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Mail on mac stuck 'moving messages'

I use Mac Mail for emails, synced with an Exchange account. Ever since the Catalina upgrade, when I move an email from the inbox to other folders, or when I try to delete them, the Mail app gets stuck in 'moving messages' and so I would see the movement or deletion of the message locally, but it will not make the change in the server and the change will not sync to my other devices.


I tried restarting with no success. Also deleting the account from the app and adding it again. This did solve the issue for a day and then the problem returned.


This is a recurring issue. Please help.

Posted on Jan 7, 2020 7:21 AM

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159 replies

Jul 25, 2020 2:38 AM in response to DanRubCR

  • I have the same issue after last Catalina upgrade - it is an issue synching folders on the Mail client to folders on the server
  • It may be the mapping of the trash folder in the client to the trash folder on the server. I'm in the UK and the last upgrade of the Mac Mail Client on Catalina changed "Trash" to "bin"
  • The problem is solely in the Mac client and is limited to one way sync from my mail client to the google server. Changes made in the gmail app synchronise to the Mac client fine.
  • I’ve tried switching which one the “bin” on my mail client syncs with by going in to Mail >> Preferences >> Mailbox behaviours

But problem still persists preventing syncing of all folders to the server. Except - I can send and receive mail.


It is this problem in the Mac support area

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251018274

Here is a Apple support ID from another user and my support ticket ID

101014877688

101142379717 mine


Any other thoughts on how to remedy? 


Jan 9, 2020 6:40 PM in response to revbill222

Thank you revbill22.


Removed and added back the account. However this did not resolve the issue. This started right after the Catalina upgrade, before that it was working fine.


All works ok across outlook on the web and even the apple mail app on iOS in my iPhone, so it appears to be an issue with Catalina and the Mail app more than Exchange server don't you think?


Appreciate any help. This is very frustrating as moving messages is the method I use to handle all work email.



Jan 13, 2020 4:50 PM in response to DanRubCR

I'm having the exact same problem. Everything works fine on iOS, outlook on the web, etc....just as you mentioned. This is an issue with Mac Mail. The canned..."talk to your exchange administrator" is of ZERO help. I'll add, I have TWO exhange accounts that I run thru Mac Mail. One works just fine and never gives me this "Moving Messages" issue. But the other one does it every time. For me it happens when I delete an email.

Jan 15, 2020 1:03 PM in response to wrc1109

I have been having trouble with these for at least a year. I rebuild the mailbox which takes hours. I have deleted the account and added it back and that takes hours.


Mail works fine with my exchanger server on my Mac power book, iPad and iPhone but I can't get it to work on my primary work desk iMac. I have talked to support and they can get it to work for a few days or even a few weeks but the problem keeps coming back.


I need to do something today to stop it.


I wish someone would tell me an app that I could move to on this computer since Apple support nor the community has a quick one time fix.

Jan 19, 2020 11:29 AM in response to mmassey1

I, too, have this issue. I've been on the phone w/my mail provider, Go Daddy, countless times for hours all total. I've deleted and reinstalled my Exchange acct at least 5x. Two days ago, the tech support person at Go Daddy was able to get 1)my MacBook Pro, phone and ipad to sync and the 'moving messages' error subsided but now it's all happening again. Also, my mac mail app crashes when running in the background. I've also had my Go Daddy support person walk me thru restarting in Safe Mode, restaring the PRAM, etc. Go daddy states its a problem they've encountered with many many people running Catalina and an Exchange Acct.


Please advise ASAP. thanks!


Feb 4, 2020 8:21 AM in response to DanRubCR

Ok, this started for me as well. Right after the latest Catalina update (10.15.3) I did yesterday (2/3/2020). Happening only on my Exchange account. My POP and IMAP/SMTP accounts are working as normal. No one else in my office besides me uses Mac Mail, but they all have an Exchange account from the same server that I do and none of them are having this issue on Outlook or the webmail client. It's obviously a Mac Mail/Catalina issue. Apple needs to stop with the "It can't be our product" BS.


I had 15 messages stuck moving, and now I have 3. Here's what I did to lower the number.


Took all mail accounts offline whether they are exchange accounts or not. Mailbox > Take All Accounts Offline


Then one by one I brought them all back online making sure the Exchange account was the last to bring up. Mailbox > Online Status > Take "account name" online


When the Exchange account came back online, there were only 3 messages that were stuck moving.


