IMAP Gmail messages going directly to Archive folder instead of inbox

Question

Level 1

12 points

IMAP Gmail messages going directly to Archive folder instead of inbox

Since upgrading to Mavericks, my Gmail accounts have been acting up in my Mac Mail program. At first it was just extremely slow to download the IMAP mail (my other POP email accounts continue to work just fine). However, in the past couple of days, I've noticed that incoming mail through the Gmail account randomly goes to my Inbox or to the Archive folder. This is very frustrating and can lead me to missing emails that I need to see. I haven't changed any settings in Gmail or in the Mac Mail program.

I have had no problems in continuing to recieve messages correctly on my iPad and iPhone, however.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this? I've found some information posted about this problem but there are multiple suggested "fixes" and I'm not sure which one(s) might really work and what possible negative impact they might have.

Any idea when Apple will have a fix for this?

Thanks.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 8, 2013 5:58 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 19, 2017 8:35 PM in response to Erikamarie10

I see the "All Mail" in my Gmail settings but not "Archive." There is an archive folder in Apple Mail. Is that what you all found, too? I've unchecked the box next to "All Mail" and hope that will resolve the problem. Thanks to all who wrote about this. I thought it might be only my problem.

jenny

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Answer 2

dustda01

Level 1

25 points

Nov 8, 2013 6:40 AM in response to PGAdams

Hi PGAdams.

Apple released a fix to Mail today that supposedly fixes compatibility with Gmail accounts.

Get it through the App Store update page or at http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1703 - "Mail Update for Mavericks". Details of the update are found at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6030.

Not sure if this will fix the exact problem you are experiencing, but may as well try it. I hope it helps.

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Answer 3

TPIRman

Level 1

10 points

Nov 8, 2013 7:06 AM in response to dustda01

The Mail Update For Mavericks actually caused this problem for me. Before the Mail Update, my Gmail behavior was weird and half-broken like a lot of other people's. After the Update, it's just now completely broken—all new mail is instantly shunted out of the inbox and into Archive. Idiotic.

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Answer 4

TPIRman

Level 1

10 points

Nov 8, 2013 10:39 PM in response to PGAdams

Hey PGAdams, I fixed this problem by going to my Gmail Settings > Labels and unchecking the "Show in IMAP" checkbox next to "All Mail." Hopefully, this will work for you, too!

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Answer 5

Jan 10, 2014 11:52 AM in response to TPIRman

Thanks for the tip, TPIRman. That did the trick for me as well. All the messages that had been moved to the All Mail Archive folder reappeared in my inbox after changing that setting.

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Answer 6

TPIRman

Level 1

10 points

Jan 10, 2014 2:27 PM in response to Melinda S.

Cool! Glad I could help out.

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Answer 7

Jan 28, 2014 12:46 AM in response to TPIRman

Thanks TPIRman, that worked for me and 4 other acounts too! finally that is solved! Appreciate your input on that subject.

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Answer 8

hepcat72

Level 1

23 points

Jan 28, 2014 2:10 PM in response to PGAdams

I wonder if this was catalyzed by my call to Apple yesterday complaining about this very issue!

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Answer 9

Feb 23, 2014 11:12 AM in response to TPIRman

I am having this problem, too. Where do I find "Gmail Settings"?

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Answer 10

Feb 23, 2014 11:25 AM in response to TPIRman

I think I answered my own question. Found it when I went directly to my Google account.

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Answer 11

gavlaw1

Level 1

0 points

Feb 28, 2014 12:21 AM in response to TPIRman

Brilliant to finally have an answer to this issue and such a simple fix too!!!

Thank you

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Answer 12

Mar 28, 2014 11:20 PM in response to TPIRman

This fix worked really well! After unchecking the box next to archive in Labels, and then restarting mail, I get my emails in the inbox again. TPIRman you saved my computer's life! (seeing as I was about to chuck it across my coffee table)

Thanks!

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Answer 13

Aug 6, 2014 10:24 PM in response to TPIRman

Thank you so much TPIR man I thought I was going crazy. Such an easy fix.

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Answer 14

dgeastty

Level 1

4 points

Aug 29, 2014 8:43 AM in response to Melinda S.

I ditto all the folks above! I have been searching for days for a solution to this. There is no way I would have looked under "labels" in gmail. And even if I did, I wouldn't have known what to do. By following your instructions I now know I am not crazy! I don't know how long all my email has been going to Archive - but I noticed it after upgrading to Mavericks. And when one of my gmail accounts went "offline" due to the size of the Archive. So I still have that issue.

What happened when all my emails were going to Archive - one of my accounts met a space limit and apple mail has taken the account offline. When I ask for "Account Info" within Apple mail this is the error I get "This account is offline. The totals above may be inaccurate." The size of the archive for this mailbox is 82.9MB. Is there a way to delete the archive? I tried exporting the mailbox, but that didn't seem to work either.

Any suggestions would be welcome! Thanks.

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Answer 15

bhelmick

Level 1

5 points

Oct 30, 2014 9:56 AM in response to PGAdams

Well, all of you guys may like this suggestion re unchecking the "Show in IMAP" box for All Mail. This is a suggestion a lot of techs used to recommend prior to Mavericks, but just remember that if you do that, then while you will have access to your All Mail folder on the gmail web interface, from within your Mac Mail, your Archive folder for that account will disappear and you will lose local access to same.

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