fish_tattoo

Q: Apple Mail window not showing up when I click on Dock icon

When using Apple Mail, if I minimize the window, it collapses into the Mail dock icon.  When I single click the Mail dock icon, nothing happens. In Safari and Photo's, their windows reopen.  After clicking the dock icon, Mail is the forward application, so I am able to click Window > Inbox to reopen the window.


I'm not using Mission Control, so its not as if the window in on another virtual desktop.  Is this a bug in Mail?

 

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012)

El Capitan 10.11.2

 

Thanks!

Posted on Jan 11, 2016 10:30 AM

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Q: Apple Mail window not showing up when I click on Dock icon

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  • by Linc Davis,Solvedanswer

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Jan 11, 2016 12:17 PM in response to fish_tattoo
    Level 10 (208,017 points)
    Applications
    Jan 11, 2016 12:17 PM in response to fish_tattoo

    Please read this whole message before doing anything.

    This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.

    Step 1

    The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.

    Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”

    While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your documents or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this behavior; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.

    Test while logged in as Guest by setting up one of your mail accounts. Same problem?

    After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.

    *Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.

    Step 2

    The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.

    Please take this step regardless of the results of Step 1.

    Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem.

    Note: If FileVault is enabled in OS X 10.9 or earlier, or if a firmware password is set, or if the startup volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.

    Safe mode is much slower to start up and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal startup may also be somewhat slow.

    The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.

    Test while in safe mode. Same problem?

    After testing, restart as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of Steps 1 and 2.

  • by fish_tattoo,

    fish_tattoo fish_tattoo Jan 11, 2016 3:12 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jan 11, 2016 3:12 PM in response to Linc Davis

    @linc

     

    I followed the instructions for Step 1, and Apple Mail worked as it should, with the minimized window opening when the dock icon was clicked. The only difference I noticed, was that my settings in the Dock "minimize windows into application dock".  I changed the setting in System Preferences > Dock, I retested and the feature continued to work correctly.

     

    When I logged out of Guest, and re-logged into my account, the issue was corrected and Apple Mail correctly opens a minimized window when the Dock icon is clicked.

     

    Thanks for the troubleshooting steps; in my case, it actually solved the issue.