Apple Acknowledges Continuing Issues with OS X Mail, Offers Manual Workaround

MailiconEver since OS X Mavericks was released, some customers using the built-in Mail.app application have repeatedly had issues retrieving new mail messages, deleting or moving messages, and more. Some of the problems were fixed in an update released back in November, and then in OS X 10.9.1, but for some, the issues retrieving new messages persist.

Some users found that quitting and restarting Mail forced the application to download new messages, but Apple has now published an awkward workaround that allows the app to stay open while still forcing a download of new messages.

OS X: New email messages not received until Mail is quit and reopened

Quitting and reopening Mail forces it to re-establish a connection to the email server. You can use these steps to receive new mail messages without quitting Mail:

1. Choose Mailbox > Take All Accounts Offline.
2. Choose Mailbox > Get All New Mail.

As a shortcut, you can also add the Take All Accounts Offline and Get Mail buttons to your Mail toolbar.

1. Choose View > Customize Toolbar.
2. Drag the Take All Accounts Offline button to the Toolbar if it is not there already.
3. Drag the Get Mail button to the Toolbar if it is not there already.
4. Click Done

To receive new mail messages, click the Take Offline button, then click the Check Mail button.

There is no indication of when the bugs with Mail.app will be fixed, though beta releases of OS X 10.9.2 ask developers to test Mail.app for issues.

Top Rated Comments

andyring Avatar
133 months ago
Simpler fix

I think this is a simpler fix. I have had a few employees run into this issue.

In Mail.app in 10.9, Apple implemented a new option under Mail Preferences/General/Check for new messages. There is an "Automatically" option which, I believe, doesn't work right.

Simply switch that to "Every minute" and (at least in my experience) the problem is solved.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
syavno Avatar
133 months ago
Guess I'm just holding it wrong. Thanks for the tip Apple!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mark Booth Avatar
133 months ago
I still haven't installed Mavericks on any of the four Macs in our house and I don't have any plans to do it anytime soon.

I only wish I had used a similar amount of wisdom before upgrading my iPad 3 to iOS 7. :(

I sure do miss the Apple I once knew. The one that got things a LOT closer to ready-for-primetime before releasing them.

Mark
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Troneas Avatar
133 months ago
good to know its a known issue.


i thought i was opening the app in the wrong way.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
133 months ago
Really, the only reason I still use Mail is because it's made by Apple and somehow that allows me to forgive more of its problems.

But I have to grudgingly admit that I use Outlook on Windows every day at work, and it's so, so much better. I'm just not too keen on Outlook for Mac, and I hope that's what's stopping me from switching, rather than self-deluded fanboyism ... :(
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
heehee Avatar
133 months ago
I don't use Mail anymore and just went with Outlook. Half of the time, Mail won't display emails at all.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
General Apps Messages

Google Reveals When to Expect RCS Support on iPhone for Improved Texting With Android Users

Friday March 29, 2024 7:14 am PDT by
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting "later" in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the "fall...
airtag new orange

Criminals in Montreal Using AirTags to Steal Vehicles

Friday March 29, 2024 12:50 pm PDT by
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple's AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these...
top stories 30mar2024

Top Stories: WWDC 2024 Announced, New iPads Delayed, and More

Saturday March 30, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company's next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and...
iphone 16 cases sonny dickson 1

First iPhone 16 Cases Outline New Rear Vertical Camera Bump

Friday March 29, 2024 4:09 am PDT by
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical ...
Apple iPhone 15 Pro spatial video capture lifestyle

$3 App Shoots Better Quality Spatial Video Than iPhone's Camera App

Friday March 29, 2024 4:48 am PDT by
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple's very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple's native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple's Vision ...