How to speed up very slow Apple Mail

Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Operating iMac -Big Sur- Mail version 14.0

I am new to this forum.

Can anyone please advise how to speed up Mail. It has suddenly begun to open very slowly. I have tried rebuilding larger mailboxes.

Thank you. Mike Blayney
 

Cory Cooper

Moderator
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
11,102
Reaction score
492
Hello and welcome.

Slowness in the Mail application is usually attributed to large amounts of email in your account inbox(es), as it syncs those each time you open Mail.

-How many accounts are setup?
-Are the accounts setup as IMAP or POP?
-Do you keep a lot of email in the inbox(es)?

C
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Hi Cory,
Thanks for your reply. I have two accounts set up, both IMAP. One of them is ICloud Mail.
Occasionally mail builds up in the inboxes, largely because my wife gets angry if I "interfere" with messages for her. As much as possible I do transfer messages I want to keep to individual Mailboxes in Mail. If particular Mailboxes then seem to become too filled, I erase all content in them. I also Rebuild those mailboxes which have a large content.

Should I try removing Mail Data folders as suggested elsewhere? I'm concerned about unconsciously losing deleted key content. Would Reindexing Spotlight help?

Any suggestions would be welcome. Thank you.Mike Blayney
 

Cory Cooper

Moderator
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
11,102
Reaction score
492
OK, thanks.

Individual mailboxes should be fine, as I have seen them with tens of thousands of emails in them without slowing anything down after the initial sync. The actual inbox is the normal culprit for slowness.

I wouldn't move/remove the Mail Data folders, as that can totally hose the entire Mail application and account setup. Where did you see those steps?

If you move the emails to mailboxes locally on your Mac, in the On My Mac section of the sidebar in Mail, those will not be synced with the server any longer, and will not cause any slowness once they are indexed by Spotlight. However, they will no longer be visible on your other devices or via webmail, since the are no longer stored on the server. Make sure you keep a current Time Machine or other backup of your Mac so you don't lose them.

Who is the other email provider?

C
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
OK, thanks.

Individual mailboxes should be fine, as I have seen them with tens of thousands of emails in them without slowing anything down after the initial sync. The actual inbox is the normal culprit for slowness.

I wouldn't move/remove the Mail Data folders, as that can totally hose the entire Mail application and account setup. Where did you see those steps?

If you move the emails to mailboxes locally on your Mac, in the On My Mac section of the sidebar in Mail, those will not be synced with the server any longer, and will not cause any slowness once they are indexed by Spotlight. However, they will no longer be visible on your other devices or via webmail, since the are no longer stored on the server. Make sure you keep a current Time Machine or other backup of your Mac so you don't lose them.

Who is the other email provider?

C
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
OK, thanks.

Individual mailboxes should be fine, as I have seen them with tens of thousands of emails in them without slowing anything down after the initial sync. The actual inbox is the normal culprit for slowness.

I wouldn't move/remove the Mail Data folders, as that can totally hose the entire Mail application and account setup. Where did you see those steps?

If you move the emails to mailboxes locally on your Mac, in the On My Mac section of the sidebar in Mail, those will not be synced with the server any longer, and will not cause any slowness once they are indexed by Spotlight. However, they will no longer be visible on your other devices or via webmail, since the are no longer stored on the server. Make sure you keep a current Time Machine or other backup of your Mac so you don't lose them.

Who is the other email provider?

C
Hi Cory,
All your comments and advice are appreciated. Concerning removal of Mail Data folders, I had gone to the Internet for help and in a few locations there was correspondence recommending this step. I am glad that you have advised me against this step.

I will henceforth put messages in mailboxes in the On My Mac section of the sidebar. I am using Time Machine backups regularly.

I have always used Apple Mail through a server here on Vancouver Island in Canada, named Shaw Cable. On hearing that they may discontinue the email part of their business, I have since switched to an @icloud.com account. However, I still channel my icloud
outgoing email through Shaw . The intention is to stop using the Shaw provider and access iCloud directly, that is iCloud Mail, if I am making myself clear. Might there be fewer glitches if I use only iCloud Mail, or is this a stupid question?

I am elderly and what you might call "technoplegic" !! Your help is very much appreciated -thank you !!

Mike Blayney
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
No worries.

Before you stop using Shaw, they may have a way to forward your email to your iCloud account. You can then slowly transition to iCloud, and possibly set a signature in your iCloud account to let everyone know your new email address.

-Create and use email signatures in Mail on Mac
-Create an email signature in Mail on iCloud.com

Hope that helps,

C






Yes, everything you have advised has helped. Glad that I discovered the Forum, and thanks again.

Signing off now.

Mike
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top