How to clear mail app storage on mac

Clearing the Mail app storage on a Mac can help free up space on your hard drive and improve the performance of the app. Here are the steps to clear Mail app storage on a Mac:

Method 1: Clearing Mail app storage using the Mail app

  1. Open the Mail app on your Mac.
  2. Click on "Mail" in the top menu bar and select "Preferences" (or press Command + comma).
  3. In the Preferences window, click on the "Accounts" tab.
  4. Select the account you want to clear storage for (e.g., your iCloud, Gmail, or Exchange account).
  5. Click on the "Advanced" tab.
  6. Click on the "Remove" button next to "Remove messages older than [X] days".
  7. Choose a time period (e.g., 1 month, 3 months, etc.) or select "All messages" to remove all messages.
  8. Click "OK" to confirm.

Method 2: Clearing Mail app storage using the Terminal

  1. Open the Terminal app on your Mac (you can find it in the Applications/Utilities folder or use Spotlight to search for it).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter: rm -rf ~/Library/Mail/V2/MailData
  3. This command will delete the Mail app's storage files, including messages, attachments, and other data.
  4. Note: Be careful when using the Terminal, as this command will permanently delete files. Make sure you have backed up your important data before proceeding.

Method 3: Clearing Mail app storage using the Finder

  1. Open the Finder app on your Mac.
  2. Navigate to the following folder: ~/Library/Mail/V2/MailData
  3. Delete the contents of this folder (including any subfolders).
  4. Note: This method will also permanently delete files, so be sure to back up your important data before proceeding.

After clearing the Mail app storage, you may need to restart the Mail app or log out and log back in to your account for the changes to take effect.

Remember to regularly clean up your Mail app storage to keep your Mac running smoothly and to free up space on your hard drive.