Mail won't open when clicked

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Level 1

30 points

Mail won't open when clicked

Hi, this has been going on for sometime, I have been putting up with it BUT I have now had enough of it !!!!!

I tap on the Mail Icon in the Dock, Mail doesnt Open, quite often there is what appears to be a Mail Window opening but it disappears as quick as it arrives.

The only way I can Open Mail is to lightly double tap my mouse pad, which pops up a menu from the Mail icon, there is often a list of previously opened Mail windows, I can often select one these, but only the one showing a Black 4 sided Diamond shape opens a Mail window, if it is blank or has a Tick, it doesnt open at all.

Failing that I have to select Open New Viewer window

It shouldn't be like that, WHY ???? and what can I do about it.

I have been back to the Apple shop with this problem, he whizzed around deleted a few things in the Library and it worked normally. BUT of course when I get home it soon MIS-BEHAVES again !!!!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9427ir6om28i2qh/Screenshot%202014-12-01%2020.02.42.png ?dl=0 User uploaded file

See image above, this may help explain easier my problem, normally MAIL should open by tapping the Mail Dock Icon, I just did that , it did nothing, zilch.

instead I have to often SELECT "New Viewer Window", other times I get by, by selecting one of the recently opened Windows with a Black shape next to it !!

Tim

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10), iPhone 5S, wife has iPad2 and my 4S

Posted on Dec 1, 2014 12:00 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

gammagrace

Level 1

9 points

Nov 2, 2017 3:10 AM in response to Linc Davis

This worked for me. I tried everything prior to this post and nothing would make the message viewer appear when I clicked Mail icon in dock. After following these steps it started working again. Thanks! Very helpful!

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Answer 2

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Dec 1, 2014 2:15 PM in response to timmy toad

1. From the application's menu bar, select

Window ▹ Zoom

2. If an external display is connected and turned off, either turn it on or disconnect it.

3. Open Mission Control. Close all desktops except Desktop 1 by positioning the cursor over each one and then clicking the X button in the top left corner. In Desktop 1, move the missing window, if need be, so that it won't be hidden behind the Dock.

4. Open the Displays pane in System Preferences. If there is an Arrangement tab, select it and then uncheck the box marked

Mirror Displays

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Answer 3

timmy toad Author

Level 1

30 points

Dec 2, 2014 2:11 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc

Thank you very much for trying to help me, but I have to be honest I dont understand how that is anything to do with my problem ?

I have only ever used ONE Desktop. If I do a three fingers swipe up, I get an Empty Dashboard and my Desktop displayed at the top of the window, with my current open windows shown below. If I hover over either of these I DO NOT get a cross in the top left corner to close either Dashboard or Desktop !

Perhaps I have given you a few clues as to HOW you can help me further ????

Tim

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Answer 4

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Dec 2, 2014 7:02 AM in response to timmy toad

You took Step 3. What about the other steps?

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Answer 5

timmy toad Author

Level 1

30 points

Dec 2, 2014 7:37 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc Thanks 🙂. Ah yes as for the other steps, they didnt tell me anything either.

step 1 simply Zoomed the Mail Window to fill the screen (not Full Screen)

step 2 didnt show any external displays

step 4 there isn't an Arrangements tab, whatever that is ? similarly no mention of Mirror Display.

I dont really know what else I can do !, can you advise further Please

Tim

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Answer 6

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Dec 2, 2014 7:54 AM in response to timmy toad

Maybe I haven't understood your question, but it seems that when you launch Mail, the viewer window doesn't stay on screen, but the menu bar does. So you select Zoom from the menu bar, and then the window appears?

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Answer 7

timmy toad Author

Level 1

30 points

Dec 2, 2014 8:12 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hiya Linc. sorry to have confused you a little.

I Tap on the Dock Mail Icon, the Menu Bar does appear, but a Mail Window doesnt. ALSO :- When double tapping on the Dock Mail Icon I can see there are Windows that have been opened, which are no longer available.

I can however Open a New Window from the Menu Bar or Double Tapping on the Dock Mail Icon

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,649 points

Dec 2, 2014 11:56 AM in response to timmy toad

Please follow these directions to delete the Mail "sandbox" folder.

Back up all data.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

Services ▹ Reveal

from the contextual menu.* A Finder window should open with a folder named "com.apple.mail" selected. If it does, move the selected folder—not just its contents—to the Desktop. Leave the Finder window open for now.

Log out and log back in. Launch Mail and test. If the problem is resolved, you may have to recreate some of your Mail settings. You can then delete the folder you moved and close the Finder window.

Caution: If you change any of the contents of the sandbox, but leave the folder itself in place, Mail may crash or not launch at all. Deleting the whole sandbox will cause it to be rebuilt automatically.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select

Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

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Answer 9

timmy toad Author

Level 1

30 points

Dec 2, 2014 1:30 PM in response to Linc Davis

Fantastic Linc that worked a treat, I am most thankful for your help and assistance 🙂

I didnt have to do anything to Mail settings either and I didnt have to do anything past Caution 🙂

Tim

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Answer 10

timmy toad Author

Level 1

30 points

Dec 2, 2014 2:09 PM in response to Linc Davis

A LITTLE LATER :-

Bloomin heck Linc you were right yet again, you did say I would have to do something to my Email settings !!!!.

I sent a few TEST emails to myself, to the 4 various email accounts and I soon realised that NONE of them worked. As I not to sure of the Passwords or Mail settings etc. I happily found the COM.APPLE.MAIL folder I moved earlier and put it back ****** quick !!!!!!

My Conclusion :-

It will be far easier to put up with it just as it was before. But I must thank you again for telling me HOW TO FIX IT. I have chickened OUT !!!!!

Tim

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Answer 11

Dec 3, 2014 6:44 AM in response to timmy toad

Linc,

I am having the same problem as timmy toad! Except when I double click on the dock Mail icon the window that appears disappears in about 2 seconds.

I never have a useable window.

I have tried your suggestion above, moving the com.apple.mail folder tot he desktop and rebooting. It does not solve the issue.

Any other ideas?

Thanks

Neil

MacBook Pro 17 inch, Mid 2010

Mail 8.1

OS X Yosemite.

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Answer 12

Dec 3, 2014 11:44 AM in response to Linc Davis

Neil DegrootDec 3, 2014 6:44 AM Re: Mail won't open when clicked
Re: Mail won't open when clickedin response to timmy toad

Linc,

I am having the same problem as timmy toad! Except when I double click on the dock Mail icon the window that appears disappears in about 2 seconds.

I never have a useable window.

I have tried your suggestion above, moving the com.apple.mail folder tot he desktop and rebooting. It does not solve the issue.

Any other ideas?

Thanks

Neil

MacBook Pro 17 inch, Mid 2010

Mail 8.1

OS X Yosemite.

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Answer 13

eridavis

Level 1

12 points

May 13, 2016 9:48 AM in response to Linc Davis

Window->Zoom alone worked for me.

The issue of the mail viewer window not un-minimizing when I clicked the mail icon (regardless if on the dock or from the Applications folder) started around the time I connected two external monitors to my E-Captin 2015 MBP. Although Drafts that I had minimized would reopen if I clicked the mail icon; still I used the command+0 command to see the message viewer window.

With mail open, I clicked on the mail icon and all that appeared was the draft message, not the viewer.

I selected Windows->Zoom and the message viewer re-appeared.

Minimized all the mail windows, clicked the icon, and the message view window now appears every time.

Thanks, Linc!

Your mileage will vary...

~Eric

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