How to fix the Apple Mail Client Folder Assignments

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Published Feb 16, 2025

A common problem with Apple Mail is the setting of the Drafts, Sent, Junk, and Trash folders when using the email client to get mail from your InMotion Hosting account. We will also clarify the association of the Junk folder with the Spam Assassin SPAM folder.

If the folders are not assigned, you will see the following error when you delete or move a message into the Draft, Junk or Sent folders:

"An error occurred while moving to mailbox (Null)"

In order to use these instructions to correct the problem, you will need to have added an email account into the Apple Mail client.

- Login to the Apple Mail Client

- Scroll down to your newly added mail account. Click on the drop-arrow to see the Drafts, Sent, Junk, and Trash folders

- Click on the Drafts folder to highlight it

- In the Menu at the top of the screen, click on Mailbox

- Scroll down to Use This Mailbox As, then click on Drafts. This will assign the Drafts folder in the client to the corresponding server folder. This needs to be done for the other folders as well - Sent, Junk, and Trash. As you add these folders, you will see the email account name added for each option.

Once you have the folders assigned, then the error will not appear again.

Special note about the JUNK folder

The Junk folder is the Apple Mail client's default destination for spam. If you are hosting with InMotion Hosting, then you have the option to use Spam Assassin. Typically, if you are using Spam Assassin, then the spam folder is enabled. This creates a server-side folder where detected spam is moved. When the spam folder is enabled, it will appear in the account only after the account receives its first spam message since the time that the Spam folder for Spam Assassin was activated for that account.

The Apple Mail client will not see the SPAM folder until Spam Assassin adds it to the account. This means that all junk email previously in the account will remain in the junk folder. Prior to assigning the Spam folder, if any files are added to the SPAM folder they will remain in the SPAM folder.

You have the option to assign the SPAM folder to the JUNK folder in the Apple Mail client. When you add the SPAM folder to the Junk folder in the Apple client, then the spam folder is tied to the folder labeled with the account name under “Junk”. Any files detected as spam will be located in this folder.

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https://www.inmotionhosting.com