Mail.app leaves copy of sent email in Drafts mailbox
 

I have been experiencing this issue on and off for a while...
Sometimes when I type an email and save it as I type, after I send it I see a copy of the email in the Sent folder, as I expect, but I still see a duplicate of the email in my drafts folder, as if it was waiting to be sent...
Most of the times the copy in the drafts folder seems to be an incomplete copy, like a copy that's truncated half way through (possibly when I hit save on my keyboard during the composition of the message?).
Does anybody experience this also? Is this a bug? Is there a way to fix it? Thanks.

I don't experience this. I can start a new email, start the message, hit "save as draft" and finish the message and then send. The complete email gets sent with no left over copy in Drafts.
Using Tiger 10.4.6 with all updates and Mail 2.0.7

What happens is you don't "save as draft" while you type the message and just finish it and send?

Try sending a test email where you type part of your message, mark a save spot in the email with something like "save as draft here", hit save, finish the message and then send. Is the truncated message where you marked the save or some other place in the message?

What OS and version of Mail.app are you using?

it's hard for me to make tests because it doesn't happen all the time...
anyway...
I use 10.4.6 with all the updates and 2.0.7, just like you...

Are you sometimes "offline" while composing the email messages? Maybe that's part of the trigger for this bug.

I just experienced the same. Quite odd.

I have the problem consistently on my MBP since installing Leopard. The problem is also consistent on an iMac G5 since i upgraded to leopard too. Both machines use an IMAP server (each a different one) and both machines are set to save Drafts to the server. Mail.app 3.0 (and now 3.1) save drafts quite often as I am composing, however it does not replace/append the draft already saved. instead it makes a new copy, and I end up with XX email drafts in the drafts folder, where XX is proportional to the length of time I spent composing. The drafts do not disappear when the email is sent or canceled, and they remain in the drafts folder on the server (and locally cached as well) until I manually go into the drafts folder and select the tens or hundreds of drafts and delete them all by hand.
The problem is very consistent and very annoying. I am right now on hold with AppleCare to discuss the issue. unfortunately due to AppleCare phone issues, I was lost in their queue system for an hour, and this second attempt has been 40 minutes so far - and I need to leave here in 20 minutes from now so i doubt I am getting an answer today. I will post back if/when I get some info on this.

I believe that after a set period of time [I don't know what it is] while you are still typing your message, Mail automatically saves it [whatever you have written so far] as a draft. Presumably as a safety measure. That is why the draft message is [in your case] incomplete because you completed your message and sent it before the next "save" to Draft occurred.

This is easy to test. Open a new mail window, type something and then do nothing for a few minutes and I think you will find that message in your Draft mailbox.

I finally managed to get through to applecare - they say they are very busy (i noticed by the hour+ hold times again), and they have no immediate answer. They are forwarding this to their engineering, and expect to contact me in about a week...

I'll update as I find out more.

Same problem here. Also using IMAP boxes, and I get the same buildup of partial drafts which are not deleted when the message is sent. Draft folder is on the IMAP server. Had this problem under Tiger and now Leopard (fresh install, not an upgrade). I wonder what effect a local drafts folder would have?

I saw that same behavior as well...
I really hope we find a solution. Peachie please let us know if they actually do call you back in a week (which I'd be surprised if they did!)

Have you tried rebuilding the Drafts mailbox? I recently had a "phantom" email stuck in my drafts folder. It had the addressee and subject line but no body. Could not delete it. Rebuilding the mailbox did the trick.

Apple finally called me back.
The response was that this is a bug known to the engineering team and they are working on it for a future update.

Until then, they suggest disabling the save drafts on the server, so that it saves them locally for the time being.

Thanks for posting!

no problem! Hope we all see a fix for this soon, its frustrating!

actually, lately I have stopped using Mail.app all together in favor of Gmail... I was a little faster on Mail.app but because the sync-ing with IMAP takes so long the productivity/time when using gmail via web is actually the same

What syncing? When do you sync an IMAP account? Since everything stays on the server, there shouldn't be any syncing necessary.

Drafts Not Purging
 

I use Apple's Mail, and have an IMAP account, I started experiencing this problem for the first time on 11/17/2007. I never saw it before.

