Save Command

Save emails to file in multiple formats including EML, plain text, and JSON.

Overview

The save command allows you to export emails from your mailbox to local files. EML format is the default and preserves the complete email structure, making it viewable in any email client. Text and JSON formats are also available for different use cases.

Usage

bash

# Single email mode
mailos save <email-id> [flags]

# Thread download mode
mailos save --thread-for <email-address> [flags]

# Batch mode (search criteria)
mailos save --from <sender> [flags]
mailos save --subject <pattern> [flags]

Basic Examples

Save email as EML (default)

bash

# Save email to current directory
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected]

# Save to specific directory
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --output-dir ~/emails

# Save and open in mail client
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --open

Save in different formats

bash

# Save as plain text
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --format txt

# Save as JSON
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --format json

# Save without headers
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --include-headers=false

Advanced Usage

Custom filename and organization

bash

# Custom file prefix
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --file-prefix "archived_"

# Organized by date in specific directory
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] \
  --output-dir ~/email-archive/$(date +%Y-%m) \
  --file-prefix "work_"

Batch saving workflow

bash

# Find emails and save them
mailos search --account [email protected] --from [email protected] --days 7 --json | \
jq -r '.[].id' | \
while read email_id; do
  mailos save "$email_id" --account [email protected] --output-dir ~/important-emails
done

Thread Download Functionality

The save command supports downloading complete email threads involving specific email addresses or aliases. This is useful for archiving conversations, backing up important communications, or analyzing email patterns.

Save emails for specific alias or address

bash

# Download all emails FROM and TO a specific alias
mailos save --account [email protected] --thread-for [email protected] --format eml --output-dir ./thread-backup

# Download all threads for the current account
mailos save --account [email protected] --all-threads --output-dir ./all-threads --days 90

# Download threads with specific date range and format
mailos save --account [email protected] --thread-for [email protected] --days 365 --format json --output-dir ./client-archive

Thread download features

Alias Support: Works with email aliases and cross-domain addresses
Deduplication: Automatically removes duplicate emails based on Message-ID
Thread Summary: Generates markdown summary with participant analysis and email timeline
Filtering: Only includes emails that actually contain the specified address in TO/FROM/CC/BCC fields
Multiple Formats: Supports EML, TXT, and JSON output formats

Thread summary generation

When using thread download, a thread_summary.md file is automatically created containing:

Total email count and participant statistics
Email timeline with previews
Attachment information
Thread conversation analysis

Thread download examples

bash

# Archive all communications with a specific client
mailos save --account [email protected] --thread-for [email protected] --output-dir ./client-archive --days 365

# Backup alias-based communications
mailos save --account [PERSONAL_ACCOUNT] --thread-for [ALIAS_ADDRESS] --format eml --output-dir ./alias-backup

# Download recent threads for compliance
mailos save --account [LEGAL_ACCOUNT] --all-threads --days 30 --format json --output-dir ./compliance-archive

Batch Operations

Save multiple emails by criteria

bash

# Save emails from specific sender (last 30 days)
mailos save --account [email protected] --from [VENDOR_ADDRESS] --format eml --output-dir ./vendor-emails

# Save emails by subject pattern
mailos save --account [email protected] --subject "invoice" --days 30 --format json --output-dir ./invoices

# Save only attachments from specific sender
mailos save --account [email protected] --from [email protected] --attachments-only --output-dir ./client-attachments

Output Formats

EML Format (default)

Use case: Viewing in email clients, archiving, forwarding
Features: Preserves all email structure, headers, attachments
Extension: .eml
Compatibility: Works with Mail.app, Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.

Text Format

Use case: Reading content, text processing, simple archiving
Features: Headers + plain text body only
Extension: .txt
Content: From, To, Subject, Date, and body text

JSON Format

Use case: Data processing, integration with other tools
Features: Complete structured email data
Extension: .json
Content: All email fields as JSON object

Filename Convention

Saved files use this naming pattern:

[prefix][timestamp]_[subject].ext

Examples:

email_20241201_143022_Meeting_Notes.eml
archived_20241201_143022_Invoice_12345.txt
backup_20241201_143022_Project_Update.json

Integration Examples

Save emails from search results

bash

# Save all emails from specific sender
mailos search --account [email protected] --from [VENDOR_ADDRESS] --json | \
jq -r '.[].id' | head -10 | \
xargs -I {} mailos save {} --account [email protected] --output-dir ~/vendor-emails

# Save important emails by subject
mailos search --account [email protected] --subject "invoice" --days 30 --json | \
jq -r '.[].id' | \
xargs -I {} mailos save {} --account [email protected] --format json --output-dir ~/invoices

Archive workflow

bash

#!/bin/bash
# Archive old emails script
ACCOUNT="[email protected]"
ARCHIVE_DIR="$HOME/email-archive/$(date +%Y)"

# Create archive directory
mkdir -p "$ARCHIVE_DIR"

# Find emails older than 6 months and archive them
mailos search --account "$ACCOUNT" --older-than-days 180 --limit 100 --json | \
jq -r '.[].id' | \
while read email_id; do
  echo "Archiving email $email_id..."
  mailos save "$email_id" --account "$ACCOUNT" \
    --output-dir "$ARCHIVE_DIR" \
    --file-prefix "archived_" \
    --format eml
done

Error Handling

Common issues and solutions:

Email not found

bash

mailos save 99999 --account [email protected]
# Error: email with ID 99999 not found

Solution: Verify email ID with mailos search first.

