Streaming importLarge MBOX sources are read in chunks
Read-only MBOX and EML review for macOS
Open the old email.
Keep the trail intact.
Search MBOX and EML archives locally, inspect threads and original headers, inventory attachments and export only the messages you need with offsets, hashes and manifests.
Native for MacmacOS 14+Apple notarization before launch
Native Release buildREAL APP
Recover per messageOne bad segment does not end the archive
Inspectable outputOffsets, source hashes and manifests included
One-time price$39 for one Mac, no subscription
Inside the actual app
The archive stays readable—and explainable.
Move from source files to a filtered thread, then inspect the exact original-header and source-offset context beside every message. Damaged segments stay visible as recoverable failures instead of disappearing behind a generic import error.
Built for the real handoff
One focused app.
Four jobs done.
Personal archive review
Search an old provider export without filling Apple Mail or Thunderbird with imported folders.
Small-business handoff
Select the relevant correspondence and deliver it with a documented file inventory.
Attachment discovery
Find messages with attachments and identify each decoded file by filename, size and hash.
Damaged archive triage
Keep reviewing valid messages while preserving a report of the segments that could not be parsed.
The result
selected-messages.pdfarchive-manifest.jsonMANIFEST.sha256Private by defaultA clear workflow
From first record
to finished handoff.
Open local sources
Choose one or more MBOX, MBX or EML files. MboxDesk reads them locally without importing mail into an account or changing the originals.
Find and inspect
Search message text, participants, dates, headers and attachment names, review thread groupings and inspect the raw source context.
Export a portable review
Mark the messages you need and create EML copies, a PDF, archive and failure reports, a receipt and a SHA-256 handoff manifest.
Focused by design
Useful depth.
No account clutter.
Streaming MBOX plus EML import
Read MBOX archives in chunks and combine them with individual EML messages in one local workspace.
Recoverable damaged segments
Record a malformed message's source location, length, hash and error while continuing through later mail.
Local archive search
Filter message content and headers by free text, participant, date range and attachment presence.
Threads and original headers
Group replies by message references with a subject fallback, while keeping ordered source headers available for inspection.
Attachment checksum inventory
List named MIME attachments with decoded size, media type, disposition and SHA-256.
Portable evidence package
Export selected raw EML, a readable PDF, JSON and Markdown manifests, failed-message reports and checksums.
Practical guides
Start with the job
you need to finish.
Questions, answered
MboxDesk FAQ
Which email archive formats does MboxDesk open?+
The first release opens standard MBOX or MBX archives and individual EML messages. PST, mailbox account login and live-mail migration are intentionally outside this focused MVP.
Does MboxDesk modify or import my source archive?+
No. Sources are opened read-only. Search and review happen locally, and every export is written to a new folder. MboxDesk refuses the export if any source file changed after import.
What happens when an MBOX archive contains a damaged message?+
A malformed segment becomes a recoverable failure with its source offset, length, hash and reason. MboxDesk continues to the next message and includes the failures in JSON and Markdown reports.
What attachment evidence does it keep?+
MboxDesk inventories named MIME attachments with filename, media type, disposition, decoded byte size and SHA-256. It also keeps hashes for each source and raw message.
What is included in an export?+
A selected export includes raw EML copies, a readable PDF, JSON and Markdown archive manifests, JSON and Markdown failure reports, an export receipt and a SHA-256 manifest.
Is MboxDesk an email client or legal evidence tool?+
No. It is a local archive review and portable-export utility. It does not send mail, connect to an account, perform migration or promise legal admissibility.
How much will MboxDesk cost?+
The price is US$39 as a one-time purchase for one Mac, with no subscription. Secure checkout and DMG delivery are handled by Polar.
MboxDesk for macOS
Open the old email.
Keep the trail intact.
A focused native archive desk for people who need the message, its source context and a portable handoff—not another mailbox migration suite.
- macOS 14+
- One Mac
- Launch updates included
One-time purchase$39No recurring charge
Signed with Developer ID and notarized by Apple.