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Find iMac local folder emails on Time Machine bak-up disc

Hello, I did post a similar query a few weeks ago but can't now find the thread.


Anyway, I file all emails I want to keep under relevant subjects in my Local Folders on the Mail app. My hard drive is backed up continually via Time Machine to a separate disk. How do I find my backed-up emails on that disc please?


Regards,


Gordon.

iMac 21.5″ 4K, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jul 31, 2023 5:57 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 1, 2023 7:02 AM

John Galt wrote:

"Enter Time Machine" is found by clicking the Time Machine icon in your Mac's menu bar.

In Ventura 13.5, Apple has renamed that menu item to "Browse Time Machine Backups" which will open the Restore interface to the currently opened Finder Window. Thus, one would navigate to the /Users/username/Library/Mail folder, and then select the "Browse…" menu item to open the Restore interface to the Mail folder contents.



Select the Mailbox you want to restore, and then click the TM icon. Select "Enter Time Machine" from the dropdown menu that appears.

If you do not have a Time Machine icon in your Mac's menu bar, then open  (Apple menu) > System Preferences... (or Settings) > Time Machine• , and select "Show Time Machine menu in menu bar."


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11 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 1, 2023 7:02 AM in response to John Galt

John Galt wrote:

"Enter Time Machine" is found by clicking the Time Machine icon in your Mac's menu bar.

In Ventura 13.5, Apple has renamed that menu item to "Browse Time Machine Backups" which will open the Restore interface to the currently opened Finder Window. Thus, one would navigate to the /Users/username/Library/Mail folder, and then select the "Browse…" menu item to open the Restore interface to the Mail folder contents.



Select the Mailbox you want to restore, and then click the TM icon. Select "Enter Time Machine" from the dropdown menu that appears.

If you do not have a Time Machine icon in your Mac's menu bar, then open  (Apple menu) > System Preferences... (or Settings) > Time Machine• , and select "Show Time Machine menu in menu bar."


Aug 1, 2023 4:09 AM in response to Gordondow

"Enter Time Machine" is found by clicking the Time Machine icon in your Mac's menu bar.


Select the Mailbox you want to restore, and then click the TM icon. Select "Enter Time Machine" from the dropdown menu that appears.


  • If you do not have a Time Machine icon in your Mac's menu bar, then open  (Apple menu) > System Preferences... (or Settings) > Time Machine, and select "Show Time Machine menu in menu bar."

Jul 31, 2023 12:03 PM in response to Gordondow

All mailboxes on my Mac are in the V10 folder in your Home/Library/Mail folder


You will need to enter Time Machine, go back to the appropriate time and go to that folder. Restore the V10 folder and select keep both. The recovered V10 folder will be the Active one and be identified as just V10 so you'll need to move it to the Desktop and rename the V10 (original) folder to V10.


Then open the V10 folder on the Desktop and look for your mailboxes on your Mac.


You can't go directly to Mail mailboxes any more in Time Machine and recover individual emails. It has to be the V10 recover and then browser it for your emails.



Aug 1, 2023 5:08 AM in response to John Galt

Thanks John, I do have the Time Machine icon on my menu bar but there's no "Enter Time Machine" option, just "Open Time Machine Settings". But anyway, I assume the same thing is achieved by clicking on any of the saved back-ups on the disc where Time Machine files them. If I do that, there's no Home folder - there is a Library one but within that there's no Mail folder.


I realise I'm doing something stupid but if you cold point out what it is, that would be hugely helpful.


Regards,


Gordon.

Aug 1, 2023 8:06 AM in response to VikingOSX

Grateful thanks to all; as is often the case I've been able to work things out for myself, but based on what you've all said. I've clicked into one of the TM back-ups, then clicked through to the Home folder, clicked on that then done Shift/Command/Period to open up the hidden files, then clicked on Library and thus to Mail where I've managed to find all my Local Folders.

Currently there's nothing I needed to restore, I just needed the reassurance that the folders there there with the email.

Thanks to all!

Find iMac local folder emails on Time Machine bak-up disc

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