Fixing Mac Mail issues and alternatives

Hoseman

Hi, Im having a few issues with Mac Mail (not my machine) and its weird as it keeps freezing when I try to enter some mail settings. After trying a few times (force quitting and even restarting machine) Ive given up. I have a couple of questions:

- Any ideas on how to resolve this mac mail issue? Can I reinstall Mac Mail?

-What desktop alternatives are there to Mac Mail?

wba31

I use Thunderbird on my mac for an email account i use, it's pretty good and free to download

Undervalued

Hoseman wrote: »

Hi, Im having a few issues with Mac Mail (not my machine) and its weird as it keeps freezing when I try to enter some mail settings. After trying a few times (force quitting and even restarting machine) Ive given up. I have a couple of questions:

- Any ideas on how to resolve this mac mail issue? Can I reinstall Mac Mail?

-What desktop alternatives are there to Mac Mail?

I am currently using Thunderbird on my Mac due to some different Mac Mail issues. It works fine and is very comprehensive but does have a rather dated feel to it. It is at least free!

I know a lot of people feel that MacMail is not Apple's finest product. What version of OSx are you using?

Hoseman

I know Thunderbird and agree it looks dated but I guess the key thing is it works!!

Im not sure what version of OSx it is as I don't have access to it right now but its around 2 years old . I have a Mac so may try it on mine first.

TadleyBaggie

I use Thunderbird on a MacBook Pro and it works well, I migrated from Thunderbird on Windows and it was a simple job to move the message files from one platform to the other. I'll keep using it safe in the knowledge that if I ever went back to Windows (very very unlikely) moving my messages/folders is easy.

Mr_Toad

I had a similar issue some years ago and spent several hours on the phone with a very helpful Apple support guy.

I ended up deleting a couple of files, they are recreated when you next open Mail, and this sorted the issue.

I can't remember all of them but one was com.apple.mail.plist I can't remember the location.

There are plenty of resources out there to help fix problems. This is a link to one example, it may not help you but there are other similar ones.

http://www.needhelp4mac.com/2015/10/troubleshooting-apple-mail-in-os-x-10-11-el-capitan/

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2991340/apple-mac/a-quick-guide-to-fixing-el-capitan-mail-problems.html

Check his system is up to date, if not install the latest updates.

Does he have backups?

If so then restore to a point before the problem occurred, he shouldn't lose and files but if he does they can be restored from the latest backups.

if not then you/he needs to get that sorted out before you do any serious mucking about under the bonnet. Almost any USB portable drive or NAS will work with Time Machine.

I've tried all manner of Mail programs on my Mac and by far the best is MS Outlook, if you have it, and even that isn't perfect.

However, there's a trade off with whatever client you use and that is the level of integration with the rest of the operating system. Outlook is OK but far from perfect.

Even the paid for ones are not perfect and i've tried several. In the end I went back to Apple Mail as the system integration is more important to me than any other shortcomings.

Let us know how you get on.