How to Fix Apple Mail Not Working on Mac ?

Apple Mail is one of the most common email clients used by millions of users. Sometimes, there are times when users have mentioned having trouble with the Mail app not working properly on Mac. Whether you can’t send or receive emails, the app is crashing, or the emails are not coming through. In this guide, we will give the solutions from common to technical troubleshooting to fix the Apple Mail not working on Mac issue.

What are the Quick Fixes for Apple Mail Not Working on Mac

Before we go into the more technical solutions, we must first try the easy and often overlooked reasons why any email client does not work properly. You might be surprised when a simple restart usually solves any complex issues. Just like that, perform the methods below and check if the issue is resolved.

Check Internet Connection

It is an obvious one, still the first thing we rule out. Apple Mail requires an active internet connection to work properly, which is necessary for tasks such as sending and receiving emails.

• Turn off Wi-Fi and then turn it back on.
• Try launching another app which requires an internet connection.
• Otherwise, try browsing and check if you are able to go through.
• Try connecting to another network and see if the issue persists.

Restart the Mail App

1. Do a quick Mail restart, and check if the issue is resolved.
2. Click on the Mail menu in the top-left corner and select Quit Mail or use the keyboard shortcut Command + Q.
3. Wait for a few seconds and open the app again.

This gives it a clean start and can resolve many connection or sync issues.

Restart Your Device

If restarting the app doesn’t work, a full device restart is the next logical step. This clears the Mac’s RAM, stops all the running processes abruptly, and reloads the macOS, which mostly resolves all the underlying causes that are affecting the Mail app, such as issues like Apple Mail Not Working on Mac.

Fix Mac Mail Not Working – More Advanced Troubleshooting Steps

If the above-mentioned quick fix didn’t work, we must expand our troubleshooting procedure. Follow the steps mentioned below for account settings, storage issues, etc.

Verify Account Password and Settings

A common reason why Apple Mail is not working on Mac is the incorrect password. If you’ve recently updated the email account password on a different device or web browser.

Sign in to the email provider using a web browser. If you can’t log in, it’s an issue.

• On the device, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts.
• Select the account that is having trouble, and tap ‘Account’ again.
• Enter the new password and check if the Mail works properly.

Check Apple’s System Status to Fix Apple Mail Not Working on Mac

There are times when the whole issue is not from the user’s end. If Apple’s server or any email provider’s server is experiencing any outage currently.

• Visit Apple System Status and check if there is any issue with iCloud Mail.

Note: If you are connected to Apple Mail with other email providers, then check the specific email provider. That is the Google Workspace Status Dashboard for Gmail, MS 365 Service health for Outlook.

Free the Storage Space

If the storage space has reached the limit, the new emails will not come through. First, we need to check the storage space and use a reliable method to free up the space to fix Mac Mail Not Working properly.

• Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud.
• Now, check each of the options and delete unnecessary files.
• If required, you can also purchase additional iCloud storage space.

Also read related blogs | Resolve iCloud Storage Full Not Receiving Emails

Technical Solutions to Fix Apple Mail Not Working on Mac

After trying everything listed above, if the Mac Mail is still not working, then we can move to the next steps of advanced troubleshooting fixes.

Remove and Re-add Email Account

If none of the methods worked for you, then try removing and re-adding the problematic email account.

1. Go to Apple Menu.
2. Select System Settings and Internet Account.
3. Select the Account you want to remove and click the minus (-) button.
4. Restart the app and click on the plus (+) to add the account back.

Note: Back up Apple Mail to an External hard drive or ensure you have saved the emails elsewhere. As if the account is set up as POP, deleting the account will delete all the emails stored in the devices. However, most of the modern emails are on IMAP.

Rebuild Mailboxes to Apple Mail Not Working on Mac

Rebuilding a mailbox can fix almost all the issues with the Mail on Mac. This is one of the most common working methods that would fix issues instantly.

1. Open the Mail app.
2. Select the Mailbox to fix.
3. From the menu bar, click Mailbox > Rebuild.
   

Reindex Envelope Files

After performing the procedure to rebuild a mailbox, if it doesn’t solve the problem or the issues are across the mailbox, then try reindexing the Envelope files. It will force the Mail to rebuild the entire database from scratch could resolve any issues, including “Apple Mail Not Working on Mac”.

Follow the steps:

1. Quickly, the Mail app (press Command + Q)
2. Open Finder.
3. From the menu, click Go > Go to Folder.
4. Enter ~/Library/Mail/V*/MailData (*the macOS version)
5. Locate the files starting with Envelope Index
   • Envelope Index
   • Envelope Index-shm
   • Envelope Index-wal
6. Copy the files to the desktop
7. Delete the original file from the folder.
8. Now, restart the Mail app.

Start the Mail app again. It will detect the missing index file and automatically re-index.

Check for any Software Updates

If your Mac is updated, most of the issues can be resolved by this. It is a must and worth trying methods to overcome any issues, such as Apple Mail not working on a Mac.

1. Go to the Apple Menu
2. And select System Settings and select General.
3. Click on the Software update to find any update message.
4. If any updates are available, click on Upgrade Now.

Apple Mail Still Not Working? What Else

If you have followed the steps in the guide – from common troubleshooting to rebuilding mailboxes and even re-added the account – and Apple Mail still is not working on Mac, then the issues may not be a simple software glitch. Usually, the systematic troubleshoots resolves the issue that withstands the email client without the need for any technical support. However, if the “Apple Mail Not Working on Mac” issue persists, then it is best to contact Apple support