# Mac/ Gmail sync nightmare
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 10, 2022, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495 "2022-01-10T01:52:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/1 "2022-01-10T01:52:34Z")
On Mac OSX-11.6 Big Sur.
Never had this problem before, quite stymied.
I use Gmail. Never had a problem synching the Gmail into my Mac. Never.
Haven’t done an update to the OS, though one is being offered to me today.
All of a sudden, I have 385 emails on the Mac and 1, 600 online in my Gmail account. I’ve carefully looked through all options on my Mac Mail. Can NOT find a place where I limit the number of days that email can be brought into the machine.
Again, the number from Mac Mail with my Gmail account and online log-in to Gmail has always matched to the number.
I uninstalled this account completely off the Mac a few moments ago. Installed it clean. It only loaded up 385 emails.
It is set up as an IMAP account. If that’s not considered standard, well- every device uses that setting and never a problem, including this machine.
What am I missing here? Is there a place within Mac Mail that I am not finding that allows me to import ALL email? Under Mail-\> Mailbox I have used every possible offered choice to Sync up.
Thoughts?
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/2 "2022-01-10T02:06:47Z")
One additional fact: There is a second Gmail account in Mac Mail on this machine. A shared name with my wife.
Totals on the Mac and online are equal. Nothing missing.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/3 "2022-01-10T02:45:30Z")
Delete the account from your Mac, and then add it again.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/4 "2022-01-10T03:09:41Z")
I mentioned in the O.P. that I did this to no avail.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/5 "2022-01-10T03:16:52Z")
How did you do it?
Through System Preferences-\>Internet Accounts?
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### Author:  [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/6 "2022-01-10T03:51:25Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#):
>
> I have 385 emails on the Mac and 1, 600 online in my Gmail account.
Are you sure it’s the Mac? Do you know which of these is correct, if either?
FYI I have had that setup, Gmail via iMAP on Mac Mail, for years and never had that problem.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/7 "2022-01-10T04:53:46Z")
Logic says the problem is with the Mac.
I have two other devices in addition to being able to look at that account on the internet. Both other devices reflect the proper number of emails.
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### Author:  [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/8 "2022-01-10T05:00:04Z")
Then I suspect the issue is more likely in the Mail app, specifically its database, than anywhere else. Can you test on another Mac?
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/9 "2022-01-10T13:24:00Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#):
>
> On Mac OSX-11.6 Big Sur.
> Never had this problem before, quite stymied.
>
> I use Gmail. Never had a problem synching the Gmail into my Mac. Never.
>
> Haven’t done an update to the OS, though one is being offered to me today.
>
> All of a sudden, I have 385 emails on the Mac and 1, 600 online in my Gmail account. I’ve carefully looked through all options on my Mac Mail. Can NOT find a place where I limit the number of days that email can be brought into the machine.
>
> Again, the number from Mac Mail with my Gmail account and online log-in to Gmail has always matched to the number.
>
> I uninstalled this account completely off the Mac a few moments ago. Installed it clean. It only loaded up 385 emails.
>
> It is set up as an IMAP account. If that’s not considered standard, well- every device uses that setting and never a problem, including this machine.
>
> What am I missing here? Is there a place within Mac Mail that I am not finding that allows me to import ALL email? Under Mail-\> Mailbox I have used every possible offered choice to Sync up.
>
> Thoughts?
Not easily but I see your point. Pity I was forced to return my former company’s MacBook Pro Air, I would have used that. Will effort to get ahold of another Mac.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [January 10, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/10 "2022-01-10T13:58:15Z")
Just create a new account on your machine.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/11 "2022-01-11T01:36:05Z")
> [@beowulff](#):
>
> How did you do it?
> Through System Preferences-\>Internet Accounts?
Yes. Didn’t work. Will try again.
Meanwhile, I’ve updated to Monterey. THAT wasn’t the problem…
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/12 "2022-01-11T02:00:55Z")
No dice. Same amount of emails coming in, no more.
I cannot find a filter or choice menu either on the Mac OR on the web-based Gmail that allows me to pick a set time of emails, i.e. last 30 days, last 60 days, etc. Does this exist?
It currently goes back to 11/16/21, which is surely not a round number.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/13 "2022-01-11T02:50:05Z")
Can you find an email the the web interface that is NOT in Mail, and see if there is anything special about it?
Maybe mark it as “unread” on the web, and see if it shows up in Mail.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/14 "2022-01-11T03:03:18Z")
Almost all of the 1,600 emails in the web interface are not in Mail.
Because it matters not to me, I did highlight all of the web interface Gmail mail. ALL of it- and marked it all Unread. ( I’d tried this 2 days ago, but hey. Try again. )
Made zero difference. Unread emails are not the issue, if they were I would be watching all of the rest of them spool into the Mac.
I also Uninstalled and created new the email name on the Mac. No difference.
I’m not one to go diving into the inner workings of Mac-OSX but I am wondering if removing the email name from Mac Mail is a full and complete removal. I say this because when I remove said email name, and then click the " + ", and chose Google as the mail option, it loads up the name of the problematic email address.
Are there other places I need to be looking to TRULY remove all traces of this? See- when I pick Google, it populates with the problematic name. Asks for the password. Does not ask me if it’s IMAP ( it is ), etc. No options, no sync choices, nothing.
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### Author:  [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/15 "2022-01-11T03:06:05Z")
Does this help?
[https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252114032](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252114032)
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/16 "2022-01-11T03:12:34Z")
You can blow away your mail accounts in ~/Library/Mail.
But, before you do that, I would create a temporary user, log in as that user, add the gmail account, and see what happens.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/17 "2022-01-11T03:16:47Z")
> [@Askance](#):
>
> Does this help?
> [Mac Mail not syncing to Gmail server - Apple Community](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252114032)
Sadly it did not.
What is VERY strange is that as I followed the advice, I was guided to Mail\>Accounts\> Server Settings.
For this account, there is NOTHING visible except the Outgoing Mail Account name. No Ports, no info, no passwords, nothing.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/18 "2022-01-11T03:25:35Z")
> [@beowulff](#):
>
> You can blow away your mail accounts in ~/Library/Mail.
>
> But, before you do that, I would create a temporary user, log in as that user, add the gmail account, and see what happens.
Just tried the temporary user/ new email in that user name. Identical problem.
Going into the Library is something I don’t do much but I’m game. Do I have to wipe ALL emails or can I select that account?
I’m feeling as though there is a LOT of hidden file stuff remaining every time I “remove” that email address. As noted above, when I chose Google Mail from the options for a new email account, it autofills the name I need to rebuild…
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/19 "2022-01-11T03:32:55Z")
OK, then I think that there is something extra-odd going on.
Creating a new user should give you a pretty blank slate. Deleting the email account from Internet Accounts should wipe all the gmail settings.
Since neither of these things worked, what’s left is some mis-configuration on the gmail side, or possibly some OS X bug.
But, since lots of people are using Mail to get gmail, and aren’t having this problem (I’m one of them), I’m leaning towards something on the gmail side.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2022, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-gmail-sync-nightmare/957495/20 "2022-01-11T03:36:01Z")
Agreed- the new user should have spooled all of that email into the “fresh” account.
I just upgraded to Monterey this afternoon- hoping it would resolve this problem. This issue arose a few days ago, so Monterey==GMail isn’t an issue.
I’ve poked around a lot in Gmail on the web, cannot find in-depth settings that would address this. Will keep looking.
The fact that this happened out of nowhere points to a bug, since I’ve not touched my settings in a very long time. Nor did I need to engage in a new way with my Gmail recently due to a new device/ new install of a Gmail account.
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