University Computer Help Desk

Error: "Home directory is full" in Mail on Mac OS X

To resolve the error, "Mail cannot update your mailboxes because your home directory is full," you must allow Mail to rebuild the Envelope Index file.

When you try to open Mail, you receive the error, "Mail cannot update your mailboxes because you home directory is full. You must free up space in your home folder before using Mail. Delete unneeded documents or move documents to another volume."

To resolve this error, move the Envelope Index file to your desktop and allow Mail to create a new Envelope Index file.

  1. Quit Mail.
  2. Open your hard drive and browse to username/Library/Mail (where username is your user name).
  3. Move the file named Envelope Index to your desktop.
  4. Open Mail.
  5. It will prompt you to import your mailboxes. Mail is going to rebuild its message index. Click OK.
  6. Mail will rebuild and re-index your messages; a new copy of the Envelope Index file will be created.

Verify that Mail is working properly. Afterwards, you may delete the old Envelope Index file on your desktop.