I believe this is what is happening: As you work on an email, Mail periodically puts a copy in Drafts, so that if you have a problem, there is an automatic backup in Drafts. I think if you compose and send an email quickly, the problem never occurs.

What I am seeing is that multiple drafts of a single email are being created (not just the latest version). To test this, open the drafts folder, and then start working on a new email. At some point you'll see it pop up into the Drafts folder. But as you keep working on the draft, other copies will be added, not supplanting the prior copy. (I assume there should be only one draft--the latest.)

The problem I'm seeing is that as I work on it longer and longer, multiple copies are appearing in the Drafts folder. Then when I finally send the email, only one is being purged as having been sent. The other copies remain. I haven't been able to figure out which of the multiple ones is being deleted.

If anyone figures this out, let me know.

Derek

dawesten, I believe that it is clear at this point that it is a bug apple is working on (Peachie informed us of that after Apple said so to him on the phone).

Also, Las Vegas, yes I was talking about when sync-ing an IMAP account. The sync-ing is so slow I am using only gmail.com online as it is pretty much the same in speed

Mail.app IMAP accounts - leaves old Draft messages
 

Yow. It's six months later, and I'm still having the same problem. Hmm. This isn't that complex of a problem. Just how (un)responsive is apple about fixing stuff like this?

obviously with iphone, mobile me etc they don't care about that stuff!
i personally stopped using mail.app al together and use gmail exclusively... honestly mail.app is good but the IMAP sync is sooooo sloooow and the only feature it has that gmail doesn't have is the new "automatically add to address book or ical" that is only available in leopard anyway

I had it for a while...then it went away...maybe it was my provider? Maybe it was 10.5.3?

Mail.app IMAP accounts - leaves old Draft messages
 

Hi, just saw this thread. Sadly enough--today, 5+ months after the last post--I am experiencing the same issue, though it only started happening in early November. I am in Leopard 10.5.5 and updated up to today's most recent update, so I guess Apple still has created no fix for this. Anyone else still bugged by this bug? or has someone gotten some relief?

thanks,
zanfona

I haven't used Mail.app since I posted this issue... I've been using Gmail exclusively actually, on the web and I like it.
I just got Leopard on a new computer 4 days ago so I was planning to give Mail.app another try, but your post is disapponting!

Just to log that I am also having this problem, using Mail.app version 3.5, on Leopard. It has started occurring since I switched to using IMAP instead of POP. As described above, Mail is saving multiple versions of draft emails that I spend time composing, and it is also saving draft versions of Sent mail.

Same problem here
 

I have been having the same problem, multiple versions of draft emails. This happened with gmail and with my other imap accounts, which I manage with mail.app.

This problem is several years old and there appears to be no fix. I am more than willing to provide detailed info about the issue, crazy that it's not sorted out by now.

I am going to load Thunderbird and see if the same thing happens but I'd rather stay with mail.app.

Can someone tell me what Rebuild mailbox does or point to an authoritative link?


15" MBP
OS X 10.5.6
mail. app 3.5 build 930.3

Apple's Knowledge Base document on rebuilding mailboxes is here. While the document says it applies to Mail version 2.0, the same information is available via Mail Help in the most current version (3.5).

I started having problems with MAIL saving multiple drafts of sent and unsent emails when i decided i would drop my me.com acct. and go for gmail. It's a nuisance. Actually i quit using me.cim because i travel alot and most of the places i go only have internet explorer which does not access me.com.

I went to an authorized apple service center today and they were blaming it on gmail. But I think its a MAIL problem. Now I have to force quit mail almost every time i use it.

Confirmed (march 2010)
 

New member, long time lurker. Cheers!

This bug is still very much alive. It started for me today. Suddenly I had seven consecutive copies of the same sent mail in my drafts folder.

Judging by this thread, the bug has been present for several years, and it doesn't look like it's going to be fixed (ever). I am a paying mobileMe member. Regardless of that, bugs like these should be fixed.

wow, i can also confirm that this bug is still alive. seriously?
what's going on.
somebody contact apple

Yes, its still a problem.
 

Yeah, this is still a problem. I use gmail at home and we use google hosted mail at work... my IMAP connection to MobileMe even does it sometimes as well as my personal server. This is pretty shoddy and ridiculous. :( Happens on both my MacBook Pro and my Mac Mini. Snow Leopard, latest updates and all. Nice.

