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How to export iCloud Mail to an .mbox file

5 min read · Updated 2026-05-30

iCloud Mail lives on Apple's servers and has no “download my mail” button on iCloud.com. To get a standard .mbox archive, you route it through a desktop mail app — Apple Mail on a Mac is the simplest, and Thunderbird works on any computer. Either way the export happens locally, and the file is exactly what sub-hunt.com reads.

Because iCloud is an IMAP mail service, any desktop mail client can connect to it and export a folder. On a Mac you almost certainly already have your iCloud account set up in Apple Mail, which makes the export a two-step menu command. If you're on Windows or don't use Apple Mail, Thunderbird connects to iCloud over IMAP and exports the same way.

Option A — Apple Mail on a Mac

  1. Open Mail and find your iCloud mailbox. In the sidebar, your iCloud inbox appears under the iCloud account. Let Mail finish syncing so the export is complete.
  2. Select the mailbox to export. Click the iCloud Inbox, or an archive or receipts folder. You export one mailbox at a time.
  3. Choose Mailbox → Export Mailbox… From the menu bar, pick Mailbox, then Export Mailbox, and choose a destination such as your Desktop.
  4. Open the .mbox package. Mail writes a folder ending in .mbox; inside is a file named mbox — that's the archive. Drop either onto sub-hunt.

Option B — Thunderbird (any computer)

  1. Generate an app-specific password. If your Apple Account uses two-factor authentication (most do), sign in at the Apple Account site and create an app-specific password for Thunderbird — iCloud won't accept your normal password from third-party apps.
  2. Add iCloud to Thunderbird over IMAP. Install Thunderbird and the ImportExportTools NG add-on, then add your iCloud address using the app-specific password. Thunderbird detects iCloud's IMAP settings automatically.
  3. Export the folder to .mbox. Let the Inbox sync, right-click it, choose ImportExportTools NG → Export folder, and save the .mbox to scan.

Good to know

  • Exporting copies your mail; it never deletes anything from iCloud.
  • On an iPhone or iPad there's no export option — use a Mac or a computer running Thunderbird.
  • An app-specific password can be revoked the moment you're done, and never exposes your real Apple Account password.
  • If your iCloud inbox is large, let it finish syncing before exporting so the archive is complete.

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I export iCloud Mail from iCloud.com?
    No. The iCloud web interface has no mailbox-export feature. You need a desktop mail client — Apple Mail on a Mac or Thunderbird on any computer — to write the .mbox.
  • Why does Thunderbird need an app-specific password?
    With two-factor authentication enabled, Apple blocks third-party apps from using your main password. An app-specific password is a single-purpose credential you generate for Thunderbird and can revoke at any time.
  • Is iCloud the same as Apple Mail?
    iCloud Mail is the email service; Apple Mail (the Mail app) is one program that can read it. The export is done by the app, so the Apple Mail guide's steps apply once your iCloud account is set up there.
  • Is my mail uploaded when I scan it?
    No. sub-hunt parses the .mbox in your browser and uploads nothing. Your iCloud mail stays on your device.

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Once you have your .mbox file, drop it into sub-hunt.com. Everything is parsed in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

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