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Having used MS Outlook for a while with my IMAP account, I thought I would try out the new and improved Mail in OS X Lion. The structure of my mailbox on the left hand panel is as follows:

MAILBOXES
    INBOX
        CLIENT 1
        CLIENT 2
        CLIENT 3
            SUBFOLDER
            SUBFOLDER
            SUBFOLDER
        CLIENT 4
        CLIENT 5
        CLIENT 6
        CLIENT 7
    SENT
    TRASH

MY COMPANY NAME
    TRASH
    JUNK
    SENT

This has worked fine with Outlook, and with Outlook I am able to add extra IMAP folders (or mailboxes as Mail calls them). In Outlook I can add to the client folders, and the subfolders inside a client folder.

However, with Mail, when I add a new mailbox, it will only let me add a new folder inside one of my client folders. It will not let me add a folder to the "Client" level.

If I add a new mailbox, and try and place it at the top "Client" level, the new folder ends up going here:

MAILBOXES
    INBOX
        CLIENT 1
        CLIENT 2
        CLIENT 3
            SUBFOLDER
            SUBFOLDER
            SUBFOLDER
        CLIENT 4
        CLIENT 5
        CLIENT 6
        NEW FOLDER DOESNT APPEAR HERE
        CLIENT 7
    SENT
    TRASH

MY COMPANY NAME
    TRASH
    JUNK
    IT APPEARS HERE INSTEAD???
    SENT

It doesn't go in my inbox.

Can anyone help? This is the reason I have to use Outlook, as Mail won't let me create new IMAP folders at my "Client" this level.

Any help would be appreciated. Maybe I am looking at it from the wrong side, as I am used to Outlook.

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  • What imap server is that as it works for me
    – mmmmmm
    Jan 12, 2012 at 13:41

4 Answers 4

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2

You need to add these folders in your IMAP mail account.

If for example you are using Gmail login, and create the folders you want using the webmail settings panel.

When you next launch mail the folders will be there and you can then drag and drop emails into folders, etc.

Outlook doesnt create the folders in IMAP it creates them on the machine, so they are not true IMAP folders they are just folders in Outlook.

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  • Hi Matt. I'm aware I can create folders outside of mail and then have them come up when I open mail... However, this doesn't solve the problem I want to be able to create them in mail, otherwise I'm going to have to log into my webmail program every time I need to create a new folder. You are wrong about outlook, you can create top level folders by clicking add new folder. I know this as I was using entourage for a while before I switched to mail and it was working.. It seems mail just doesn't have this functionality, which is a shame as I prefer the layout to entourage. Thanks again. Shaun
    – Shaun Taylor
    Jan 12, 2012 at 15:55
  • @ShaunTaylor it wasnt matt who answered the question, and secondly Outlook doesnt create the folders in your IMAP account, it creates them in Outlook and then filters your mail into them. So when you create a top level folder, it is not synced to your IMAP account. Mail works in a completely different way, Mail will copy all the information in your IMAP account and present it to you on the desktop. Yes you will need to log into your Mail account to create new folders. That is how Mail works.
    – Graeme Hutchison
    Jan 12, 2012 at 16:56
  • Graham, I'm sorry but simply, you are wrong. I have just gone into outlook, created a test folder called 000TEST I did this by right clicking on the 'account' folder and clicking 'New Folder'. I then checked in apple mail and it appeared in the right place. Then logged into my web mail to check if it has indeed added the test folder to my imap account and it also appeared in the correct place! I have screen shots to prove but it won't let me attach them. I hope I'm not being out of line, i may not be explaining my problem correctly, but If you can't help me then please don't try and answer.
    – Shaun Taylor
    Jan 14, 2012 at 16:32
  • Shaun. This is how apple Mail works. Ok outlook may have interacted with the IMAP. But Mail won't. You need to Add folders in IMAP. Sorry that is the way.
    – Graeme Hutchison
    Jan 15, 2012 at 9:14
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What about setting your IMAP Path Prefix preferences to "INBOX"?

Preferences -> Accounts -> select your account -> Advanced -> IMAP Path Prefix.

Set it to "INBOX" and you will get all your subfolders in a list headed with the account name and can work the way you're used. That's how our IMAP accounts are configured. Never had any problems with this.

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  • Thank you Mic, I will give this a go and see if it works.
    – Shaun Taylor
    Jan 14, 2012 at 16:33
  • This worked for me
    – Mikee
    Oct 8, 2019 at 4:43
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I found the answer here: http://www.ehow.com/how_8342925_create-imap-folders-apple-mail.html

Click on the inbox associated with the IMAP account, in the upper left of the Mail window.

Choose "New Mailbox ... " from the "Mailbox" menu. "Mailbox" is the Mail application's term for a folder on the IMAP server.

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If you go into Accounts, then click on the IMAP account you wish to be able to add folders for, next Click Advanced.

In the popup box, if the item that says IMAP Root Folder: is empty, type "Inbox" into the box then press OK. Outlook will take a few moments refreshing then you will be able to right-click on the Inbox folder and add new folders.

enter image description here

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