Apple Mail, the default email client for macOS, is an application that manages your emails, contacts, and calendars. While it's reliable, the critical nature of email data needs a solid Apple Mail backup strategy. This guide will walk you through the intricacies of backing up Apple Mail, explaining not just the how, but the why behind each step. 

Understanding Apple Mail's Data Structure

 Before we discuss Apple Mail backup methods, it's crucial to understand how Apple Mail stores your data: 

1. Let’s look at the basic Mail Folders:
   • This is where the Mail folders are located. Location: ~/Library/Mail/
   • This directory contains your email messages, organized in a complex folder structure. And each email account has its own set of folders.Messages are stored in .emlx format, which is specific to Apple Mail.

2. Attachments:
   • If you need to find the attachments, they are located here. Location: ~/Library/Mail/V8/MailData/Attachments/
   • Attachments are stored separately from email messages. This wasn’t always the case. But Apple Mail later modified the architecture, particularly to make email search faster. Attachments are referenced in the .emlx files.

3. Mail Downloads:
   • Then there’s a very important folder. It contains files that you have downloaded from emails, but you didn’t move them anywhere else. So basically, it’s the default location.
   • Location: ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail Downloads/

4. Preferences:
   • Another important aspect of any database – user specific preferences. It also contains account settings. Location: ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Preferences/

5. Signatures:

• This part stores any email signatures you've created.

• Location: ~/Library/Mail/V8/MailData/Signatures/

 Understanding this structure may not seem that important at this point. But it helps you appreciate the complexity of a comprehensive Apple Mail backup and why simple file copying might not be sufficient. It also helps us explain the reason why a dedicated and professional backup solution is often the only way to secure data in a thorough manner. 

Native Backup Options in macOS

 Now, let’s look at some of the options you have for securing and backing up Apple Mail data. The email client provides some built-in tools that can help with backups: 

1. Time Machine:
   • Automatically backs up your entire Mac, including Mail data. It is easy to use and has the ability to create incremental backups.
   • But speaking of cons, it is not Mail-specific. If you are not interested in complete data backup, which includes not just emails but all the other day on the system, it can be overkill if you only want to back up Mail.

2. Mail Export:
   • Within Apple Mail, you can export mailboxes to .mbox files. You can open ‘Mailbox’ and then click on ‘Export Mailbox.’
   • What this does is that it creates standardized .mbox files. It’s a commonly used format that can be imported into other email clients, even in Windows platform.
   • But, once again, we have to discuss where it is missing. Firstly, it’s a manual process and doesn't include preferences or signatures. Along with that, there are many flaws this approach can have. But going into depth would be beyond the scope of this article, which is primarilyfocused on efficient and seamless Apple mail backups.

Third-Party Backup Solutions for Apple Mail

 Now, we are coming to the main part. While native options are useful, third-party Apple Mail backup solutions offer more flexibility and Mail-specific features. 

1. Email-Specific Backup Tools:
   • Software like Mail Backup X (our recommendation)
   • What is it good at? It is designed specifically for email backup, includes search and archive features. The tool is also used by many for email file converters (like from PST to MBOX, and so on). Below we take a look at the process of using this tool in more detail.
   • Speaking of weak spots, the only thing is that it is a separate desktop-based application that you need to install manually, unlike built-in export tools. But it’s only a one-time thing.

Using Mail Backup X – The practical application

 Some of you might be getting a bit impatient reading about the theoretical side of this topic of Apple Mail backups. We understand that. But it was important to set the context right. But now, it’s time to get down to business – how does this tool actually work? How can you use Mail Backup X to back up your data in a professional and reliable way? 

• First, download the compatible version for your MacOS from MailBackupX.com. It’s quick and takes no time. The setup file is very small, so you don’t have to wait for long for the system to complete the download. Open the setup file and then follow the installation wizard.
• Before you begin, close Apple Mail so that the Mail Backup X and the email client don’t perform conflicting operations on the files.
• Note: when you launch the tool, it will ask for the license key. Don’t worry. You don’t have to purchase the tool at this point, especially when you don’t know what it offers you. Notice the “Activate Free Trial” button? That’s how you can use the software without any risk.
• You should be on the dashboard. If for some reason, you clicked somewhere you didn’t intend or you are at a screen that doesn’tlook familiar, you can go back to the default Dashboard screen by clicking on “Dashboard” on the left sidebar. Then select 'Setup a New Backup Profile' inside ‘Tasks.’ Or go to My Backup Profiles and then click on the link to add a new profile. Both lead to the same place.
• Choose 'Apple Mail' as your email client.

3. Grant Necessary Permissions
   • For macOS Mojave and later, you need to allow Mail Backup X to access your Mail data.
   • Open System Preferences, click ‘Security and Privacy,’ and inside ‘Privacy’ tab, click on ‘Full Disk Access” and add “Mail Backup X” in the list of whitelisted apps.

• Customizing Your Apple Mail Backup Scope:
• Select Mail Folders: Choose which Apple Mail folders to include in your backup. Backing up everything might not always be necessary or efficient but it’s up to you.

5. Configure Backup Settings
   • Name your backup profile descriptively, e.g., "Work Emails 2024" or "Personal Mail Archive".
   • Select a storage location:
     1. Local drive on your computer is the easiest and most convenient way. It makes access to data faster and is not reliable on any third-party or even internet. But it’s also not a very secure location.
     2. Offsite storage, like cloud-based providers (such as OneDrive and Dropbox) are excellent for making your data accessible from anywhere and to be more secure than just local.
     3. But here’s the best part – don’t rely on either one solely. You can have both. Add a local drive and then add a cloud-storage for your Apple mail backups.  Best of both worlds.
   • Set security level:
     1. Choose 'Secured (Encrypted)' for sensitive data.
     2. 'Un-Secured' is suitable for non-confidential emails.
6. Determine Backup Frequency
   • How do you want the profile to trigger updates or subsequent backups in the future? This is where you can tweak the setting to suit your needs.
     1. Automatic: Continuous backup of new emails.
     2. Manual: You control when backups occur.
     3. Recurring: Set a regular schedule (daily, weekly, etc.).
   • In most cases, Automatic is the best and safest option. But remember that these settings can be modified later when you want. If suppose ‘automatic’ option is being resource-hungry and overkill, you can come back and set a more lenient schedule to back up emails from Apple Mail.

You are almost at the end now. Take a deep breath and have a look at that ‘Save’ button. You need to click on it. But as your cursor hovers over the button, think about the wealth of information, ranging from private to business, your emails within Apple Mail contain. Know that you are about to create a reliable protection for all of that, while also having quick and seamless access to them. Creating Apple Mail backups is a significant step towards data security.As you close the setup window, take pride in knowing you've done something important today.