Apple Mail, Move message to folder shortcuts do not work – they copy the message instead

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trewq321 Author

Level 1

5 points

Apple Mail, Move message to folder shortcuts do not work – they copy the message instead

Apple Mail, Move message to folder shortcuts do not work – they copy the message instead.

Sonoma 14.1.1 , Mail Version 16.0 , Email provider Gmail

What causes the problem? This happens when I move the message using -

- Keyboard shortcuts - (which appear in Mail's menu so I know they are valid)

- Paletro (to quickly access these shortcuts)

I always select 'move to' the relevant mailbox folder. I never ever use the 'copy to' option.

Evidence of the problem

- The message remains in my inbox, but also appears in the relevant mailbox folder.

- Gmail displays two labels on the email – one for the folder (label) to which I have moved the email and also the inbox label remains present.

- I do not think this problem is being caused by synchronisation with Gmail, because Apple Mail itself is interpreting the command "Move to" as "Copy to". The evidence for this is, when I click on the "Message" main menu option after having followed the steps to "Move" a message, the drop-down menu displays the option to 'Copy to "APPS TO SORT" Again' - clearly indicating that Mail interpreted my last command as "Copy to"

Current unsuitable work arounds -

- Using multiple mouse clicks to select "Move to" and then select the folder from Mail's menu.

- Physically dragging the message to the relevant folder with the mouse

- After using the above shortcuts- going into gmail and deleting the inbox label from each of the copied messages, so that they appear only in the folder where I tried to move them in the first place.

Request - how can I make Mail keyboard shortcuts work as they should, so that I do not need to keep using my mouse to process emails?

I have contacted Apple Support who have lived up to their unhelpful reputation.

thanks in anticipation

FM

Posted on Nov 15, 2023 5:00 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

trewq321 Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 15, 2023 5:53 AM in response to Barney-15E

That seems like a cop out from Apple - If the problem was really Gmail, then it should occur consistently, even if I use the mouse to select "Move to" folders, rather than keyboard shortcuts. It clearly does not happen when I use the mouse.

Moreover Apple Mail's recent actions have clearly interpreted 'Move to' as 'Copy to' as evidenced by Apple Mail's own menu displaying a recent action of "Copy to"

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Answer 2

ebarstad

Level 1

8 points

Dec 4, 2023 10:58 AM in response to trewq321

I just wanted to chime in and say that I'm having the same problem, but with a non-Gmail account.

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

117,394 points

Nov 15, 2023 1:47 PM in response to trewq321

I’m not sure why you think Apple said that. I said it based on my use of Gmail, and knowing that it is not truly an IMAP protocol. It pretends it is IMAP and that’s what Mail how Mail treats it. If you move a message, Mail will send the IMAP protocol command to move the message. What Gmail does with that I cannot tell you except that the result is generally happenstance. As Gmail was designed to be used in their web portal, that is how you should use it. Hoping it will follow the IMAP protocol when it has no IMAP structure is a fools errand.

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Answer 4

trewq321 Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 15, 2023 2:16 PM in response to Barney-15E

Apple Mail can reliably move a message when menu options are selected by mouse click, but fails to do so when keyboard shortcuts are used. Thus pointing specifically to an Apple Mail problem (irrespective of what email service provider is being used)

Gmail and its approach to IMAP are not the focus of my query. I am familiar with Gmail which I need to continue to access via Mail, as I have done for years. Thank you though, for your advice to use Gmail on their web portal.

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Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

117,394 points

Nov 15, 2023 4:56 PM in response to trewq321

trewq321 wrote:

Apple Mail can reliably move a message when menu options are selected by mouse click, but fails to do so when keyboard shortcuts are used. Thus pointing specifically to an Apple Mail problem (irrespective of what email service provider is being used)

Gmail and its approach to IMAP are not the focus of my query. I am familiar with Gmail which I need to continue to access via Mail, as I have done for years. Thank you though, for your advice to use Gmail on their web portal.

Ok, whatever. I've never had a problem moving a message with iCloud and an ISP IMAP account. I've only ever had problems with a Gmail account. Since it is just a throwaway spam collection account, I gave up on accessing it in Mail and only check it on the web.

If you think it is a bug in Mail, you should contact Apple to let them know.

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Answer 6

trewq321 Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 15, 2023 5:25 PM in response to Barney-15E

As I wrote in my original post -

Yes it is an Apple Mail problem.

And I had already contacted Apple, who lived up to their unhelpful reputation.

I will not respond to your comments about 'gmial' (intentionally spelt wrong) because I worry that my original post has been overshadowed by an unwarranted focus on 'gmial and INAP'

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Answer 7

Barney-15E

Level 10

117,394 points

Nov 15, 2023 6:20 PM in response to trewq321

trewq321 wrote:

As I wrote in my original post -

Yes it is an Apple Mail problem.

And I had already contacted Apple, who lived up to their unhelpful reputation.

I will not respond to your comments about 'gmial' (intentionally spelt wrong) because I worry that my original post has been overshadowed by an unwarranted focus on 'gmial and INAP'

It's not an IMAP problem because Gmail isn't IMAP. That's the problem.

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Answer 8

Barney-15E

Level 10

117,394 points

Nov 15, 2023 5:20 AM in response to trewq321

That’s just Gmail. Since they don’t actually have folders and they tag messages instead of putting them in actual folders, you get random behavior, such as you observed.

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