How to Delete the Mail App on a Mac

Mail (or Apple Mail) is the default email service provider integrated on all Apple devices. It allows you to exchange emails with anyone using Mail.

Deleting the Mail App on a Mac

Since the Mail app is a system application, deleting it isn’t as quick as deleting some other third-party apps. Before removing the app, you’ll need to disable the System Integrity Protection (SIP). This mechanism is enabled on macOS 10.12 and above to prevent system apps from being removed; Once you do this, however, you can then access the “Recovery Mode,” and enter some syntax into a Terminal to disable SIP.

See below for detailed steps on how to achieve this.

Yes, you can. First, you’ll need to disable the System Integrity Protection (SIP). To disable SIP, you’ll need to enter the “Recovery Mode.” Here’s how to do so with an Intel Processor:

1. From the top left of your screen, click on the Apple logo.
   
2. Choose “Restart.”
   
3. Immediately long press the “Command” and “R” keys until the Apple logo or a spinning globe appears.
4. Your Mac will eventually display the “Recovery Mode Utilities” window.

Here’s how to enter Recovery using the Apple Processor:

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Long-press the “ON” button.
   
3. The Apple logo will eventually appear. Below that, a message will display informing you to continue holding the power button to access the startup options. Continue to press.
   
4. Select “Options,” “Continue,” then the “Recovery Mode” will launch.
   

To disable the SIP:

1. Select “Utilities” to launch the “Terminal.”
   
2. In the terminal window, enter the command “csrutil disable” then press “Enter.”
   
3. Now restart your Mac.
   

Now to disable Mail:

1. Launch the Terminal app.
   
2. Enter the command “cd/Applications/” then press “Enter.” A directory of applications will display.
3. Next, enter the command “sudo rm –rf Mail.app/” then press “Enter.”

The Mail app should be successfully uninstalled.

Then to re-enable SIP:

1. Enter “Recovery Mode.”
   
2. Select “Utilities” to launch the “Terminal.”
   
3. In the terminal enter the command “csrutil enable” then press “Enter.”
   
4. Now restart your Mac.
   

Problems Deleting the Mail App May Cause

Before uninstalling Mail ensure you have another mail app installed to become the default.

Not having an email application installed will cause problems for hyperlinks needing to connect to a mail client. To make your new email app default:

1. Launch Mail.
   
2. Select “Mail,” “Preferences,” then “General.”
   
3. From “Default email reader,” select the new email app.
   

How to Set a New Default Mail App

To replace Mail with another default mail app:

1. Ensure you have another mail app installed.
2. Launch Mail.
   
3. Select “Mail,” “Preferences,” then “General.”
   
4. From the “Default email reader” menu, select an email application.
   

Additional FAQs

How do I reduce the amount of space that the Mail App uses?

You can reduce the amount of space taken up by the Mail app by moving or deleting messages with large attachments to your “Trash” folder. First, consider finding out how much disk space is being used by Mail, so you can compare after:

1. Launch Finder.

2. Long-press the “Option” key.

3. Select “Go,” “Library” then right-click the Mail folder.

4. Choose “Get Info.” There you’ll see the size and space used.

To move emails to another mailbox:

1. Launch Mail.

2. Select the message[s] you wish to move.

3. Next, either drag the message[s] to another mailbox via the sidebar or the “Favorites” bar.

4. Alternatively, select the “Move to” option via the toolbar.

If you have already downloaded the email attachments, then you can remove them from the messages. To remove large messages no longer in use:

1. Select the message you wish to remove the attachment from.

2. Choose “Remove Attachments.”

This way the message can remain in your mailbox without taking up as much space.

Next, delete your Trash folder as Mail will still occupy space from the Trash:

1. Launch Mail.

2. From the menu bar, choose “Mailbox.”

3. Choose “Erase Deleted Items.”

4. Select a mailbox option from the context menu: “In All Accounts” or “On My Mac.”

5. Select “Erase” in the confirmation dialog box.

Exchanging Apple Mail Exchange

The Apple Mail app allows Apple users to exchange email with each other. It is configured as the default email client for all Apple products. However, despite it being a system application, there are ways to delete it.

Now that we’ve shown you a way to delete the Mail app on your Mac, have you decided to use a different email client? Did deleting it make a noticeable difference to your hard disk storage space? Let us know in the comments section below.