Can't add accounts in Mail - stuck on "Next"

I had the same problem with adding a simple IMAP mail account - "next" button in endless loop, could not create it.

Deleting entries for email in keychain did not help.

I took a backup of the user keychain files ~/Library/Keychains

Then followed advice from ED in PA:

1. Open the Keychain Access utility in your Applications folder.

2. In the "Keychain Access" dropdown list, open "Preferences..."

3. Click "Reset My Default Keychains" and follow the prompts.

4. Restart your computer.

Now it was possible to create the mailbox and all old mails was loaded.

But all passwords were lost.

So I imported a backup file by "Add keychain". It seems it does not restore the passwords, but I can look them up in the imported keychain in Keychain app.

(My mac has Norwegian interface, so some of the terme may be misspelled)

I just ran into this when adding a new email account for a new domain and I found a way that worked for me without removing or resetting keychains. I just manually added the account information to my keychain.

1. Open the Keychain Access Utility.
2. Under "File" click "New Password Item"
3. Fill in the incoming server information
   1. Keychain Item Name: com.apple.account.IMAP.password
   2. Account Name: emailaddress@incomingserver
   3. Password: email account password.
4. Repeat step 3 for the Outgoing Server information changing the Keychain Item Name to: com.apple.account.SMTP.password
5. Add your account through Mac Mail "Mail" -> "Add Account" or -> "Preferences" -> Accounts -> +

Once you go through adding the account information in the various screens and click "Next" a popup will ask you if you want to allow this account to access your keychain. Enter your Administrator password and click "Always Allow"

I was having this problem trying to add a mail (not gmail) account just for Notes. In my ~/Library/Keychains folder, I found a subfolder with a long hexadecimal and hyphens name. I deleted that subfolder, logged out, and logged back in. I was then able to add the account, without having lost any passwords from my keychains.

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

Possible eMail fix…

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8393897?answerId=250408740022#250408740022

Also...

Cant create re add Mail

James Walker1

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(129 points)

Notebooks

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Mar 1, 2019 10:39 AM in response to if240

I was having this problem trying to add a mail (not gmail) account just for Notes.  In my ~/Library/Keychains folder, I found a subfolder with a long hexadecimal and hyphens name.  I deleted that subfolder, logged out, and logged back in.  I was then able to add the account, without having lost any passwords from my keychains.

This worked for me - I renamed my existing keychain folder and then logged out and back in again. I jhad to re-enter all of my saved passwords and sign into everything, but after that it worked.

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

The hint with the Keychain saved my day.

I have changed the password of my email account, but Mail does not save the new password for the SMTP server. Therefore I removed the email account and tried to add it again, but then it hangs at the window where I selected only to sync my mails and not the notices etc.

I closed Mail and opened Keychain. There I searched for all entries that may relate to the email account and I removed them. Then I started Mail again and adding the email account works fine.

Mth222's solution worked for me. I was rebuilding a 2012 iMac and could not install my email. I have simply set up a Test Admin account as recommended - and added the email to it. Now I can change the Test admin account to be the master and delete the original

Are you able to login to gmail.com in a browser?

You wrote - Either iCloud and gmail works perfectly. Problem with simple mail account.

You have either deleted the iCloud account or have not yet set it up , from the location system preferences > internet account.

The simple gmail account address is kept same as your apple mail address .

See some articles Sign in with your Apple ID - Apple Support

macOS Sierra: Set up iCloud on your Mac

In case if I cloud account and gmail account is deleted see this method to set it up .

If you delete both web mail account ( say gmail account ) and iCloud mail account from system preferences > internet accounts .

( a ) when you select web mail account and click on minus sign , it will prompt are you sure you want to delete the account ( 1 ) cancel ( 2 ) ok and you click on ok the account will be deleted .

( b ) And if you delete iCloud account ( 1 ) do you want to keep a copy of your iCloud data on this Mac before signing out ?

Cancel , keep a copy , so click on keep a copy .

Do you want to keep a copy of your safari passwords on this Mac ?

( 1) delete from Mac .

( 2 ) cancel

( 3 ) keep on this Mac .

So , click on keep on this Mac .

It will prompt to enter Apple ID password to turn off find my Mac , so enter and click on continue .

Do you want to keep a copy of your iCloud data on this Mac before signing out ?

If you don’t keep a copy , your data will be removed from this Mac but will still be available on other devices using iCloud .

( a ) the box for iCloud Drive is checked ( b ) the box for contacts is checked .

Now , open apple mail application , choose a mail account provider and select google click on continue , enter your web mail address and password and click on next , check the boxes of mail , contacts , calendars , notes and click on done .

The gmail account has been set and mails will start downloading .

Open system preferences and click on iCloud , a pop up window will appear iCloud lets you access your music , photos , contacts , calendars and more on your devices , automatically .

Sign in with your Apple ID and click on next and enter your Apple ID password .

( a ) check the box of use iCloud for your documents and data

( b ) use find my Mac

( 1 ) back ( 2 ) next so click on next .

A pop up window will appear allow find my Mac to use the location of this Mac

( 1 ) not now ( 2 ) allow so click on allow .

You have to enter your Apple ID password to set up iCloud Keychain and click on ok .

A pop up window will appear to set up iCloud Keychain on this Mac , request approval from one of your devices using iCloud Keychain .

( 1 ) use code

( 2 ) cancel

( 3 ) request approval

So , click on use code .

Enter your iCloud security code and enter the iCloud verification code sent to your trusted mobile and click on ok .

After some time , the box for keychain in iCloud will get checked , also check the box of Siri and make sure back to my Mac is always unchecked .

So , both web mail account and iCloud account are configured .

There's a very simple fix. My problem was the same as the Original Poster: clicking "Next" does nothing.

(Before following these steps, make sure you remember all the passwords for your accounts, because the saved passwords will be deleted.)

This is what worked for me:

1. Open the Keychain Access utility in your Applications folder.

2. In the "Keychain Access" dropdown list, open "Preferences..."

3. Click "Reset My Default Keychains" and follow the prompts.

4. Restart your computer.

You will be prompted to re-enter the passwords for all your e-mail accounts. If you were having trouble adding a new e-mail account, it should work fine now.

As another poster on this thread has mentioned, the problem is a conflict in the keychain, which creates an endless process loop at the "Next" button. The problem gets fixed when you reset the keychain. Using the above steps is safer than going into your keychain library and just deleting a bunch of files.

UPDATE: I spoke to Apple Support, everything they tried did not work. I was escalated to a Senior Apple Agent who advised that this seems to be an issue for Google (although I am not convinced it is) and I should update my OS.

So far I am reaching 7 hours of trying to fix this issue. Beyond frustrated at the moment.

Thank you! This has been driving me mad. This worked, though a bit of a palaver and I wasn't sure what you meant by 'conflicting status accounts' in keychain. I deleted a couple of likely suspects and bingo!

I did this and was asked to login to all my email accounts again. I now am asked to enter my email and click "Next", where I am stuck on the same pop up screen for ALL MY ACCOUNTS!!! I can't reach the password entry screen. I was denied access on one account and trying this solution I am now denied access to ALL. Extremely frustrated. I am left severely crippled in managing two businesses, that each use multiple emails. The Mail apples once a great way to streamline my communications. That seems to no longer be a reality for me.