Mac OS Mail keyboard shortcuts stopped working

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Level 1

8 points

Mac OS Mail keyboard shortcuts stopped working

Most, but not all, Keyboard shortcuts for MacOS Mail have stopped working. Cmd-R for Reply, for example, doesn't work, and nor does Cmd-Shift-R for Reply All, but the "delete" keystroke (both forward and backward) still work.

To respond to a mail the only options are to click on one of the"response" action symbols (the little arrows) underneath the header of the message. This problem is especially bad if I have an external screen connected (!), in which case even clicking on the "Reply" response symbol ONLY works when I DON'T have another email message open in a separate window.

It may seem a small thing, but this is seriously slowing my workflow, which comprises lots of email responses.

I saw en earlier post from Christian Sorensen (Sept 2020) about this same thing but the topic was closed (after 2 months? REALLY Apple?). Anybody else seen this.

Anybody got an answer (and no, reinstalling the OS doesn't work – been there, tried that).

Jon.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Nov 11, 2020 11:36 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 18, 2020 12:51 PM in response to jneilh

Hello jneilh,

We understand your keyboard shortcuts are no longer working and we're happy to help. Does the same issue occur in safe mode? If you are not familiar with the safe mode steps, you can follow the steps here: How to use safe mode on your Mac to get it done. Once in safe mode, you'd want to use the Mac as you normally would to see if the issue occurs again. You can tell when the Mac is in safe mode because on the desktop it will show the words Safe Boot in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Also, let's test and see if it occurs in another user account. If you have another user account already set up, then you can use that one. If not, please follow the steps here: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac to set up and test in a different user account.

Enjoy your day!

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Answer 2

Jan 5, 2021 5:20 PM in response to jneilh

It isn't documented anywhere that I could find, but I solved my issue with Command-1 suddenly not working to call up my Inbox. If you drag the Inbox icon (first in order under the word Mailboxes) up next to the line above right under the Get Mail icon and place it just to the right of the word Mailboxes there, it will restore the command. Whatever mailbox is first in that row will be what responds to Command-1. The second in the row will be called up with Command-2, etc. So if you prefer Sent Mail to be the mailbox to respond to Command-1 instead of your inbox, drag that word over so it is first in line.

Harder to describe with words that it actually is. Why it isn't documented more obviously, I have no idea. But that is true for a lot of things in Apple world, sigh...

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Answer 3

jneilh Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 19, 2020 12:16 AM in response to MichelleT18

Hi Michelle,

Thanks for the response. The problem persists in Safe Mode.

The problem doesn't persist if I use Mail in another User account on the same machine (at least, it didn't when I last tried that several weeks ago. I have a large amount of saved mail – some on my work Server, but mostly physically resident on this machine. If I'm going to create a new User and transfer all of my content to that User then that transfer needs to be simple.

Looking forward to hearing your suggestions.

All the best

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Answer 4

Dec 1, 2020 12:01 PM in response to jneilh

I wish I had a suggestion, but I have something similar. I did something -- I don't know what but I remember it seemed linked to another command about commands, if you know what I mean --, and Command-1 stopped pulling up the Inbox window. It does nothing, but the other window commands still work, like Command-2 for saint, Command-3 for drafts, etc. Can't find any reference to it on Google and it's driving me nuts

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Answer 5

jneilh Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 5, 2021 6:35 AM in response to Jmetcalfflactemj

On some wierd level, knowing I'm not alone makes this better... although you have to wonder – how many other people out there are experiencing the same dysfunctionality with keystroke shortcuts in MacOS Mail??

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Answer 6

jneilh Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 6, 2021 1:53 AM in response to Jmetcalfflactemj

Hi J Metcalf, and a big thanks for this. Despite you thinking your description was hard to follow it actually wasn't. My problem is that if I highlight a message in the Inbox (by clicking once on it, for example) and then type Cmd-R (for Reply) it doesn't work (nor does Cmd-Shift-R for Reply All, or Cmd-W for Close). Cmd-1 for Inbox etc all still work! Makes no sense to me. Of course I can still click on things with the mouse (e.g. clicking on the litte arrow symbol for "Reply" works), but when dealing with hundreds of emails every day, the lack of keyboard shortcuts for "Reply", "Reply All", and "Close" is really irritating.

...and I realise that there's an important part of my problem that's gotten lost in the discussion. The keyboard short cuts aren't completely absent – they do work eventually... so if I type Cmd-R then this produces no response the first time I type it, and probably none the 2nd, or maybe 3rd or even 4th time, but the 5th time it might work and then I get the equivalent number of open "Reply" windows (the number of times I have to type the keyboard shortcut varies unpredictably... and yes, I've tried seeing if there's a pattern, but I haven't detected one).

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Answer 7

jneilh Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 5, 2021 6:34 AM in response to sterling r

Thanks sterling r – reinstalling the OS was probably a good idea, but not one that worked. Problem remains...

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Answer 8

sterling r

Community Specialist

Nov 19, 2020 12:34 PM in response to jneilh

Hi jnei1h,

Thanks for testing in safe mode and a new user account. Since the issue does not occur in a new user account, then we'd recommend reinstalling the macOS using the steps here: How to reinstall macOS

Best Regards

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Mac OS Mail keyboard shortcuts stopped working

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