The Mac operating system has several system level temporary folders which contain temp files used by MacOS itself along with various Mac apps. This temp folders are not intended to be user facing, but in some rare situations an advanced Mac user may find themselves requiring to locate the temp folder and maybe even to muck around in there.

Downloads
  • There's a folder called Mail Downloads in my user directory > Library which has lots of old unwanted email attachments. I have my Apple Mail preferences set to store downloaded attachments on my desktop. What's happening?
Air

One thing that annoys me with Apple's Mail app is that it stores attachments to be opened in a separate folder (in /Library/Mail Downloads). I wanted to make those Mail attachments appear in a subdirectory of my Downloads folder (or alternatively, in the Download folder itself, or in /var/tmp, which I clear regularly with a cron task). Q: Where does Apple Mail store attachments? The Attachments folder is located in your user home directory in one of the following locations (depending on what version you're running).

Mail Downloads Folder Mac Outlook

Context

Mail Downloads Folder Mac

Email Folders In Windows 10

  • Mac OS X 10.6.4
  • Apple Mail v4.3

Answer

Folder
  • If you double click on an attachment icon in a Mail message, or do Quick View, it will download a copy of the attachment to your user directory > Library > Mail Downloads.
Mac
  • If you Save the attachment you will have a second copy downloaded to the location specified in Preferences > General > Downloads folder:
  • To automatically delete the extra copy in Mail Downloads, change Preferences > General > Remove unedited downloads: to 'when Mail Quits'. Any file placed in the folder 'Mail Downloads', which you haven't modified will be deleted.

It sounds like Apple Mail is set to download email locally, so yes, the folders are arranged on the Mac. This is especially true if the account was set up in Mail as POP3. This kind of account will not be able to brought over to Windows 10 Mail with the same file structure. Hard Refresh On A Mac; Yahoo Mail App Download; Select version: Select version: Jul 31, 2016 Option 2: Reduce the Space Mail.app Uses. The Mail folder grows so large because the Mail app downloads every single email and attachment to store them on your Mac.

Be careful. Do not change Remove unedited downloads: unless you are sure that the attachments you want to keep are not saved in the Mail Downloads folder.