Apple Mail is sending some inbox emails to trash without warning, rhyme, or reason

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Level 1

72 points

Apple Mail is sending some inbox emails to trash without warning, rhyme, or reason

I use GMAIL for two accounts. I'm sure it is Apple Mail that's the culprit. I had it open, was moving wrongly trashed emails from the trash to the inbox in the Gmail Browser application, and as long as Apple Mail was open, they ended back in the Trash like zombies. When I quite Apple Mail, the moves were permanent. I'm afraid to open Apple Mail again lest it start all over.

Is there a way to reset Apple Mail (I suppose I can delete and reinstall my accounts, which I may try). Is there something else to check. I don't have filters of any kind. Junk Mail is enabled, but that's not the issue.

Meanwhile, I will just not use Apple Mail, which may not play well with Gmail.

Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jun 22, 2023 7:50 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Mrchem

Level 1

22 points

Jun 22, 2023 10:22 PM in response to jinet

Firstly check "Rules" in your Apple Mail settings because if you have any active rules they apply to all IMAP mailboxes not just iCloud mail and also if you have any rules that are active in Gmail. One solution that might work is resetting Gmail in Apple mail and also removing Apple as third party access in your Google account's settings and then re-adding them. Remember just doing one of the latter might not work.

Let me know how it goes and we'll try something else.

(P.S I have 6 gmail accounts, 3 Proton accounts and 2 exchange boxes in Apple Mail working fine)

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

124,848 points

Jun 23, 2023 6:11 AM in response to jinet

Gmail isn't IMAP, though it pretends to be.

It doesn't work well in an IMAP email client because messages can exist in many folders at the same time—not possible in IMAP. When messages appear to move about in Mail, it is because the different labels are being interpreted as the message being in that folder, not the other one to which it was labeled.

Mail sends standard IMAP commands to Gmail and it translates those into labeling and unlabeling messages. Mail has no way of knowing which folder the message is supposed to appear when it has multiple labels attached.

Use Gmail on the Web Portal as it was designed to be used.

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Answer 3

jinet Author

Level 1

72 points

Jun 23, 2023 9:09 AM in response to Barney-15E

You may be right about using the browser only. I don't like the interface as much as I liked Apple Mail and now Mimestream. I will ask the engineers of Mimestream about the problem. So far it has been flawless. The problems really do surface when I open Apple Mail.

Another factor I forgot about: I have mail set up on two machines (and on two iOS devices). I don't think iOS is the problem, but I will check the other desktop machine. I did delete my two gmail accounts on the laptop and reinstalled them. Perhaps that will make a difference.

Gmail does nest labels, which is all I really need to organize my mail. It's more cumbersome with attachments.

Thanks for the advice.

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Answer 4

jinet Author

Level 1

72 points

Aug 2, 2023 3:13 PM in response to jinet

I prefer to disable Apple Mail altogether. I went into the settings and made Mimestream the default email client. But when I went to mail a PDF from MS Word via Save and then Send in Mail, it opened up Apple Mail again. I shut down Mail fast, but there seems to be no way to ignore this command. Is there any way to disable apple Mail completely? That is safest for me. tx

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Answer 5

jinet Author

Level 1

72 points

Jun 23, 2023 9:09 AM in response to Mrchem

Thanks. See below. I will need to reset my other desktop machine too.

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Apple Mail is sending some inbox emails to trash without warning, rhyme, or reason

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