Reindex your Apple Mailbox
- Quit Apple Mail if the app is running.
- Launch Finder and select Go from the Menu Bar.
- Hold down the Option key. This will bring up a new item in the Go drop-down menu: Library. Select this option.
- Select Mail > V5 (or the current version) > MailData. Locate and delete all the files that start with Envelope Index, such as “Envelope Index” or “Envelope Index-wal.”
Note: It’s a good idea to copy each file to your desktop before deleting. Launch Apple Mail. The next time you open Mail, it will build entirely new Envelope Index files. You may have to be patient—this process can take a while if you have a lot of messages for Mail to go through.
Now, everything should be working as normal! If so, you can get rid of the Envelope Index file copies from your desktop.
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Excellent! Solved my problem – Thanks!
Thanks, this worked for me on my MacOS Monterey MBP.
After trying the various solutions (like erasing envelope files in the Library and rebuilding) offered online, I called Apple support which found the right solution:
1) Close Mail
2) Open System Settings
3) Scroll to Internet Accounts
4) Click on the account which serves your emails (for me it’s gmail)
5) NOTE the apps that are served by this account (for me: only mail)
6) Click Delete Account… (it’s scary, but it worked, so do this)
7) Then click on Add Account…
8) Re-enter your account username & pwd (you’ll probably be challenged with 2-step verification, like I was)
9) Once the account has been added again, make SURE to select the app(s) that use that account (see step 5 above)
10) Reopen Mail.
The count of unread messages should now work properly. There is nothing else to redo. E.g. All the emails, rules, etc. are preserved.
Solved it! Thank you so much.
This method is not working anymore (13.2.1)
Still working after all these years — just cleaned it up for me, too!