Keyboard shortcut for Mail: Mailbox > erase deleted items > in all accounts moved

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bob7 Author

Level 1

4 points

Keyboard shortcut for Mail: Mailbox > erase deleted items > in all accounts moved

It appears in a Mail update (in the last 6 months?) that the keyboard shortcut:

shift command delete

… for:

Mailbox > erase deleted items > all accounts

… has been moved to:

Mailbox > erase deleted items… > In Selected Mailbox…

1) I think this change is a very poor choice.

2) I tried creating a new Keyboard shortcut for Mail.app for:

Mailbox > erase deleted items > all accounts

I used:

option command -

The keyboard shortcut was accepted (meaning it wasn't already in use), and shows up in GUI, but it does not erase deleted items.

3) When I execute the menuitem via the GUI, it brings up a confirmation dialog. I want to erase deleted items without confirmation, which I'm pretty certain was the case prior to the keyboard shortcut being moved.

I like to move quickly and efficiently. I delete items, and frequently (used to, that is) ran the shortcut for:

Mailbox > erase deleted items > all accounts

… and all erased mail was deleted immediately.

macOS 10.15.7 Mail Version 13.4 (3608.120.23.2.7) MacBook Pro 13" 2016 (with touchbar)

Posted on Apr 15, 2022 8:28 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

bob7 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 16, 2022 8:23 PM in response to bob7

OK. I changed the shortcut to control option -, and now it erases deleted mail without asking for confirmation. I'm pretty sure having he option key in the shortcut is what causes that. All set now. Yay!

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Answer 2

Lindsay_B.

Community Specialist

Apr 16, 2022 10:29 AM in response to bob7

Hi, bob7,

It sounds like you are trying to change the keyboard shortcut used to delete items in Mail, but it is not working as expected. If the default shortcut worked prior to changing it, we can suggest the following steps:

Quit the Mail app: Quit apps on Mac - Apple Support. Then, restart your Mac: Shut down or restart your Mac - Apple Support. Once it's back on, relaunch the Mail app while holding the shift key on your keyboard. This will help clear out temporary cached files and instructions that may be interfering with the Mail app responding to the new shortcut.
See if you can use the new shortcut while in safe mode: How to use safe mode on your Mac. This will do a couple of things for us: first, during boot safe mode will scan your startup disc and make repairs where it can. Second, it will disable certain processes that could be causing a conflict.
See if the shortcut works in a new user: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac - Apple Support. This will tell us if there is something specific to your user account that is causing an issue, or if it is as system-wide issue.

Cheers!

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Answer 3

faith185

Community Specialist

Apr 16, 2022 6:29 PM in response to bob7

Hi bob7,

Great troubleshooting so far. The guidance in the 'Permanently delete emails' section of Delete emails in Mail on Mac - Apple Support may help further. If not, what happens when you try to reassign the shortcut you mentioned? Is there an error message?

It may also be helpful to make sure that your Mailbox preferences are set up correctly for each account - Change Mailbox Behaviors preferences in Mail on Mac - Apple Support

Take care.

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Answer 4

bob7 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 16, 2022 6:15 PM in response to Lindsay_B.

I should have tried those things first. I just did, but was still having trouble. However I discovered that one mail account didn't a have a trash mailbox belonging to the Trash category on the root of the left mail pane. I made a change in Preferences, and solved that. Then I was able to use my shortcut, and also to delete mail of a Gmail account, whose Trash Mailbox was in a different location: [Gmail]/Trash, which shows in a grey color in Mailbox Behaviors > Trash Mailbox, and is not visible in the left pane (so I can't see deleted message there). I have some more work to do on mapping it seems. Also, after the changes I made, the erase deleted items… > In Selected Mailbox… shortcut is gone, but I can erased deleted items for a selected account through the GUI. I only erased deleted items in all mailboxes, so that is not an issue. But even though the shortcut is gone (in the menu and in preferences > shortcuts), I can't (re)assign it to erase deleted items > all accounts.

Update: after reassigning the Gmail trash mailbox to the Trash hierarchy, mail in it does not delete using the shortcut. And I have to confirm erasing as well.

Still, some progress.

Thank you.

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Answer 5

bob7 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 16, 2022 8:20 PM in response to faith185

I tried steps 1 and 2 above, with no success.

When I attempt to change the shortcut Mailbox > erase deleted items > all accounts to command shift delete, I double click the exiting shortcut, which puts the shortcut in edit mode (a blue background); I type the shortcut, but nothing happens at all. After booting in safe mode, I likewise could not change the shortcut, but the screen did flash (I had the volume down), so it was telling me it was not a valid shortcut. I suspect the system has some memory of that shortcut. I ended up setting a different shortcut: "control command -" which worked, and I am OK using that going forward.

The only thing I really need at this point is a way to have the erased deleted messages deleted without a confirmation dialog, which I believe was the case before the default shortcut was moved to "In Selected Mailbox". How can I do that?

Thanks for all the help so far.

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Answer 6

bob7 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 16, 2022 6:15 PM in response to bob7

[I updated my last reply. Can't delete this reply.]

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Keyboard shortcut for Mail: Mailbox > erase deleted items > in all accounts moved

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