Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

8 points

Apple Mail: missing plug-in

I keep getting "missing plug-in" messages from Apple Mail in emails that contain actually JPEGs or other common attachments. I don't know when this exactly started (could be installation of 10.8.3 update or a security update). This "feature" occurs only on my Mac Pro. On my Macbook Pro all works fine with the same configuration.

Faulty system: Mac Pro Early 2008, Mac OS Mountain Lion 10.8.3, latest Apple Mail.

Working system: MacBook Pro 15" Retina Mid 2012, Mac OS Mountain Lion 10.8.3, latest Apple Mail.

I scanned this forum and the usual Google hits for help. I tried the following already:

repaired permissions, checked disk
all system & software updates done
Java preferences "restored to default", Java preferences deleted
repaired mailboxes
applied combo 10.8.3 updater
applied iTunes 10.2 combo installer
checked all configurations, nothing unusual.
sent an email with photo attachment via iPhoto
danced in circles @ midnight & full moon

Nothing worked so far. Any useful idea. This keeps annoying me!

Kind Regards

Frank

Posted on Mar 31, 2013 6:36 AM

34 replies

frankd783 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 10, 2013 9:56 AM in response to Romsalik

Well, if all the possibilties in my original post on top of this thread fail, the only way is to reinstall MacOS completely from scratch.

Make a backup of all your data or your complete boot drive, just in case (use Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner, e.g.).
boot into your recovery partition (press Command-R at the startup chime a few seconds)
reinstall MacOS (you should not loose any of your data, but the backup from step one makes you feel better ;-)
after reboot, apply any OS updates via App Store, if any.

This helped in my case.

My guess is that one of the recent Java Updates of Apple damaged a system file (this is why sometimes resetting Java seems to help). This damaged (or missing) file is now overwritten by a new one - and all is up and working again.

I hope, that helps you too.

Frank

Romsalik

Level 1

0 points

Apr 10, 2013 12:29 PM in response to frankd783

Thanks man I will try this.

frankd783 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 11, 2013 10:54 AM in response to Romsalik

I found something, which might help as well. Could explain, why resetting Java sometimes halps and sometimes does not:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57578706-263/fix-permissions-errors-for-san dboxed-applications-in-os-x/

Mail is a sandboxed application, AFAIK.

Maybe following the hints at the end of this article helps. If so, please let me know. I cannot check this anymore.

Frank

frankd783 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 12, 2013 12:23 PM in response to Romsalik

Another One...

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57579133-263/address-missing-plug-in-notice s-in-os-x-mail/

May 9, 2013 12:32 PM in response to frankd783

same issue here.

There has to be an easy fix or update to fix this.

Jun 10, 2013 12:31 AM in response to frankd783

Just in case anyone is interested I had the same problem sending a jpeg so I closed mail then reopened it and the photo was then showing

Strange!!

gkbs

Level 1

1 points

Aug 14, 2013 8:08 AM in response to Graham Parker

ME TOO!! IT WORKED!! Thank you for posting this, Graham! It saved SO much time and work! Just quit Mail and reopen, the pics will be there! (BTW, the pics were in fact sent via Mail, but I couldn't see them on my end.)

Shlom

Level 1

4 points

Oct 3, 2013 4:56 AM in response to frankd783

Hello,

Just wanted to say that I got the same prolem too.

I bought a new SSD and installed a whole new OS 10.6.8.

This problem was in previous system on the previous HD, and it exists again under my new system.

This problem happens to me too when I use Flickr uploadr, When I drag photos over there, it says the same like when I add photos to a mail message.

I didn't understand which solution worked.

All the best,

Shlomit.

gkbs

Level 1

1 points

Oct 3, 2013 10:34 AM in response to Shlom

Graham's solution worked:

"...so I closed mail then reopened it and the photo was then showing."

Just close the Mail program and then re-launch it.

Oct 3, 2013 10:41 AM in response to gkbs

Thats what I do to ... hopefully apple fixes this in 10.9 because its really irritating!

Nov 18, 2013 5:19 PM in response to redbrickstudios

Identical problem - running System 10.7.5 - "missing plug-in" showing in Apple Mail, where a jpeg image or photo is expected. Problem appeared recently, don't know why.

Came here to find solutions - found Graham's - and hopefully improved on it:

This works for my case:

Did not need to close (quit) the Mail program and relaunch.

1. Just a simple click to open another message. Then,

2. Click back to problem message. jpeg image/photo appears as expected, without "missing plug-in" message.

(in other words, close the problem message and re-open it.) no need to quit entire Mail app.

did not need to mess with Safe Boot, System re-install, Java Preferences, Time Machine, Carbon Copy cloning, switching out hard drives, messing with System files, etc., etc.

again, works for my case - hopefully works for a few others, too. yes, very irritating.

very grateful for postings here.

//jgd

Nov 26, 2013 5:24 AM in response to RetrieverRG

My strange story: I'm on 10.6.8 for a while on Mac Pro. I never had any problem with Mail. (I always could see attachemnts displayed, either JPEG, PDF or any..)

Today I sent an email, and saw in my sent emails folder that "missing plug-in" .. and after a few clicks ran onto this thread here.

I just wanted to say that this is a bug in OSX, and a simple way to solve it: just search into your sent emails any email with an attachment that is an image; it will be displayed !! Then go back to the "missing plug-in" bug and you will see the bug is gone.

Cheers

jen587

Level 1

8 points

Nov 27, 2013 11:35 PM in response to frankd783

I was searching for something else and found this. Just so you know - this is a java error. Open up Java preferences and clear the cache. Should fix your problem. Doesn't fix it permanently but it's an easy fix and you can keep doing it every time it happens. The newer versions of OSX don't have this problem anymore. I'm on 10.9 now and haven't had this issue in months.

Good luck!

Nov 29, 2013 11:14 AM in response to Graham Parker

Closing Mail and reopening it worked for me - no more missing plug in message just proper openable attachments. Thanks guys

Dec 11, 2013 9:49 AM in response to Linc Davis

This worked for me Thank You.

Apple Mail: missing plug-in