Mail and configuration sync
This URL still explains “sync,” because the word covers two different things.
1. Mail sync (what works today)
Section titled “1. Mail sync (what works today)”Your mail provider is the source of truth. Primail opens IMAP on port 993 (implicit TLS), caches messages in local SQLite, and indexes them for search. Send uses SMTP 465 (implicit TLS).
Flags and folder moves that Primail applies go back to that provider the same way Apple Mail would. A second device that adds the same mailbox talks to the provider, not to a Primail server.
sync_run / Settings → Support → Resync mailboxes refresh this
IMAP cache. They do not upload pins or signatures to primail.app.
2. Primail Cloud configuration sync (not available)
Section titled “2. Primail Cloud configuration sync (not available)”Older manuals described a Primail account that roamed pins, snoozes, smart-folder queries, signatures, and encrypted credentials. The current GUI Primail Account pane states that vault sign-up, sign-in, recovery, and rotation are unavailable. There is no Create Account, TOTP enrollment, or device list.
Experimental primail-sync source is not a reason to sign up, and
it is not a public relay for scheduled send.
3. Optional iCloud configuration sync (direction only)
Section titled “3. Optional iCloud configuration sync (direction only)”Accepted product direction is optional iCloud configuration sync, with no mandatory Primail signup. That is not implemented as a user control today. Do not look for an iCloud toggle that restores mailboxes.
What this device keeps locally
Section titled “What this device keeps locally”These stay on the Mac unless you remove the account or delete the data directory:
- Cached bodies and the search index
- Local drafts (not a guaranteed IMAP Drafts copy)
- Pin / snooze / set-aside / thread-override client state
- Smart-folder queries, signatures, templates
- Scheduled sends and outbox rows
- Account display name, color, role, and control scope
They do not appear on a second device until that device has its own local setup (and, for mail content, its own IMAP fetch).
Offline
Section titled “Offline”Local reads and local drafts keep working. New fetch/send wait for the provider. There is no Primail Cloud queue to drain later.
Lost device
Section titled “Lost device”Add the mailboxes again on a replacement Mac. Mail comes back from the providers. Primail will not decrypt a cloud credential vault for you.