Permission denied

bash

mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --output-dir /root/emails
# Error: failed to create output directory: permission denied

Solution: Use a writable directory or run with appropriate permissions.

Disk space

bash

# Check available space before saving
df -h ~/email-archive
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --output-dir ~/email-archive

Security Considerations

File permissions

Saved emails contain sensitive information:

bash

# Save with restricted permissions
umask 077  # Only owner can read
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --output-dir ~/private-emails

Cleanup

bash

# Clean up temporary files after viewing
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --open --cleanup-temp

mailos read - Read emails in the terminal
mailos search - Find emails to save
mailos download - Download email attachments

Tips and Best Practices

Use EML for long-term archiving - Most compatible format
Organize by date - Use --output-dir with date-based paths
Verify before bulk operations - Test save commands with single emails first
Check disk space - Email archives can grow large quickly
Use descriptive prefixes - Help organize different types of saved emails

Command Reference

Save an email to a file in EML, text, or JSON format. EML format is the default and preserves full email structure for viewing in email clients.

Usage

bash

# Single email mode
mailos save <email-id> [flags]

# Thread download mode  
mailos save --thread-for <email-address> [flags]

# Batch mode (search criteria)
mailos save --from <sender> [flags] 
mailos save --subject <pattern> [flags]

Flags

Basic Save Options

Flag	Short	Type	Default	Description
`--account`	`-a`	string		Email account to use
`--cleanup-temp`		bool	`true`	Clean up temporary files after opening
`--dry-run`		bool	`false`	Preview what would be done without actually doing it
`--file-prefix`		string	`"email_"`	Prefix for saved email filename
`--format`		string	`"eml"`	Output format: eml, txt, json (default: eml)
`--include-headers`		bool	`true`	Include email headers in output
`--open`		bool	`false`	Open saved email in default mail client
`--output-dir`		string		Output directory for saved email (default: current directory)

Thread and Batch Operations

Flag	Type	Default	Description
`--all-threads`	bool	`false`	Download all email threads for the specified account
`--attachments-only`	bool	`false`	Save only attachments, not email content
`--days`	int	`0`	Search emails from last N days (0 = no limit, max: 365)
`--from`	string		Filter emails by sender address
`--limit`	int	`10`	Maximum number of emails to search (default: 10, max: 1000)
`--show-content`	bool	`false`	Show email content preview with details
`--subject`	string		Filter emails by subject line (partial match)
`--thread-for`	string		Download all email threads involving this email address
`--to`	string		Filter emails by recipient address

Arguments

<email-id> - The unique ID of the email to save

Examples

Single Email Save

bash

# Save email as EML to current directory
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected]

# Save as JSON to specific directory
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --format json --output-dir ~/exports

# Save and open in mail client
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --open

# Save with custom prefix and no headers
mailos save 1234 --account [email protected] --file-prefix "backup_" --include-headers=false

Thread Download Examples

bash

# Download all emails for a specific alias
mailos save --account [WORK_ACCOUNT] --thread-for [ALIAS_ADDRESS] --output-dir ~/alias-archive

# Download all account threads from last 30 days
mailos save --account [email protected] --all-threads --days 30 --format eml --output-dir ~/monthly-backup

# Download specific sender's thread as JSON
mailos save --account [email protected] --thread-for [email protected] --format json --output-dir ~/client-comms

Batch Operations

bash

# Save all emails from specific sender (last 7 days)
mailos save --account [email protected] --from [VENDOR_ADDRESS] --days 7 --output-dir ~/vendor

# Save only attachments from client emails
mailos save --account [email protected] --from [email protected] --attachments-only --output-dir ~/attachments

Save Command ​

Overview ​

Usage ​

Basic Examples ​

Save email as EML (default) ​

Save in different formats ​

Advanced Usage ​

Custom filename and organization ​

Batch saving workflow ​

Thread Download Functionality ​

Save emails for specific alias or address ​

Thread download features ​

Thread summary generation ​

Thread download examples ​

Batch Operations ​

Save multiple emails by criteria ​

Output Formats ​

EML Format (default) ​

Text Format ​

JSON Format ​

Filename Convention ​

Integration Examples ​

Save emails from search results ​

Archive workflow ​

Error Handling ​

Common issues and solutions: ​

Security Considerations ​

File permissions ​

Cleanup ​

Related Commands ​

Tips and Best Practices ​

Command Reference ​

Usage ​

Flags ​

Basic Save Options ​

Thread and Batch Operations ​

Arguments ​

Examples ​

Single Email Save ​

Thread Download Examples ​

Batch Operations ​

Save Command

Overview

Usage

Basic Examples

Save email as EML (default)

Save in different formats

Advanced Usage

Custom filename and organization

Batch saving workflow

Thread Download Functionality

Save emails for specific alias or address

Thread download features

Thread summary generation

Thread download examples

Batch Operations

Save multiple emails by criteria

Output Formats

EML Format (default)

Text Format

JSON Format

Filename Convention

Integration Examples

Save emails from search results

Archive workflow

Error Handling

Common issues and solutions:

Security Considerations

File permissions

Cleanup

Related Commands

Tips and Best Practices

Command Reference

Usage

Flags

Basic Save Options

Thread and Batch Operations

Arguments

Examples

Single Email Save

Thread Download Examples

Batch Operations