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How do I import MBOX files?

From the toolbar, click Import MBOX…. Pick one or more .mbox files (for example, the ones you download from Google Takeout). The app processes them and creates a library for each. You can import as many times as you want and manage libraries from the sidebar.

How do I export my mail from Gmail with Google Takeout?

Sign in to takeout.google.com, choose Mail (Gmail) and the MBOX format. Download the file (or files) Google generates and then import them into Mailbox Client with the Import MBOX… button.

The full step-by-step is on the Install page.

Where is my data stored?

Everything is stored locally on your Mac:

Imported archives: ~/Library/Application Support/GmailImporter/
Parsed messages, attachments and search index: SwiftData store inside that same folder.
Spotlight index (optional): managed by macOS, domain com.gmailimporter.messages.
iCloud (optional, opt-in): private CloudKit container iCloud.es.cajigas.Gmail-importer.

No messages or metadata leave your device unless you explicitly enable iCloud sync.

How do I save attachments?

Open the message in the detail view. The attachments section lists every file. Use the Save As… button to pick a destination and write the file to disk with the standard macOS save panel.

Can I rename or delete an imported library?

Yes. Use the Manage Libraries panel from the sidebar or toolbar. Select a library, rename it inline, or delete it. Deleting a library permanently removes the archive on disk and every message it produced from the database.

Do I need to be online?

No. Mailbox Client works fully offline. You only need a connection if you enable iCloud sync, or if you choose to view HTML mail that loads remote images. Stay in the Text view to be 100% offline.

How do I enable Apple Intelligence features?

Open Settings → Intelligence and toggle the feature on. You need an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 15.4 or newer with Apple Intelligence available in your region. If the requirement isn't met, the AI panel stays hidden.

How do I make my mail searchable from Spotlight?

Open Settings → Spotlight and enable the integration. The app will index your messages in batches of 100. You can reindex everything or wipe the Spotlight index from the same panel. Once indexed, click ⌘ Space from anywhere on macOS to find a message.

Does iCloud sync cost anything extra?

The app itself doesn't charge for sync. It uses your existing iCloud storage. Large MBOX archives can take up several gigabytes, so check your iCloud plan before enabling sync.

How do I turn off iCloud sync without losing my mail?

Open Settings → iCloud and switch sync off. The local database stays intact on your Mac. You can also wipe the iCloud copy from that panel — useful if you no longer want a remote copy but want to keep using the app locally.

Why is my categorization not perfect?

Categorization combines heuristics with the on-device model. Very short, very generic, or messages in less common languages may end up in Other. You can re-run categorization or override the category manually from the detail view.

Some characters look wrong in old emails. Why?

Older messages can be encoded in obscure charsets that aren't always declared correctly. Mailbox Client falls back to common encodings, but a few messages may slip through. If you build from source, set MBOX_CHARSET_DEBUG=1 in the Xcode scheme to log the charset decisions and report the case via the form below.

Can I export messages out of Mailbox Client?

Yes. From the toolbar use the Export button. Pick a selection or an entire library, and choose the format: .mbox (re-importable anywhere), .eml (one file per message) or .json (great for scripting).

Does Mailbox Client connect to my Gmail account directly?

No. Mailbox Client never logs into Gmail and never uses OAuth or any other Google API. It only reads the .mbox files you provide it.

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