Where Does GNOME Evolution Store Mail and Settings?
Evolution splits mail, config, accounts and cache across four XDG folders. Data map and backup set from GNOME docs.
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Evolution follows the XDG base directories strictly across four folders. Mail, calendars and contacts live in ~/.local/share/evolution. Config and account definitions live in ~/.config/evolution with sources in a subfolder. GUI preferences live in GSettings under dconf. Disposable caches sit in ~/.cache/evolution.
GNOME's own help page names exactly this map, which settles every conflicting guide. Pre-3.6 installs used a ~/.evolution folder that no longer exists; old advice pointing there is a fossil. Back up data plus config plus the dconf dump together, and skip the cache. Evolution is Linux and GNOME-first; this is a one-platform post.
Where Evolution stores this, by platform
~/.local/share/evolution
Mail and calendars in ~/.local/share/evolution; config and account sources in ~/.config/evolution; GUI prefs in dconf under /org/gnome/evolution; disposable cache in ~/.cache/evolution. Pre-3.6 ~/.evolution paths are obsolete. Back up data, config and dconf together with Evolution closed.
Frequently asked questions
how do i back up evolution mail
Back up ~/.local/share/evolution for mail and calendars, ~/.config/evolution for settings and account definitions, and export dconf under /org/gnome/evolution for GSettings. Restore all three with Evolution closed. The cache folder regenerates and can be skipped. Account passwords live in the keyring and need re-entering.
why do guides mention evolution folder
The old path predates XDG adoption. Evolution 3.6 and later use ~/.local/share/evolution for data and ~/.config/evolution for config. Ancient guides referencing ~/.evolution describe versions from over a decade ago. Migrate by letting the current version import, not by copying files into the old spot.
where are evolution preferences stored
Dump them with dconf dump /org/gnome/evolution/ plus the evolution-data-server path. GUI preferences and many account-adjacent toggles live in GSettings, not in flat files. Include the dump text with the folder backups for a complete restore. The folders alone miss these settings.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.