How to Archive Emails on Mac and Where is Apple Mail Archive?

How to Archive Emails in Apple Mail on Mac

When you use Apple Mail on Mac, you can archive a message the same way regardless of the email service provider. And, you have a few different email archiving solutions to store individual or multiple messages. So, you can use whichever is quickest or easiest for you.

Fastest way to archive emails on Mac

For the fastest option, select one or more messages and press Control ⌃ + Command ⌘ + A.

You can also use the Archive button, context menu, or menu bar if you prefer:

1. Select the email you want to store. To select multiple messages, hold Command ⌘ as you click each one, or to select an adjacent range of messages, choose the first email, hold Shift ⇧, and choose the last email.
2. Do one of the following to archive the email(s):
   • Click the Archive button in the top toolbar.
   • Right-click and choose Archive.
   • Select Message → Archive in the menu bar.
   • Use the keyboard shortcut Control ⌃ + Command ⌘ + A.

You’ll see the message(s) vanish from your inbox.

📌 Note: Apple Mail is an email client, so archiving a message does not mean storing it locally on your Mac. For supported accounts, archived messages can be stored in a mailbox on your email provider’s server. If a mailbox is stored under On My Mac, however, its messages are available only on that Mac.

Batch archiving

When you archive multiple selected emails, Mail moves all of them out of the current mailbox in one action. If you archive a conversation, only messages from that conversation that are currently in the selected mailbox are archived; related messages stored elsewhere remain where they are.

The main limitation is that batch archiving is still manual: you first have to identify and select the messages yourself. It also moves everything you selected into Archive without helping you separate messages worth keeping from low-value mail, so large batch cleanups can simply shift clutter from the Inbox to the Archive folder.

Swipe to Archive Mail on Mac

Do you like to use swipe actions to manage your messages? Just like when you archive email on iPhone, you can set a swipe gesture to file away messages in Mail on Mac.

1. Open the Mail app and select Mail → Settings from the menu bar.
2. Go to the Viewing tab and choose Archive next to Move discarded messages into.
3. To use the gesture, swipe an email from right to left and pick Archive.

Automatically Archive Emails on Mac

While the Outlook desktop application provides a handy tool for automatically archiving old messages, there isn’t currently an Apple Mail auto-archive feature. However, you can set up a rule to automatically manage messages on Mac as they arrive.

1. Open the Mail app and select Mail → Settings from the menu bar.
2. Go to the Rules tab and choose Add Rule.
3. Enter a Description (name) for the rule.
4. For the condition:
   • Select the From drop-down box and pick Date received.
   • Select the is less than drop-down box and pick is greater than. Then, enter the number of days to the right.
1. For the action, leave Move Message as-is and open the No mailbox selected drop-down box to pick All Archive or a specific archive folder if you prefer.
2. Click OK to save the rule.
3. Choose Apply to run the rule for your existing messages or Don’t Apply to ignore current messages.

You’re then returned to the Rules settings where you’ll see your rule with a checkmark indicating that it’s active.

📌 Tip: Check out below how to create rules with Auto Clean in Clean Email for a simpler way to automatically archive messages!

Why archiving is easier on Mac than iPhone

Archiving a few emails works well on both devices, but a Mac is generally more efficient for larger cleanups. You can select groups of messages more quickly, use keyboard shortcuts for easier multi-selection, and create Mail rules to automate actions.

Where to Find Archived Emails on Mac

After you use the above method to archive an email, the message is safely tucked away in the Archive folder for the corresponding email account, yet fully accessible in Apple Mail.

1. To access your mailboxes in Apple Mail, make sure you have the left-hand sidebar open. If it’s hidden, simply select View → Show Sidebar in the menu bar.
2. Expand the mailbox for the email account in the sidebar and select the Archive folder.

You can then see all messages you’ve archived for that account.

📌 Note: If your Archive mailbox is stored on your email provider’s server, archived messages remain available when you access the same account from other devices. A mailbox stored under On My Mac is local to that computer and does not provide the same cross-device access.

Unarchive an Email in Apple Mail

To recover an archived email, you can move it to your inbox for that account, or a particular folder if you prefer.

Select the email and do one of the following to unarchive the message:

• Open the Move menu in the top toolbar and choose a location.
• Right-click, go to Move to, and choose a location.
• Select Message → Move to in the menu bar and choose a location.

How to Stop Emails Going to Archive on Mac

If you set up a rule to automatically archive Apple Mail on Mac as described earlier, you can simply disable the rule to prevent emails going to the archive. This allows you to re-enable the rule later if you like. Alternatively, you can delete the rule altogether to turn off archive in Mac Mail.

1. Open the Mail app and select Mail → Settings from the menu bar.
2. Go to the Rules tab and do one of the following:
   • To disable the rule, uncheck the box in the Active column.
   • To delete the rule, select Remove and then confirm in the pop-up window. Note that you cannot undo this action.

If you notice emails going to the Archive folder rather than the Trash, check the swipe gesture feature mentioned above. Go to Mail → Settings → Viewing and see if Archive is chosen next to Move discarded messages into.

Wrap-Up

Archiving emails on Mac is a practical way to clear your inbox without deleting messages you may need later. In Apple Mail, you can archive individual or multiple emails, use swipe actions, create rules for older messages, find archived mail by account, and move messages back to the Inbox when needed.

For occasional Mac storage cleanups, Apple Mail’s built-in tools are usually sufficient. If you manage a high volume of email or want more automation, Clean Email can help with bulk organization, Auto Clean rules, and ongoing inbox management beyond basic archiving.

Should You Delete or Archive?

Both options tidy up your inbox, but they serve different purposes. Knowing when to use each can make everyday email management much simpler.

When to Archive

Archive messages you might need later but don’t want cluttering your inbox. Travel confirmations, receipts, important conversations, and anything you may reference again are safer stored than deleted.

When to Delete

Delete messages you’ll never revisit – promotions, newsletters, expired offers, and other low-value mail. This keeps your Archive folder from filling up and helps free storage on accounts with tight limits.

Pros and Cons