How to Minimize Disk Usage in Mac Mail

Apr 11, 2014

Do you use Mac Mail to check your Gmail? Do you always archive your emails? Do you have a huge 5 GB All Mails folder in Gmail that is now downloaded to your All Mails folder in Mac Mail?

First, see how much disk space your All Mails folder is taking up by going to /Users/username/Library/Mail/V2/Your-Email-AccountName/Gmail.mbox/ and looking at the folder info.

Now, if you don’t need access to Gmail’s All Mails folder in Mac Mail, then follow these steps to remove it from Mac Mail, but still keep it in Gmail web:

  • Go to Gmail web
  • Click the top-right gear icon to open the settings menu
  • Click Settings
  • Click the Labels tab
  • Deselect Show in IMAP in the All Mail line
  • Close Mac Mail and reopen it. You should now see the All Mails folder in the left-side navigation gone.
  • Go to the ~/Library/Mail/V2/Your-Email-AccountName/[Gmail].mbox/ folder to see the All Mail.mbox directory gone and its disk space restored.

#tip #gmail #macmail #diskusage