Removing the option to "Store draft messages on the server", as was suggested early on, has fixed this for me. I let a few pile up and then sent the message, they all were removed from the Drafts folder immediately. This has been driving me crazy for years, I finally googled it. Thanks all.

Mail.app - Preferences - Accounts Tab - Mailbox Behaviors "Tab" - Uncheck "Store draft messages on the server". Done.

That's not really a solution, just a workaround
 

Yes, unchecking the 'leave message on server" would stop the unwanted draft buildup but it is not a solution....and I will tell you why!

1. IMAP is a fantastic way to get email from any location.
   
2. Apple self proclaims they make magic products and puts customers first.
   
3. An earlier post from 2007 said Apple would send the bug to their engineers and have it fixed. Its 2010 now and no fix.
   
4. With these facts we are left with a checkbox that creates errors and an unkept promise from Apple Tech Support.
   
5. I have an iPhone and want all my IMAP messages available, including proper Drafts.
   

Personally, this problem just started a couple of weeks ago. I can't remember what has changed except that I started using my newish(3G, yes im behind) iPhone to check mail. This leads me to believe there is a sync issue when more than one device accesses the IMAP account.

Can anyone else verify this?

Same nightmare here...
 

I was just about to believe that I was the only one on earth to experiment this nigthmare. I use two different IMAP server, both accessed from different computers and devices. They are all linked together with MobileMe and run Mail 3.6 on OS 10.5.8. For some reasons, accumulation of draughts doesn't occur anymore when I use Apple smtp server (it used to do so). But if I write my email selecting the provider, then, I have tons of draughts accumulating as I type. If my work stays open without being modified, no draught is added to the list. But as soon as I type, I an updated version is added every minute or so. When the message is finally sent, the draughts stays there. Very confusing and I need a solution to this.

I can confirm this. nothing has changed for me at all in recent weeks, I have added a iPhone and iPad to my devices in the past months but this changed nothing. all of the sudden yesterday I started getting the drafts behavior.

the temp fix of unchecking/checking "store sent messages on the server" seems like a unsatisfactory solution given the price we pay for mobileme so I contacted support chat and to my shock and awe they (at least for the time being) found a way to make it stop using some really novice and simple steps I just hadn't tried, transcript of the chat session below:



Chat Support

Wednesday, December 1, 2010 08:23 AM
Duration: 21 minutes 25 seconds

Amy:
Hi, my name is Amy. It'll be just a moment while I review the comments you provided.

Amy:
Whilst I do that, please let me know if you have chatted MobileMe support about this issue before?

Evan:
I have not chatted with you guys regarding this

Amy:
Thank you.

Amy:
I understand that when you send a message, it is saved in the drafts folder in addition to the sent folder, is this correct?

Evan:
yes

Evan:
this only happens for my MobileMe account and not my gmail account

Amy:
Thank you. I know how important it is to have your MobileMe account operating properly, and I'll be glad to assist you with this today.

Amy:
I just have a few questions to help us determine the root of the issue so that it can be resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Evan:
a search on apple discussions appears to indicate this is a known issue that has yet to be resolved, I'm hoping you can help me. Thanks!

Amy:
Does this happen when you send mail from MobileMe online webmail access, http://www.me.com/mail or in the Mail application?

Evan:
from the Mail.app

Amy:
Thank you.

Amy:
If you send a test email from the MobileMe online webmail access does it save in the sent folder and the drafts folder or just the sent folder?

Amy:
http://www.me.com/mail

Evan:
testing....standby

Amy:
Thank you.

Evan:
no, when sent using mobileme web app it does not

Amy:
Ok thanks, this sounds like it may be a setting in the Mail application itself. Can I have you open the Mail application Preferences, and choose account please.

Evan:
I am there,

Amy:
Select the MobileMe account and then click the mailbox behaviours tab.

Evan:
ok, I am there

Amy:
Ok, is the box checked for the sent messages to store them on the server?

Evan:
yes.

Amy:
Ok, if you click the Rules tab, the last one on the end, are there any rules set up?

Evan:
there are no rules setup

Amy:
In the mailbox behaviours tab, is the drafts also checked to store on the server?

