Where Is the mbsync Config File on Linux?
mbsync and isync config in home on Linux and macOS, plus where Maildirs and state files land.
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mbsync (the isync package) reads one config file in home. Mail lands in Maildirs you name there, with sync state beside each folder.
There is no daemon or GUI state to hunt. Copying the config plus Maildirs moves the setup. Passwords often live in a separate secrets file or keyring, so check for that reference.
Where mbsync stores this, by platform
~/.mbsyncrc
Main config (IMAP hosts, channels, Maildir paths). Older docs use ~/.isyncrc as fallback name. Mail defaults to ~/Maildir/<account>/. State files (.mbsyncstate) sit inside each Maildir.
~/.mbsyncrc
Same file via Homebrew isync. Mail often under ~/Mail. Fix perms to 600 since the file can hold passwords or OAuth tokens. Exact Maildir root may vary, check Path lines.
Frequently asked questions
Where does mbsync store mail?
In the Maildir paths named by Path and Inbox lines in ~/.mbsyncrc, often ~/Maildir. Each folder holds cur, new and tmp plus state. Copy both config and mail to migrate.
mbsync says config not found. What now?
It looks for ~/.mbsyncrc first, then ~/.isyncrc. Create a symlink if you use the old name. Run mbsync -V to confirm which file it parsed.
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