Below are instructions on how to back up emails in Apple Mac Mail.
To back up Apple Mail on a Mac, use the built-in “Export Mailbox” feature to save folders as .mbox files, or use Time Machine for automatic backups. Select a mailbox, click Mailbox > Export Mailbox, choose a storage location, and click Choose. This creates a portable archive of your emails.
Method 1: Export Mailboxes (Recommended for Specific Folders)
Open the Mail app and select the mailbox (e.g., Inbox) you want to back up.
Go to the top menu bar, click Mailbox, and select Export Mailbox….
Choose a destination folder (preferably on an external drive) and click Choose.
Mail will export the mailbox as a .mbox file.
Note: This does not export subfolders; you must export those separately.
Method 2: Use Time Machine (Automatic & Full Backup)
Ensure Time Machine is set up.
Time Machine automatically backs up the ~/Library/Mail/ folder, which contains all local email data.
Method 3: Manual File Backup (Advanced)
Open Finder, click Go in the menu bar, hold the Option key, and select Library.
Locate the Mail folder.
Copy and paste this entire folder to an external drive.
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How to Restore (Import) Backups
Open Mail and go to File > Import Mailboxes.
Select Apple Mail and click Continue.
Locate your exported .mbox file to restore it to an “Import” folder in Mail.
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