Mail.app: Problems sending/receiving mail? Check for duplicate accounts; use OnyX function

If you are having issues with an inability to send or receive some messages in Mail.app, or an inability to create new messages, either a problematic duplicate account or issues with application linking can be at play.

Duplicate accounts In some cases, extra accounts are generated inexplicably, and do not appear in Mail.app's preferences.

Navigate to the following directory:

• ~/Library/Mail

and seek out any folders that start with "IMAP-" or "POP-." If you see duplicates, or near duplicates of any accounts, try deleting the smaller folder (or the one you have otherwise determined to be the duplicate), then restart Mail.app and check for persistence of the issue.

Reset 'links between documents and applications' Some users have reported success using the "Reset links between documents and applications" function, available in the maintenance utility OnyX (appropriately enough, under the "maintenance" tab).

Note that this process can cause some problems, including documents losing their appropriate icons and the ability to automatically be launched by their parent application(s).

For more coverage, see our Mail.app product page.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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