Level 1

18 points

Cannot Set Default Mail App in El Capitan

I was using Outlook 2016 before upgrading to El Capitan. After the upgrade I decided to switch to the default Mail app. Unfortunately, when I try to make the switch in Mail > Preferences, the app I choose does not stick. When clicking a link, closing and restarting Mail, or even waiting just a few minutes, the default Mail app switches automatically back to Outlook 2016. Any thoughts?

I am running a mid-2011 Macbook Air.

MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Oct 18, 2015 7:35 AM

Top-ranking reply

FJ Cruiser

Level 1

9 points

Posted on Jan 25, 2016 7:02 PM

I've been struggling with this issue for days. I followed a previous link in the post to a fix that worked like a charm.

Normally, your change to default email client is saved by LaunchServices, but that database can become corrupted. You can reset the database with the following command in Terminal (copy-paste the whole thing):

/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/LaunchSe rvices.framework/Versions/A/Support/lsregister -kill -r -all local,system,user

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51 replies

312mac

Level 1

4 points

Jul 14, 2016 8:31 AM in response to bhowton

GO TO SYSTEM PREFERENCES AND CLICK ON EXTENSIONS. CHECK THE 1ST 2 AIRMAIL BOXES.

THEN OPEN APPLE MAIL (I MEAN THE APPLE DEFAULT MAIL APP). THEN OPEN MAIL AND THEN PREFERENCES. YOU WILL SEE THE DEFAULT EMAIL APPS. DO NOT CLICK ON ONE OF THE APPS. THIS DOES NOT WORK SO CLICK THE SELECT BUTTON OR BAR AND IT WILL OPEN YOUR APPLICATIONS FOLDER, THEN LOCATE YOUR AIRMAIL APP IN THE FOLDER AND DOUBLE CLICK ON THE APP AND THAT WILL SET IT TO DEFAULT FOR YOU.

Mar 14, 2016 11:57 AM in response to OldGnome

Thanks for posting that. It did solve the stated problem of allowing me to change default mail apps but unfortunately seems to have killed the functionality which brought the problem up in the first place. That is, I was trying to email a web page from Safari to a friend, which I do fairly regularly, via clicking on the share icon in the upper right corner of Safari. One of the options available in the menu that appears was email, and if I chose that I would get a Thunderbird mail window (switching from Thunderbird to Mac Mail was what led me to the above problem). But since I fixed the mail app switch problem using that suggestion to reset the Library, Safari no longer provides the option of sharing via email. Has anyone run into that problem and fixed it ? Thanks,

bhowton Author

Level 1

18 points

Oct 18, 2015 7:56 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for you answer Linc. Here's the output:

Jan 12, 2016 5:56 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc.

Thank you for your answer. It searches for the roots.

My answer is a large number: 2395

If this is the number of wrong permissions, I suspect I must do a HD check.

Is it right?

Jan 16, 2016 9:29 AM in response to JRMH-Perth

problem solved but only for a few minutes sadly

Jan 16, 2016 9:32 AM in response to Linc Davis

I have the opposite problem - can I delete Mail?

niefl

Level 1

14 points

Jan 28, 2016 1:13 AM in response to JRMH-Perth

No, did not work for me... Still Apple Mail does not remember changes to the default app.

Mar 10, 2016 12:20 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you Linc. This command fixed the issue of Mail not saving Outlook at the preferred client.

Mar 14, 2016 8:57 AM in response to JRMH-Perth

You're a lifesaver. This solved my issue, too 🙂

alien8d

Level 1

0 points

Mar 16, 2016 8:48 AM in response to FJ Cruiser

Worked great for me. Outlook 2016 latest version and Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.3.

Mar 22, 2016 1:28 PM in response to Community User

This is the only solution that actually worked for me. Thanks.

cicorias

Level 1

9 points

May 15, 2016 11:51 AM in response to Community User

holy sh*t monkey. yes, don't use the dropdown as it doesn't work. just like the fact that nobody at Apple apparently works on the mail app.

May 24, 2016 9:43 AM in response to JRMH-Perth

Thanks @JRMH-Perth - this totally worked for me.

May 24, 2016 11:53 PM in response to Community User

Thank you!

Jun 14, 2016 9:17 AM in response to Community User

Thanks. That worked like a charm!

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Cannot Set Default Mail App in El Capitan