Running Mail Backup X on your Synology NAS turns it into a self-contained mail archiving system — one that keeps your entire correspondence history local, compressed, and instantly searchable. Instead of depending on cloud services or scattered desktop tools, your NAS quietly handles every backup task through a small service that runs inside a container.

The process isn’t complex, but it benefits from doing things in the right order: preparing DSM, mapping storage for archives, deploying the Mail Backup X image, and verifying that your accounts sync as expected.

This guide walks through that workflow step by step. It explains not just where to click, but what each stage actually accomplishes — so you know what’s happening beneath the surface and can manage the setup confidently long after it’s running.

1. Understanding the Setup

First, you need to deploy Mail Backup X inside your Synology NAS. Mail Backup X runs as a small container service, archiving all the mail accounts you connect to it. Once it’s set, everything from configuration, storage, and updates lives entirely on the NAS, under your control.

If Container Manager (Docker) isn’t already installed, it’s available through DSM’s Package Center. Just open package center and install container manager. Once installed, open it and you’ll see a Registry tab. This where you can get can public container images.

• Search for inventpure/mailbackupx, pick the latest version, and download it.

• Once it appears under Images, you’re ready to launch a new container.

When the wizard opens: Name it something that identifies its role, like mailbackup_service. Turn on Auto-Restart so it comes back up after reboots and then click then next button.

Keep network settings to default mode, unless you require the network to be configured in a specific way. Most don’t need it. Click next to advanced the setup wizard.  

Port mapping: map NAS port to container port.

Volume mapping: link a local folder (for example, EmailArchives) to the container path /data.

Click Done.

The container now downloads and starts the Mail Backup X service.

You can check its status under Containers. Status should be shown as ‘Running’.

3. First Connection

From any computer on the same network, open a browser and go to: http://<your-NAS-IP>:18080

You’ll see the login screen. Use the default credentials (admin / admin), then immediately set a stronger password.

Next comes license activation, either enter your purchased key or select Start Trial. The trial is fully functional and even after it ends, you’ll still be able to view, search, and print your archived mail.

4. Connecting Your Email Accounts

• From the dashboard, click Setup New Profile. Each profile represents one mail account.
• Choose the service type, Gmail, Outlook, Office 365, Exchange, or any IMAP server.

• If it’s a cloud account using OAuth (like Gmail or Office 365), install the Mail Backup X OAuth Helper browser extension when prompted; it safely handles token-based logins.
• Give the profile a clear name such as Sales Team Mailbox and decide on the schedule, like either automatic or manual. Select the mail folders to include, save, and watch the dashboard show your first archive build in real time.

5. Everyday Operation

The dashboard shows every profile, its size, and its last backup time. If you click a profile, you’ll find logs, schedules, and usage graphs.

Searching and Reading

Use the search bar to find messages by sender, subject, date, or keyword.

Click View Data to open messages directly from the archive, no external mail client is required.

Exporting or Migrating

Need to move data elsewhere? Choose Export / Convert to generate PST, MBOX, or EML files.

To consolidate older archives, use Import to add them into the same searchable library.

6. Maintenance and Reliability

A few small habits keep the system reliable:

• Check the container weekly. Under Containers, its status should read Running.
• Protect the archive folder. Include /EmailArchives (or whatever name you used) in your Synology snapshot or Hyper Backup routine.
• Keep updates simple. When a new build appears, pull it in the Registry, stop your container, recreate it with the same folder mapping, and launch, your data stays intact.
• Restrict network exposure. Port 18080 should be reachable only inside your LAN. For remote access, use DSM’s reverse proxy and HTTPS.

7. Verifying Everything Works

Once your first backup completes:

• Open Search, locate a recent email, and confirm it loads.
• Disconnect your PC from the internet and reopen the same message, this proves the mail truly lives inside your NAS.
• Glance at the folder size on DSM to see compression efficiency in action.
• If you ever notice a gap in the schedule, check whether the NAS was offline; the next run automatically fills in the missed interval.

Once configured, Mail Backup X runs quietly in the background, archiving every mail incrementally and keeping the data under your roof.

There’s no cloud dependency, no surprise sync loss, and no vendor lock-in.

If you want to test its rhythm before purchasing, start the free trial, run it with one account for a week, explore search and export, and see how naturally it integrates into your Synology routine.

When the system becomes invisible, you’ll know it’s doing its job.

Operating habits that keep Synology backup clear and responsive

Treat the archive as a library. When you add a new label to your mail provider, return to the account profile and include it in the capture set. When a project closes, freeze its labels and move its export bundle to a separate share so you can hand it to a client without touching the main store. When a teammate leaves, archive the mailbox with the same routine and keep a small index note that links that identity to current projects.

You gain a steady sense of place. The archive remembers. The viewer slides open with the exact thread you need. Each search returns a clean slice rather than a flood. The very act of running Synology email back up in your own racks brings a quiet kind of control that feels practical rather than dramatic.

Benefits that show through in day to day Synology backup use

Searching is quick. Reading inside the archive saves you round trips. Exports travel well. Schedules adapt to your clock without surprise. The system respects your naming and your storage boundaries. Mail Backup X folds into the NAS you already maintain, then stays attentive without constant intervention.

When you want to evaluate deeper features, the free trial gives you room to test real flows with real mail. You can keep reading and searching your imported data later, so your time invested in setup never goes to waste.

You do not need a speech to conclude this decision. You need a pattern that holds. Mail Backup X on a Synology box gives you that pattern in simple parts you can review on any weekday afternoon. The routine does not shout. It just does the work and gives you quick access when a detail matters.

Take the trial and run it through the steps that match your world. Begin with one account, add two more, and live with the archive for a week. If the rhythm fits, carry it forward and name it the standard for your team. You close the tab and you still have Synology backup working in the background, and your next search lands on the exact line you had in mind thanks to steady Synology NAS backup that lives where you do.