Apple Mail and disappearing SMTP settings

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Level 1

123 points

Apple Mail and disappearing SMTP settings

A few days ago, my Gmail started playing up within Apple Mail having worked for months. No changes to my Mac, no updates, no changes to Gmail and no breaches either. Despite not changing anything, it suddenly wouldn't send emails from my Gmail account. So I played with the Gmail settings within Mail's prefs and changed the smtp settings but it would then keep going offline. The only way to change this was to delete the Gmail smtp account within Mail and then replace it, which I did.

So the next issue was that while it saved my Gmail smtp settings, it didn't save the correct settings, so again this meant I couldn't send emails from that account. No problems with any others. So I then again tried changing the smtp settings within Prefs to update to the correct settings, but clicking off within prefs meant that the settings weren't saved. If I immediately sent an email, the settings saved but next day, it had defaulted to the wrong settings.

Today the latest error is that when saving the smtp settings in edit smtp within Mail's prefs, it immediately loses the settings - they aren't saved at all but simply disappear! Is there anything I can do instead of re-installing the whole Gmail account across iCloud?

Thanks for any advice!

iMac, macOS Sierra (10.12.6), 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7, 8GB DDR, 27"

Posted on Mar 22, 2018 2:37 AM

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Answer 1

tygb

Level 9

64,742 points

Mar 22, 2018 6:17 AM in response to Steve Hayes1

Using gmail account in Mac OS high sierra 10.13.3 the settings are greyed and this is a new setting in IMAP account , and you can't add the settings it will set up by its own ( just for security and if a Mac user enters it incorrectly the mail connection will show red dots and apple mail application will not be connected to servers ) .

This is a for better - crafted for all Mac users using the latest version .

See these screenshots .

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Answer 2

Steve Hayes1 Author

Level 1

123 points

Mar 22, 2018 6:02 AM in response to Steve Hayes1

Thanks so much for the reply and linky. It's not quite my issue - my Gmail smtp that I'd already manually entered and had working for a long time, stopped working. Now on re-entering the settings (creating a new smtp connection) it simply doesn't 'save' the settings and disappears from the list of various smtp settings already there.

When using the Gmail smtp I'd long since set up previously I'd clicked to automatically manage settings but it didn't work unless I'd manually entered the imap port etc. Initially I'd thought it was an issue with an app specific gmail password.

However, in my list of smtp settings there is a default 'Google' one (which I can't seem to find when going to edit smtp settings) but which seems to be working!

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,591 points

Mar 22, 2018 8:21 AM in response to Steve Hayes1

I'd clicked to automatically manage settings

Try turning automatically maintain settings off, then add the correct settings. See if that works.

If you do decide to upgrade, check to make sure your applications are compatible.

Application Compatibility

Also check to make sure there is a compatible driver for your printer.

Do a backup before installing, preferable 2 backups on 2 different drives.

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Answer 4

Steve Hayes1 Author

Level 1

123 points

Mar 22, 2018 9:09 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks Eric. I'd tried a few things including that originally - when I added the settings manually (and it had apparently saved the settings), it had defaulted back to automatically manage settings (by the next day) and was no longer sending the emails until adding the settings manually again. Now it simply won't save anything. Is currently working with a mysterious 'Google' smtp setting that was in there.

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Answer 5

Eric Root

Level 10

684,591 points

Mar 22, 2018 9:14 AM in response to Steve Hayes1

You are welcome. I'm not sure it will help, but try going to the Gmail web site, access your account, and find a setting to allow less secure logon. The wording may be different. That may allow you to use the settings you enter.

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