drive

Apple Mail provides inbuilt features to export their mailbox item into MBOX format. Follow these steps to perform this operation:

1. First, launch Apple Mail on the Mac system.
2. Now, click on the Mailbox option from the menu.
3. Afterward, pick Export Mailbox and specify a location to save the file.
4. Lastly, hit on the Choose button to complete the process.

Note: Repeat the same steps to back up other mail folders.

Are there any Limitations of the Manual Method?

• Not applicable for bulk Mail folders as it only migrates one file at a time.
• It only backs up mailbox items in MBOX format, not any other file format.
• Taking too much time and chances of data loss or misinterpretations.
• Also, there might be a loss of confidentiality, integrity, or accessibility.

Conclusion

The process of backup Apple Mail to an external hard drive is a simple yet essential step to protect your data. However, if users are on Mac and managing Apple Mail data on Windows. Following the above steps ensures your emails are secure, portable, and easily accessible. But remember to use the manual solutions only if you have technical knowledge, else go for the professional tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

About The Author:

Simran Bhatia

Simran Bhatia is a technical content writer engaged in writing clear, concise, and SEO-optimized content. With a background in computer science and a passion for writing, I thrive to deliver complex technical content in simple layman terms.