Apple Mail Not Working: 10 Easy Ways to Fix It

I’ve been in your shoes—Apple Mail issues are frustrating and can really disrupt your day. Luckily, there are quick fixes that work. In this post, I’ll share the solutions that helped me get Apple Mail running smoothly again.

Basic Troubleshooting Steps for Apple Mail Issues

If Apple Mail is not working properly, start by trying some basic troubleshooting steps. These quick fixes can resolve common issues and get your Mail app running smoothly again.

• 🌐 Check Your Internet Connection: Ensure your Mac is connected to a stable internet network, either via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Test the connection by visiting a website to confirm it is active.
• 🔄 Restart Your Mac: A simple reboot can often fix minor glitches. Restart your Mac to refresh the system and check if Apple Mail starts working again.
• 🧠 Free Up Your Mac’s RAM: Low memory can cause performance issues. Use MacKeeper to clean up and free RAM, helping Apple Mail run more efficiently.

How to Fix the Apple Mail Not Working Issue

Navigating Apple Mail issues can be daunting, but most problems can be resolved efficiently with the right steps. In the following sections, I’ll share different solutions to fix your Apple Mail not working issue.

1. Quit or Force Quit the Mail App

Quitting or force quitting the Mail app can resolve issues if it’s unresponsive or malfunctioning. Follow these steps to quit or force quit the Mail App:

1. If the Mail app is responsive, click Mail in the menu bar.
2. Select Quit Mail from the dropdown menu.

3. If the Mail app is unresponsive, press the Command ⌘ + Option ⌥ + Escape keys simultaneously to open the Force Quit Applications window.

4. Locate Mail in the list of running applications.
5. Select the Mail app and click the Force Quit button.

6. Confirm your decision if prompted.

7. After quitting, wait a few moments and reopen the Mail app to see if the issue is resolved.

2. Open Mail From the Applications Folder

Opening Mail directly from the Applications folder can bypass issues related to shortcuts or the Dock. Follow these steps to open the Mail app from the Applications folder:

1. Click the Finder icon in your Mac’s Dock.

2. In the Finder sidebar on the left, click Applications.

3. Scroll through the list of applications until you find Mail. It will have a postage stamp icon.
4. Double-click the Mail icon to open the application.

3. Update the Mail App and macOS

Keeping your macOS and Mail app updated ensures you benefit from bug fixes and performance improvements. Here’s how to update your macOS and the Mail app:

1. Click the Apple logo and select System Settings.

2. Click General and select Software Update. This will check for updates available for your macOS and its built-in apps, including Mail.

3. If there’s an update available for Mail or macOS, it will be listed here.
4. Click Update Now to begin the update process. Follow any on-screen instructions.

5. Some updates might require a restart. Ensure you save any work before proceeding.

4. Check Your Connections With Connection Doctor

Use Connection Doctor to diagnose and troubleshoot email account connection issues within Apple Mail. Follow these steps:

1. Launch the Mail app from your Applications folder or Dock if it isn’t already open.

2. Click Window in the menu bar and choose Connection Doctor.

3. The Connection Doctor will display the status of your email accounts. Green indicators mean the connection is healthy, while red indicates a problem.

4. If there are issues, the Connection Doctor will provide more information about the nature of the problem, helping you pinpoint the cause.
5. Based on the feedback, take the necessary steps to resolve the connection issues. This might involve checking your internet connection, verifying server settings, or re-entering passwords.

5. Rebuild Your Mailbox

Rebuilding your mailbox helps fix corrupted or cluttered databases, restoring proper mail functionality. Follow these steps to rebuild your mailbox:

1. Launch the Mail app from your Dock.
2. In the left sidebar, click the mailbox that seems to be causing issues or the one you wish to rebuild.
3. In the menu bar, click Mailbox and select Rebuild.

4. Rebuilding can take some time, especially if you have a large mailbox. Once the rebuild process is finished, refresh your Mail app and check if the issues have been resolved.