I'm still working to get the last 3 to move, or at least find out what messages they are to delete them. If I do, I will report here on what I did.


I'm not deleting my "Envelope" files from the Library like that one Google result says to do. Nice troll whomever wrote that up...



Feb 5, 2020 7:13 AM in response to audiophiliac

Update - I now have 5 messages stuck.


I believe this has something to do with the way Rules handles the Exchange messages.


If I turn off all rules, the messages come in with all content. If I turn on a rule that moves the message from the Inbox to another folder, then the email message comes in blank (all black body, but the email subject and send time/date shows up).


Rules work fine on all other non-Exchange accounts.


I'll keep finagling with this until they update Mail.



Jan 9, 2020 11:46 AM in response to DanRubCR

Hello Dan RubCR and welcome to Apple Support Communities.


I see you're having some issues with syncing to an Exchange server using Mail on a Mac running Catalina.


Troubleshoot email problems in Mail on Mac - Apple Support


Start with the tips there. As this is an Exchange account and appears to be server related, your best step would be to remove the account and then add it again and see if syncing functionality returns. If it does not, then working with your IT department or whoever administers the Exchange server will be your next best step.


Cheers.

Apr 14, 2020 6:46 PM in response to Yohannon.

Agree here -- I noticed this week that the problem has come back....after about 30 days.


Quesiton Yohannon -- can you *please* put a trouble ticket in with Apple and reference the original ticket 101014877688. In addition to confirm here is another thread as well with the same issues: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251018274?answerId=252061410022


If you would please contact Apple Support and make it clear you are having the same issue. I agree completely with what you are saying which is that Apple just blames MS but the MS product works fine and there is clearly an Apple configuration issue.


Thank you.

Mar 17, 2020 12:57 AM in response to voltoutoftheblue

A temporary fix is as follows:


  1. Remove all exchange accounts from your Mac.
  2. Re-install all exchange accounts.
  3. Only use Mac OS Apple Mail to download, read, reply and organise emails in folders - never DELETE any email from Mac OS Catalina Apple Mail client.
  4. Only use your iOS (iPhone) Apple Mail app to delete emails from exchange server (or do it on webmail outlook access).


The "moving message" jam only happens when you try to delete emails from Apple Mail on your Mac. As long as you can avoid deleting emails from your computer, it should work fine. I have been trying this for last couple of days, working fine - too scared to try the delete button in case it gets stuck again!

Dec 17, 2020 3:53 PM in response to DanRubCR

Repair & Reindex All Messages in Mac OS X Mail App

The user gets a message after following above steps that the mailbox must be repaired but you have to do it manually. So, the steps are:

  • Get out of the mail app & go to the Finder
  • Hit the command+shift+g & go to the path: ~/Library/Mail/V2/MailData/ 
  • Delete all the files that begin with Envelope Index (Also take a backup of these files before deleting)
  • Close the MailData Window & then Relaunch the Mail App to force re-indexing.


Dec 21, 2020 9:37 AM in response to DanRubCR

I had this problem, and here is the solution that worked for me.

  1. Open Mail App -> Mailbox Menu -> Rebuild (if this does not resolve this issue, then move on to step two)
  2. Close Mail App. Go to Finder -> /Users/<username>/Library/Mail/V8/MailData/
  3. Find file "Envelope Index" and move it to the trash.
  4. If you also find "Envelope Index-shm" and "Envelope Index-wal", move these files to the trash also.
  5. Restart Mail app. This will rebuild the mail index, resolving the issue above.


Note: This could cause a loss of messages in the "On My Mac" folder. I recommend mailing them to an online account first.

Feb 5, 2021 3:09 AM in response to DanRubCR

Hey,


Also had the same issue. Spoke with Apple Support and did these steps:

  1. Close mail app
  2. go to ~Library/Mail/V7(or other version)/Mail Data
  3. Delete 3 files where the name started with "Envelope Index" (you might have more or less than 3)
  4. Restart mail app


After this, you will get the "welcome to Mail" screen like if it was the first time you opened the app. Then all emails got imported (I had around 40k) and then the app opens and it downloaded all emails from servers (I had around 5k).


Now when I move an email, the "moving message" doesn't get stuck.


These steps worked for me. Hopefully this helps as well the other people having the same issue. Just don't get me accountable in case something bad happens :) I'm just sharing my experience.

Mail on mac stuck 'moving messages'

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