How can I disable the Mail app completely?

Question

Level 1

11 points

How can I disable the Mail app completely?

Hi, I have an iMac running OS X v. 10.5.6 and do not want to go through the Mail app for my e-mail. I never opened the program on my own, but the app keeps opening on its own and asking for me to set it up. I tried to set it to manual opening, but it would still pop up on a daily basis.

At one point, I logged in using an old Yahoo account, thinking that this would solve the problem, but it still opened up on its own daily.

I've done everything in Preferences I can think of. I even tried removing the app completely, but I would get a pop-up asking where the Mail app went. When I brought it back, the same issues came up.

I have Mail v. 3.5. Help!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Jan 7, 2009 4:26 PM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Jan 15, 2009 11:33 AM in response to SVoss

Launch the Mail app, select Mail menu->Preferences->General->set *Default email reader* to what you're using for e-mail, then quit Mail. That should do the trick.

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Answer 2

Mulder

Level 6

8,990 points

Jan 7, 2009 4:28 PM in response to SVoss

Why do you think you need to use a different email program? You can't disable Mail, because it's part of the OS and is required for certain functions.

Mulder

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Answer 3

Jan 7, 2009 4:34 PM in response to Mulder

There are many good email applications available as alternatives to Apple's Mail.

My own preference is Eudora but Thunderbird looks pretty good too.

There is no obligation to use Apple's Mail.

I don't get any warnings telling me I have to do anything with it. I can't understand what these warnings would be.

Try opening the Mail application ---> preferences - and set the application to check for mail "manually" i.e. only when you tell it to. Which could be never.

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Answer 4

SVoss Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 15, 2009 7:53 AM in response to Craig Baron

I tried all these fixes. I removed the account from the Mail app and I still randomly (every 2-3 days) get the intro pop-up window that says: "Welcome to Mail. You'll be guided through the necessary steps to set up your mail account. To get started, fill out the following information: Full Name, Email Address, Password."

Any other ideas to disable this app from popping up?

Thanks!

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Answer 5

Dimaxum

Level 5

5,997 points

Jan 15, 2009 8:29 AM in response to SVoss

Hi,

every 2-3 days) get the intro pop-up window that says: "Welcome to Mail. You'll be guided through the necessary steps to set up your mail account. To get started, fill out the following information: Full Name, Email Address, Password."

So, what you can do is to setup Mail as it would be your E-mail application. This doesn't mean that you have to use it to.

Just setup a account and the popups will be gone.

Dimaxum

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Answer 6

SVoss Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 15, 2009 2:54 PM in response to baltwo

I did set up the account before and even then (when I had manually check for e-mail applied) it still popped up almost every day.

I currently use Gmail on Safari or Firefox for my default email. In that case, what do I put for "Default email reader?"

Thanks!

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Answer 7

SVoss Author

Level 1

11 points

Jan 16, 2009 6:38 PM in response to baltwo

Just tried to put it as Firefox and instead of the Mail app popping up, Firefox opened tab after tab... until about 356 were open and I finally killed the program.

Any other ideas on this? I just don't want the Mail app or any reminders of it. Thanks again!

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Answer 8

baltwo

Level 9

62,386 points

Jan 16, 2009 6:56 PM in response to SVoss

Sounds like a FireFox kind of anomaly. Maybe there's a preference setting that precludes opening individual e-mails in tabs. When I visit my mail stuff via the browser Safari, I get a single mail program with all relevant e-mails, and no tabs. Good luck.

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Answer 9

Dimaxum

Level 5

5,997 points

Jan 16, 2009 11:29 PM in response to SVoss

Hi,

You can always TRASH the MAIL application as last option ...

When ever you like to us Mail as your E-mailer program than you can extract it again from you OSX installer disk.

This is a dramatic solution to stop the Mail popup ...

Dimaxum

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Answer 10

BradPDX

Level 1

128 points

Feb 28, 2009 9:25 AM in response to SVoss

To make Gmail your default system email, install the Gmail Notifier from Google. Then in the preferences of Mail you can set the default mail client to always be the Gmail Notifier, and it will open Gmail in your default browser.

Mail will stop bugging you then.

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Answer 11

Jan 7, 2009 4:30 PM in response to SVoss

Look under System Preferences > Accounts > Login Items, delete the mail application from the list of applications that automatically launch when you log in to your user account.

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