How do I set up Mac Mail to Save Sent Items on the Server?

When you setup Mac Mail, by default MacMail will not use the “Sent” folder on the server to place sent emails in when the server is configured for IMAP. If you wish to have your sent items stored on the server you will need to go through a short, simple process in order to have this done:

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Step 1: First you must select the “Sent” folder in the left side that is listed under the IMAP folders for the account.

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Step 2: Next, click “Mailbox” from the menu bar. Go to “Use This Mailbox For” and in the box that opens up select “Sent”. With this done MacMail will now use the “Sent” folder on the server to store sent emails rather than use the local “Sent” folder.

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14 thoughts on “How do I set up Mac Mail to Save Sent Items on the Server?

  1. Hi John-Paul,

    Re: your response to Kristin & Robin, I’ve followed your suggestion of reviewing the ‘grayed out options’, and like the others, I don’t have server permissions to change this. Have you or anyone else here been able to determine a work around for this?

    Thanks,
    Hannah

  2. So I did the above, but is there a way to find a sent email from before you did this? I am looking for an email that I sent before. or is it gone?

    1. Hello Darcy,

      You may be able to locate it in the server itself, but I cannot say for Macmail. My assumption is that it works from the point you set it forward and that nothing would be reroactive.

      Kindest Regards,
      Scott M

  3. Hi, 

    I just did this and it works like a charm. BUT I now can’t seem to find my sent emails in the original folder? Have these been deleted 🙁

    Please advise.

    1. Hello Mattias,

      Thank you for your question. After following the above guide it should begin to save your sent email going forward.

      As long as you are subscribed to your IMAP folders in Mac mail, you will see everything that is stored on the server.

      If you have any further questions, feel free to post them below.

      Thank you,
      John-Paul

  4. what do I do when the options under Mailbox- Use This Mailbox As- are all grayed out and I am unable to select “Sent”?

    1. Hello Kristin,

      Thank you for your question. I found a helpful post about grayed out options in mac mail. In that page they explain it can be controlled by the server, stopping you from modifying the folders.

      This should not be the case if you are hosted with us. Let us know if you are, so we can investigate it further.

      If you have anymore questions, feel free to post them below.

      Thank you,
      John-Paul

    2. Hello Robin,

      Thank you for contacting us. Please see my response to Kristin below, as you may be experiencing a similar issue.

      Thank you,
      John-Paul

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