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What does rebuild mailbox mean in Apple Mail?
When you rebuild mailboxes for IMAP or Exchange accounts, messages and attachments stored on your computer are discarded, and then downloaded again from the mail server to your Mac. Your mailbox appears empty until the download is complete.
What happens when you rebuild Apple Mail?
When you rebuild a mailbox, the copies of your emails stored on your Mac are deleted, then downloaded again from your mail server. You can do this either by clicking the Mail icon (if it’s in your dock) or using Spotlight search (press Command + Space to launch Spotlight) to locate the app.
How do I fix Apple Mail not receiving emails?
Try quitting Mail, then opening it again. Choose Window > Connection Doctor, then follow any instructions in the Details column. Check for problems logging into email accounts or with the incoming mail server, or with firewall software blocking network traffic.
How do I undo a rebuild in Mac mail?
- Quit Mail if it’s running.
- Assuming this is a POP account, in the Finder go to ~/Library/Mail/POP-username@mailserver/.
- Locate INBOX. mbox and move it to the Desktop.
- Open Mail. A new empty INBOX.
- In Mail, do File > Import Mailboxes and follow the instructions to import the INBOX. mbox that’s on the Desktop.
What happens when I rebuild my mailbox on a Mac?
Rebuild mailboxes in Mail on Mac. When you rebuild mailboxes for IMAP or Exchange accounts, messages and attachments stored on your computer are discarded, and then downloaded again from the mail server to your Mac. Your mailbox appears empty until the download is complete.
What should I do if my mailbox is not working?
Mail will automatically attempt to reindex your messages if it detects problems with the mailboxes, but sometimes a manual reindex is the best option. If you are still having problems with Mail after following step one, try manual reindexing. Quit Mail if it’s open.
Why is my mailbox so slow on my Mac?
If your Apple Mail doesn’t seem to be searchable and/or has become so slow it seems to hang your Mac — or even displays incorrect email content, then it’s time you attacked the problem: it’s time to rebuild and reindex your Mailbox. Aaargh!!!
Why is my Apple Mail not working properly?
Aaargh!!! Mac users depend on Apple Mail for day-to-day email use, but as those messages come in and go out your Mailboxes will become bloated. When they do, Mail’s performance will suffer and you’ll find that even something as simple as downloading new messages takes an age.