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This article is intended for students only and provides instructions on how to backup and import personal mailboxes in the macOS environment.
Do not use these instructions to export or import institutional data. If you have any questions about data types, contact the
ITS Service Desk.
Before You Begin
Before you begin working with the instructions, ensure:
- You have setup your email in Apple Mail. See Microsoft 365 Email Setup: macOS Apple Mail for instructions.
- You have sufficient storage space for exported mailbox files.
- You have access to multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- You know your UNC email and password..
In This Article:
Export a Mailbox
Apple Mail does not export all mailboxes at the same time. You must export each mailbox or folder individually. If you need to back up multiple folders, repeat the export process for each mailbox you want to preserve.
Use these instructions to export a mailbox such as your Inbox:
- Open Apple Mail.
- Right-click the folder you want to export and select Export Mailbox.
- Browse to the location where you want to save the exported file. If the folder contains sub-folders, select Show Options.
- Tick the box to Export all sub-folders.
- Select Choose.
Result: The mailbox is exported as an .mbox file.
Caution: Apple Mail does not display a confirmation message when the export finishes.
Tip: After exporting, verify that the .mbox file exists in the selected location before deleting or moving any email messages.
Import a Mailbox
Use these instructions to import a previously exported mailbox:
- Open Apple Mail.
- Select File > Import Mailboxes.
- Select Apple Mail, and then select Continue.
- Browse to the exported
.mbox file (for example, Inbox.mbox).
- Select Choose.
- Select Done when the import completes.
Result: The imported mailbox appears under the Import folder in Apple Mail.
