How/can I change the "from" address in Mail?

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Level 2

421 points

How/can I change the "from" address in Mail?

I just upgraded to Mountain Lion, and have come across a problem.

I use iCloud for my mail account, but I want to change the "from" address - so the return address on my messages is NOT icloud.

I could do this in Lion.

In the mail account settings, there's an option that says "alias" and it lists (me)@mac.com, (me)@me.com and (me)@icloud.com, and then "custom" is an option.

Great!

So I choose Custom, and then I can type in the "from" address that I want.

However, when I go to save those changes, it tells me the SMTP server can't be left blank.

What?

It's not blank! I didn't touch it. The icloud server is still there!

Furthermore, it's greyed out, so even if it WERE blank, it's not like I can edit it!

Once this happens, the only fix is to delete the whole account from mail, and to disable mail in the icloud control panel, then re-add it.

Has anyone figured out to work around this?

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Dec 16, 2012 2:22 PM

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Answer 1

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 16, 2012 2:28 PM in response to Alexroet

You have to use a real address, and the real address must work. Real addresses don't work on iCloud servers unless they are iCloud addresses.

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Answer 2

Alexroet Author

Level 2

421 points

Dec 16, 2012 2:32 PM in response to Csound1

Is this a change? I've had it set up this way for 5+ years and since Mountain Lion it suddenly doesn't work.

It is a real address, and it does work.

I'm not trying to spam people from a fake address or anything like that- I just don't want the "from" address to be icloud (or me.com or mac.com)- I want to keep using the address I've been using for the last 10 years.

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Answer 3

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Dec 16, 2012 2:48 PM in response to Alexroet

If it is a real address put the correct smtp server in the outgoing server dialog.

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Answer 4

Alexroet Author

Level 2

421 points

Dec 18, 2012 5:33 PM in response to Csound1

The address is a "permanent forwarding address" from my college- so basically an alias. So it doesn't have it's own outgoing server. It has to use whatever account it forwards to. In this case, icloud. I could just switch to gmail or something, but, I don't want to use gmail! I want to use icloud.

I understand why apple wouldn't want you to be able to just enter nonsense 'from' addresses.

But this address (alias) is totally legit...

But my real question is- is this a new 'feature' that just came about in Mountain Lion? I used to be able to set my from address in Lion.

Maybe it's just not possible anymore.... which would be disappointing.

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Answer 5

LousyFool

Level 4

2,662 points

Dec 18, 2012 5:47 PM in response to Alexroet

Apple's outgoing mail server - just like 99.9% of all other SMTP servers, does not allow "relaying", meaning you use a domain in the 'sent from' address that is different from a domain hosted by the server. The simple reason is to make it harder for any spammer - not assuming you are one - to abuse the server. While bandwidth, server capacity and server load are some issues, the main fear for ISPs is to get blacklisted, and consequently mails from such server being refused by all others.

It's a general rule, and while exceptions might be technically possible, it would be a manual act which at a certain rate would become unmanageable.

If you want, read about the antonym, open mail relay servers, here.

You see, it's actually good behavior and absolutely in your interest to prevent you from using a "non-in-house" 'sent from' address.

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