6. Disable Your Email Accounts

Temporarily disabling email accounts can help isolate and resolve issues with specific accounts. Here’s how to disable your email accounts:

1. Open Mail and navigate to Mail > Settings via the menu bar.

2. Click the Accounts tab.

3. Choose an email account from the left panel and uncheck the box next to Enable this account.

4. Do this for all the email accounts you have linked.
5. Restart Mail, revisit this section, and reactivate the accounts by checking the boxes.

By selectively disabling and testing each email account, you can pinpoint potential issues and decide on the best action to resolve them.

7. Remove and Re-add Your Email Accounts

Removing and re-adding email accounts refreshes the connection and resolves potential conflicts or errors. Follow these steps to delete and re-add email accounts:

1. Open Mail and select Mail > Accounts from the menu bar.

2. Pick an email account in the right panel.

3. To disable the email account, toggle off the Mail switch.

4. This action will only unlink it from your Mac, not delete it entirely.
5. If you want to delete the account, click the Delete Account button at the bottom.

6. Confirm your decision.

7. To re-add an account, click the Add Account button.

8. Next, select an account and follow the on-screen instructions to reconnect the account.

8. Clean Up Mail Attachments

Removing email attachments frees up storage space and can improve the overall. Here’s how:

1. Launch the Mail app from your Applications folder or Dock.
2. In the menu bar, click Message and select Remove Attachments.

3. This will remove the attachments from the selected email but keep the email itself intact.

4. After removing attachments, click Mailbox in the menu bar, hover your mouse over Erase Deleted Items, and select In All Accounts to free up the space.

5. Go through your emails, especially older ones or those with large attachments, and repeat the process as needed.

9. Remove and Reindex Envelope Files

Deleting and reindexing envelope files can fix indexing-related issues in Apple Mail. Follow these steps to remove and reindex envelope files:

1. Ensure the Mail app is completely closed. If it’s open, click Mail in the top menu bar and select Quit Mail.

2. Click the Finder icon in your Dock.

3. Hold down the Option ⌥ key, click the Go menu in the menu bar, and select Library.

4. Within the Library, find and open the Mail folder.

5. Navigate to the Vx folder inside the Mail folder (where x is a number corresponding to your Mail version, e.g., V7, V8, V9, V10).

6. Within this folder, find the MailData directory.

7. In the MailData directory, locate files that start with Envelope Index (e.g., Envelope Index, Envelope Index-shm, Envelope Index-wal).

8. Move these files to the Bin.
9. Open the Mail app again. Mail will notice the missing envelope files on launch and reindex your emails. This process can take some time, especially if you have many emails.
10. Once reindexing is complete, check if the problems you were facing have been resolved.

10. Reset Your Mail App Preferences

Resetting Mail preferences restores default settings and resolves deeper-rooted problems. Follow these steps to reset your Mail app preferences:

1. Ensure the Mail app is completely closed. If it’s open, click Mail in the menu bar and select Quit Mail.

2. Click the Finder icon in your Dock.

3. Hold down the Option ⌥ key, click the Go menu in the menu bar, and select Library.

4. Within the Library, find and open the Preferences folder.

5. Find the file named com.apple.mail.plist and move it to the Bin. This will reset your Mail preferences.

6. Open the Mail app again. You might need to reconfigure some settings or add email accounts afresh.
7. After resetting, check if the problems you were facing have been resolved.

Get Your Apple Mail Working in No Time

Apple Mail not working on your Mac can be frustrating since it’s essential for daily communication. Thankfully, with these quick fixes, you can easily solve common Apple Mail issues. Here are some more tips for you:

• If you see the “This Mac Can’t Connect to iCloud” error, verify your Apple ID, restart your Mac, and toggle iCloud off and on.
• If FaceTime isn’t working, restart the app, check your internet, and sign out and back in.
• Fix iMessage issues on Mac to restore communication quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions