How to Delete Mail Storage on Mac – Easily Free up Space

Understanding Delete Mail Storage on Mac to Free Up Space

Before you start deleting things, you should know what you’re deleting. The “Mail” category of storage on Mac consists of three sections:

• Email Messages, aka the Text portion of your emails.
• Attachments, an equally big problem! As everything attached, i.e., PDF, images, video, and ZIP files (sent or received), will be saved locally on disk.
• Local Cache & Database Files from the Mail.app that allow you to browse emails quickly and view the data offline.

So, the Mail app contains all your local data from Apple Mail, and every time you open it, a copy is saved. Now, imagine multiplying it by 100s or 1000s, and you can easily identify how cluttered storage skyrockets on Mac.

Furthermore, are the identifiers and reasons to clear Mail storage on Mac.

Signs of Cluttered Mail Storage

• Mail app consistently freezes or slows down.
• System Storage gives an error that “Mail” is occupying several GBs of storage.
• Getting “Your disk is almost full” notifications frequently on your Mac.

Reasons to Free Up Mail Storage on Mac

• To reclaim gigabytes of space instantly for better performance.
• For recovery from system lags and slowdowns.
• To keep the Mail running smoothly and efficiently.

How to Delete Mail Storage on Mac Hassle-Free?

When clearing out the Mac Mail storage, it is necessary to ensure you get a backup of your data. It is needed so that none of your data gets lost during the deletion, and your crucial emails are still accessible in the future.

For this, use the SysInfo iCloud Backup Tool and take a data backup while sorting out the storage space. Additionally, it is useful for every user and widely compatible across all Mac and Windows OS. Moreover, you can save the data in multiple formats or to other clients while using the advanced custom filters for the best outputs.

Steps to Instantly Reduce Mail Storage on Mac

1. Download, install, and run the iCloud Backup Software using either Single/Batch mode.
2. Next, enter your username and password and complete the Sign In.
3. A list of folders in a tree structure is displayed. Choose those needed and click on Next.
4. Further, choose the PST, PDF, or any other format you desire from the drop menu.
5. Afterward, click Free up Server Space option to delete mail storage on Mac.
6. Apply other filters and, in the end, press Convert to clear your storage and backup data.

How to Delete Mail Storage on Mac Free?

There are numerous manual solutions through which you can clear the Mail storage on a Mac. These are briefly described in this section:

1) Delete Large and Unnecessary Emails

1. Start the Mail app on Mac and in the Search bar, type from: (keyword).
2. A list appears where you can filter the emails to eliminate.
3. Next, go to View and click on Sort by → Size to identify the large emails.
4. Further, select all the emails you do not require and click the Trash icon.
5. Lastly, move to the Trash folder and tap Command + A keys to select All. Then, click Delete/Erase Deleted Items for permanent removal.

Note: If you have any recurring senders, choose to auto-delete their future emails. To do so, go to Mail and select Preferences → Rule. Within it, set your criteria and set the Delete action. It is best to skip the promotional and spam emails that occur frequently.

Alternatively, Skip Attachments to Reduce Mail Storage on Mac

1. Open Mail and use the search filter to identify emails (has: attachment).
2. Then, select the email with the attachment, open it, and press Remove Attachment.

Note: It works only for the emails in your local Mail and not those on the IMAP server.

2) Clear Folders Across All Accounts

1. Press Command + Shift + G through Finder to access Go to Folder.
2. Then, type ~/Library/Mail/macOS Version/MailData and hit Enter.
3. Sort the files and delete those that are not needed.
4. Afterward, in your Mail app, go to the Junk and Trash folders and empty them.

Do You Know: How to Delete Mail Storage on Mac in General?

• In the Mail app, from Preferences, open the General tab.
• There, select either:
• Move deleted messages to the Trash mailbox or
• Erase deleted items after one month.

Note: The download and other folders store all attachments and data, so delete carefully. Or else, ensure to take a backup first.

3) Rebuild Mail Database to Remove Cache

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as in Method 2, and then, locate the Envelope Index.
2. Move the files within to a safe space for their backup and relaunch Mail.
3. Further, this will rebuild your database and clear all the potential cache data.

Note: Rebuilding is time-consuming, and you may need to repeat the steps.

Check Mail Storage Settings to Clear Mail Storage on Mac

1. In Mail Preferences, select Accounts and choose your email account.
2. Next, look for the Download Attachment settings and change it to None/Recent.
3. Alternatively, for IMAP accounts, choose Don’t Keep Copies of Any Messages.

Note: This is efficient as it helps reduce the local storage, especially for those with server-side data.

Preventive Measures to Free Up Mail Storage on Mac

• Clear downloads regularly.
• Archive your legacy emails.
• From System Preferences → Apple ID → iCloud, turn on “Optimize System Storage”.

Conclusion

If you are ready to reclaim your Mac storage, then use the guide provided above. With efficient free methods, we have resolved your query of how to delete mail storage on Mac. Also, for those who are in a hurry, we have the automated tool to help you secure the data while cleaning the Mail storage effectively and efficiently. For any other concerns, Reach Out to Tech Experts and have a secure and clean mailbox.

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About The Author:

Suman Rawat

Suman Rawat is a technical content writer and expert in the fields of email migration, data recovery, and email backup. Her passion for helping people has led her to resolve many user queries related to data conversion and cloud backup.