How to clear mail from storage on mac

To clear mail from storage on a Mac, you can follow these steps:

Method 1: 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 use the keyboard shortcut Command + Comma).
  3. In the Preferences window, click on the "Accounts" tab.
  4. Select the account you want to clear mail from storage for.
  5. Click on the "Advanced" tab.
  6. Look for the "Remove messages from" dropdown menu and select "All" or a specific time period (e.g., "1 month ago").
  7. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Method 2: 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/EnvelopeIndex*
  3. This command will delete the EnvelopeIndex files, which contain the metadata for your emails. Note that this will not delete the actual email messages, but it will free up storage space.
  4. To delete the actual email messages, type the following command and press Enter: rm -rf ~/Library/Mail/V2/MailData/MessageData/*
  5. This command will delete the MessageData files, which contain the actual email messages. Be careful when using this command, as it will permanently delete your emails.

Method 3: Using a third-party app

There are several third-party apps available that can help you clear mail from storage on your Mac. Some popular options include:

Remember to always be cautious when deleting files, as it can be difficult to recover them once they're gone. Make sure to back up your important files and data regularly to prevent data loss.