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

Apple mail does not sync with gMail

Today my Apple Mail no longer provides me with my gMail in the inbox.

I can send mail to my gMail address and it shows in the Sent box ...but it never makes it to my Inbox.

If I log directly into Google Mail the email message is there.

This has always worked before.

Also, just now I downloaded and installed the Apple update for Mail ...which said it fixes some gMail account issues ..but I still have the problem.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 7, 2013 5:37 PM

Reply
372 replies

Dec 31, 2013 5:24 AM in response to George Chapman

Regarding Aimail, I haven't read the comments at the app store, but I've been using it for awhile now, and my experience has been mostly positive. I have seen a small glitch a time or two (like messages not coming promptly into the inbox), but 99% of the time, it has worked fine. It lacks a couple of features I wish it had, but at least it seems to work.

Jan 1, 2014 9:59 AM in response to enaut

I too have found Apple mail to be unreliable with reading gmail in both 10.9 and 10.9.1. There seems to be something "stuck" in the updating process. I did a clean install and that helped for a while then Apple Mail go stuck again. I followed the suggestion above to Turn Auto Expung Off in Forwarding and Pop/IMAP tab in gmail.com. Nothing immediatley happneded, so I went and read and deleted some more messages and all of a sudden my Apple Mail updated correclty. Very strange, indeed, and not at all robust.

Jan 1, 2014 10:13 AM in response to normdVA

I caution anyone before they spend a major amount of time trying to fix this issue. I have been having the same issue since upgrading (on two different macs). While I still haven't solved the actual problem, I am finding it much easier to fix each time it occurs (and reoccurs).


The following steps have *always* forced the sync between Mail and Gmail for *me* (although I don't seem to be able to prevent it from reocurring). This is happening to me about once a week on at least one mac if not both (they don't seem to be always stuck at the same time).


  • sending an email to yourself
  • taking your gmail account offline, then putting it back online
  • mailbox>synchronize all accounts


I can't narrow it further because I get impatient and try all of them when it's stuck 🙂

Also I notice that when it's stuck, a symptom is that email can't be moved from folder to folder (not just that you can't download new emails). This is why the deleted items reappear (because it isn't truly moving them to the deleted folder).


I also think there may be an issue with labelling causing the problem. I notice that when I use Mailbox app which uses [] symbols in the tags, the problem seems more frequent. Could be my imagination? Mail and Gmail don't use labels in the same way (Mail sees them as folders). Perhaps this has something to do with it?

Jan 1, 2014 2:42 PM in response to enaut

I have been fighting this problem for awhile. Have latest 2013 rMBP with latest Mavericks.


It has been somewhat intermittent. Apple Mail would not fetch latest Gmail but all my iDevices and web would get the mail.


I would usually have to reboot etc to get mail.


Yesterday the problem was very persistent and reboots did not work.


Went to Mail->Preferences->Accounts and checked accounts.


I noticed that my iCloud Mail account was set to Fname.Lname@me.com with an alias of Fname.Lname@icloud.com available but not checked. I believe Mavericks setup created the new icloud.com name.


I changed the checked alias to the "Fname.Lname@icloud.com" and saved it and my email started immediately.

Sucked down all the GMail. I also changed the description to "Fname.Lname@icloud.com"


Mail has been running great for over 24 hours.


One interesting thing is that when I checked today the Fname.Lname@me.com alias was not offered.


I think Apple Mail checking the me.com address was locking up all my mail (5 accounts)

Jan 1, 2014 2:52 PM in response to George Chapman

Just today I'm noticing a strange problem with Airmail. I'll receive a notification of a new message. But it's not in the inbox. When I click on All Mail, I see it. Then when I click on the inbox again, it has mysteriously appeared there.


So in other words, I have to click on the All Mail folder to get a message to appear in the inbox. This has happened several times today.

Apple mail does not sync with gMail

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.