No option to select IMAP when setting up new account

Question

Level 4

1,874 points

No option to select IMAP when setting up new account

Hi All,

I bought an iMac yesterday and am trying to set up my Gmail so I can sync it with my MacBook Pro and my iPad.

Until now, I had IMAP enabled on the Gmail server, but in Mac OS Mail the account was set up as POP. Still, I was getting all my mail on both the MBP and the iPad.

Since adding the iMac, the iPad is still getting everything, but the most of the time only one of the two computers will receive an incoming message.

After researching solutions online, I backed up my Inbox, Drafts and Sent mail folders on both the iMac and the MBP by creating archive folders under "On my Mac".

Then, beginning with the iMac, I deactivated the old Gmail POP account and proceeded to create another mail account, using the same name and email address, expecting to be able to select IMAP as the account type. However, no such option is presented; I am only asked for provider, name, email address and password and it creates another POP account.

How can I create a new IMAP account for my Gmail account? Any help would be much appreciated!

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), null

Posted on Dec 19, 2014 8:32 PM

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Answer 1

Hezzie_Q

Level 1

11 points

May 14, 2015 7:21 PM in response to Lutetia

On Yosemite you have to create an email address without ".com." Use another suffix. It will trick Apple Mail into allowing you set up your account manually. You can then change the account to IMAP. Otherwise Mail will automatically create a POP account for you.

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Answer 2

Lutetia Author

Level 4

1,874 points

Dec 19, 2014 9:01 PM in response to Lutetia

I should add that I tried holding down the option key when clicking both the "continue" (first screen) and "set up" (2nd screen) buttons but no additional options were presented in either case...

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Answer 3

Lutetia Author

Level 4

1,874 points

Dec 20, 2014 1:01 AM in response to Lutetia

Well, I've managed to set up IMAP on the MacBook Pro (Mail gave me the option when I held down the option key during the account creation), but I still can't set it up on the new iMac running Mavericks....

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Answer 4

Lutetia Author

Level 4

1,874 points

Dec 20, 2014 1:19 AM in response to Lutetia

It turns out the problem had to do with selecting Gmail in the list of of account types.

By selecting "other", I was able to create a Gmail IMAP account manually.

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Answer 5

Lutetia Author

Level 4

1,874 points

Dec 20, 2014 8:37 AM in response to Lutetia

Hmm, I spoke too zoo. I got the IMAP accounts set up on both machines, but the one on the new iMac is not downloading messages...

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Answer 6

Lutetia Author

Level 4

1,874 points

Dec 20, 2014 3:08 PM in response to Lutetia

I meant, of course, I spoke too SOON.

This mail issue is extremely frustrating. Even Apple Phone Support was not able to provide a solution that worked.

I am ready to give up on Mavericks and upgrade to Yosemite.

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Answer 7

Lanny

Level 6

13,225 points

May 14, 2015 7:30 PM in response to Lutetia

From your description, you setup your Gmail account by using the Mail application. In the future, email should be set up by using the Mail System preference in System Preferences.

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