Evan:
yes

Amy:
Ok close the Preferences, click save if asked. Ok please click the Mailbox menu from the Menu bar at the top of the screen and then click Take All Accounts Offline.

Evan:
all accounts now offline

Amy:
Ok then click the Mail menu from the Menu bar at the top of the screen and quit the Mail application so that the white dot, next to the Stamp icon, goes away please.

Evan:
done!

Amy:
Ok please open the Mail application and then click the Mailbox menu from the Menu bar at the top of the screen and choose Take all accounts Online please.

Amy:
Then try sending yourself a test email to your MobileMe account, to:(intentionallyomitted)@me.com from: (intentionallyomitted)@me.com

Evan:
i've just sent myself the test message

Amy:
Ok, once you receive it, I want you to check to see if it appears in both the sent and drafts or just the sent folder.

Evan:
it is only appearing in the sent box, no drafts are available!

Amy:
Ok great, if you don't have any drafts that are in the process of being composed, the drafts folder won't appear. We were able to resolve your issue today by verifying your account settings, then taking the account offline, quitting the Mail application and bringing the accounts back online. Does this resolve the issue that you contacted Apple about?

Evan:
Yes, thank you very much. Have a wonderful day

Amy:
You're very welcome. It was my pleasure assisting you today, I hope you have a most excellent day and week.

Amy:
Thanks for chatting with us. We value your feedback. Please click the "End Chat" button at the top left corner of the chat window and answer a few questions about your experience with us today.

IMAP email leaves unwanted draft email copies and duplicates
 

Since needing to switch from a POP email account to IMAP I have been experiencing this problem - unwanted saved drafts that accumulate after every new email I write. On some occasions I can have multiple drafts of one email I sent.

Also sending emails seems to take a lot longer with IMAP than it did with POP. Is this problem related to a draft being saved slowing down the process?

Very annoying and as I can see from this thread why haven't apple fixed this when they have known about it so long.

Think I will switch to Outlook for Mac 2011.

I've switched to Sparrow and all is well.

Isn't Sparrow gMail only?

The free version is I believe. I only have Gmail accounts so I don't know how it works on normal IMAP accounts.

It's 2012 and I am having the same problem - makes me want to switch back to Windows and Outlook!

Solution ?
 

Hi stumbled upon your thread, which exactly mirrors the problem I encountered on MBP and OSX 10.6.8

Tried all of the above solutions but no success.

My idea was, that I probably have a somehow corrupted drafts folder.
As I´m using the drafts folder also to store "drafts" as templates it never goes away, as it should.

So tried to make it go away: emptied it by deleting the contained messages. It was empty but didn´t go away !
So discovered, that the deleted drafts messages still are kept in the trash.
So, did a right click on the drafts folder and chose "delete deleted messages finally" (or what the translation in english is).

Did a restart of the mail app and the "drafts" folder disappeard.

Now when I´m writing a new message the drafts folder reappears after a minute or so, and contains only an AUTOSAVE version of the message I´m writing currently. Autosave message disappears as it should after message is sent and drafts folder is empty again. Disappears after restart.

My conclusion: "drafts" folder is ONLY for AUTOSAVE functions and should be completely (remember its trashcan!) empty otherwise. It can´t be used for other functions as it is generated by the app. for its own purpose.

Now I´m keeping all my drafts and templates in a separate folder (either locally or on the exchange server).

Hope this helps !

Drafts is not just for autosaving of emails.
 

The Drafts folder is (and has always been) where Mail.app saves partially completed emails. When you go to close the window of an email that you have started to compose, it goes in Drafts - which is the logical place for it.

But the OP mentioned (and I have this issue to this day) that these messages are in the Drafts boxe even after they are sent.

I was only responding to szbotnik's statement that " 'drafts' folder is ONLY for AUTOSAVE functions". It is not.

Also note that my system still suffers from the bug.

I just switched my MacMail from POP to IMAP and was having the same issues.
I followed the Apple chat transcript from big evil's post on 12-01-2010 and it worked like a charm.

I've had this same issue for some time, in 10.7.3 now too. It seems more likely to happen if the email has an attachment, and/or if I put my own reply-to address in.

Sometimes (as this morning) I come back to find *two* copies of the same message in my drafts folder.

Overzealous.

I followed bigevil's transcript too and it has worked for me.

Let's hope this fix is persistent.