How to Open MBOX File on Mac? [Easy Methods]

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Summary: Opening MBOX file in Mac system seems complicated? Read this post to learn about the 3 best methods to open MBOX file on Mac along with an MBOX viewer software. Furthermore, if you want to convert your file to another format, you can use Kernel Mac MBOX Converter for quick conversion.

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MBOX is the most widely compatible format, supported by several email clients. Users use MBOX format to create a backup of their important data for future purposes. MBOX files can be accessed on both Windows and Mac systems using different email clients or other applications. There are many scenarios where users need to open MBOX file on Mac like:

Reading and accessing old backup data files.
To recover emails from old archives.
To import files into another email client.

In this guide, we will learn how to open MBOX file on Mac operating system.

Methods to Open MBOX File on Mac System

Here are the different methods to open MBOX file on Mac system:

Method 1. Using a text editor

You can easily open MBOX file using a text editor on Mac system. You just need to locate the MBOX file and right-click on it. After that, select Open With option and choose the desired text editor application such as TextEdit, Sublime Text, or Atom.

Method 2. Using Apple Mail

You can simply use Apple Mail, the default email application of all Mac systems. Here are the steps to open MBOX with Apple Mail:

Open the Mail application, choose the File menu, and from the drop-down menu, click on Import Mailboxes.
You need to select the source of the file and click on Continue to find the files.
- If you are importing it from the same or another Mac system, then select Apple Mail.
- If you are importing the files from Windows or UNIX systems, select Files in mbox format.
Browse through the files and select the required ones. Click on Choose.
You will receive a message informing you about the new folder’s name in the list of mailboxes that holds all the MBOX files. Click on Done. The importing process will begin.
The folder will be added to the Mail sidebar, and you can view them whenever needed.

You can also transfer the files from Apple Mail to PST, which is another suitable format for storing the information.

Method 3. Using Mozilla Thunderbird

Follow the below mentioned steps and open MBOX file using Thunderbird:

Step 1. Launch Thunderbird and add ImportExportTools NG add-on.

Step 2. Click on Tools >ImportExportTools NG >Import mbox file. Launch Thunderbird

Step 3. Select Import directly one or more MBOX files and click OK. Select Import directly option

In this way, your MBOX files will get imported to Thunderbird and you can easily access them on Mac.

Method 4. Using a free MBOX Viewer tool

You can also select the best free MBOX viewer software, such as Kernel MBOX Viewer, to access and view MBOX file data easily. The software allows you to open and view MBOX files in their original structure. There is no file size restriction, and you can also save email lists in HTML format. This is also the most secure software that does not harm your MBOX files.

What if your MBOX file gets corrupted?

In case of corruption in MBOX file, it won’t open in any email client or other application. The only way to deal with corruption issues is by using professional software. Kernel Mac MBOX Converter is powerful software that supports MBOX files from all MBOX email clients. This Mac MBOX Converter preserves the data integrity and saves the MBOX file in PST format. You can easily fetch your specific emails using its advanced filters like To, From, Date/time, attachments, etc.

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Conclusion

An MBOX file is the simplest form of file format, which is widely accepted by multiple email clients. We hope you’ve got all your answers for opening the MBOX file in Mac. It can be opened easily in a Mac system using a text editor and Apple Mail applications. Finder directly searches for the existing files on the system and displays them using a text editor. Whereas, if you are interested in viewing it in email form, then you need to import the MBOX file into Apple Mail and then view it without any interruptions. A professional Kernel Mac MBOX Converter utility should be used to deal with oversized MBOX file issues and conversion of the MBOX files into PST format.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What email client supports MBOX format?

A. Popular email programs and operating systems that use the MBOX message database format for email are Apple Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, Spicebird, IncrediMail, Sylpheed, SeaMonkey, Entourage, Opera Mail, etc.

Q. What is the difference between a mailbox and MBOX?

A. MBOX refers to a specific file format that stores email messages in a single database file, but a mailbox typically contains an entire email account with multiple folders. In other words, MBOX is just one part of a larger mailbox.

Q. How can I open MBOX file on Windows system?

A. You can open MBOX file on Windows system with Mozilla Thunderbird or any other MBOX viewer application.