Backup and Restore Apple Mail and Never Fret Over Lost Archives Again

Last Modified:	November 28, 2010
Software Affected:	Mail 3.6
OS:	Mac OS X 10.5
Description:	This article shows you where to find your Mail settings and messages and how to backup and restore these items.

Backup:

1. Quit Mail
2. Locate the ‘Preferences’ folder found here:
   ~/Library
3. Within the ‘Preferences’ folder, locate the com.apple.mail.plist and com.apple.mail.searchhistory.plist files
4. Copy these files to your backup media
5. Locate the ‘Mail’ folder found here:
   ~/Library
6. Copy this folder to your backup media
7. You have now successfully backed up your Mail

Do this with BackJack

Restore:

1. Quit Mail
2. Recover the com.apple.mail.plist and com.apple.mail.searchhistory.plist files that you backed up
3. Copy them into here:
   ~/Library/Preferences
4. Enter the username and password for an administrator on your computer and click continue
5. Recover the ‘Mail’ folder that you backed up
6. Copy it into here: 
   ~/Library
7. Launch Mail located here: 
   /Applications/Mail/
8. Enter your mail password and check ‘Remember this password in my keychain’ and click OK
9. You have successfully restored your Mail

Do this with BackJack