If we’re being honest, the release of macOS Catalina has not been quite as graceful as Apple may have hoped. This iteration was expected to be the largest in some time considering the introduction of Catalyst applications.
Sep 30, 2018 It’s a native macOS app for Gmail (supports G-Suite as well). If you want the best email app for macOS, and you want more features than Apple Mail, I would have to recommend Spark for Mac.
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And then I met the guys and gals behind the soon to be launched desktop app – Gmail for Mac. I’ve been using the beta version of the app for a few weeks now and it’s awesome. Finally, a Gmail Mac app that’s fast, reliable and a mirror image of Gmail on the web (plus a few new and amazing built-in features.).
Oct 13, 2017 Mail is not set to automatically start when I log in but yet it launches at start up each time. I've tried to resolve it on my own but can't seem to find any logic as to why it automatically launches at start up. It launches on my MacBook but not my iMac.
You can create a Gmail account either directly in Mail or from System Preferences. The System Preferences option is a handy way to keep all your social media and your email accounts together so you can easily make changes that are automatically reflected in any OS X app that makes use of them.
Jun 29, 2020 Gmail is an easy to use email app that saves you time and keeps your messages safe. Get your messages instantly via push notifications, read and respond online & offline, and find any message quickly. With the Gmail app you get:. An organized inbox - Social and promotional messages are sorted into categories so you can read messages from friends and family first.
2 How to fix Mail opening in Split Screen
3 Conclusion
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Unfortunately, Catalina has been marred with bugs ever since the developer beta began. This has extended to many applications, including Apple’s own Mail app.
One frustrating issue has been when the Mail app opens in split screen all by itself.
Mail opening in Split Screen on macOS Catalina
This bug may not be exactly new to Catalina, but the Apple Mail app has been wreaking havoc on users for quite some time. Whenever a new version of macOS is released, there are expectations that “major” bugs would be fixed. In the case of Mail opening in Split Screen, that is simply not the case.
Mac App That Launches Gmail Download
Notably, the problem seems to occur if you are working in a fullscreen of another application. An example of this may be browsing Reddit or watching YouTube in Safari in full-screen mode. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the Mail app decides to just open itself in a split-screen view.
This seemingly occurs due to some bugs found when you have Gmail connected to Mail. Every once in a while, the authentication between Google and Apple Mail will seemingly fail. This causes Mail to open up on its own, causing you to re-authenticate the login.
How to fix Mail opening in Split Screen
Since the bug is related to Gmail, you’ll want to go through and remove the account from Mail before doing anything else. Here is how you remove an account:
Open the Mail app on your Mac
Click Mail in the menu bar
Select Accounts from the drop-down
Highlight the Google account you want removed
Tap the “-” button on the side
Click Ok to confirm
Create an App Password for Gmail
This will remove the Google account from Mail, but you aren’t done just yet. The next step you want to take is to enable two-factor authentication (2FA), and create an “App Password” to use with Mail on macOS Catalina.
Open your browser and navigate to your Google Account Security Settings
Scroll down and select 2-Step Verification
Login and confirm your Google account email and password
Toggle 2-Step Verification On
From here, you are given the option to either use a Google prompt, or through a text message with verification codes. When you use a Google prompt, you must have the Google app installed on your phone, and a notification will arrive confirming that you are logged in.
When completed, go back to the main Security Settings page and select App Passwords. In the box, hit the first drop down and select Mail, and in the second box select Mac. Then tap Generate. This will create a password only to be used with your Gmail account along with the Mail app on your Mac.
Get Gmail back in the Mail app on macOS Catalina
Now that the App Password has been generated, you need to open the Apple Mail app on your Mac. Then follow these steps:
Click Mail in the menu bar
Select Accounts from the drop-down
Click the “+” button at the bottom
Select Other Accounts from the list of options
Select Mail account
Enter your Gmail email account and the App Password that you created earlier
Tap Sign In
After you have signed in, the Mail app will ask whether you want to sync Mail and Notes with this account. Leave Mail checked, and you can either choose to sync Notes or not, then press Done.
Gmail For Mac App
Now that the account has been added, it will take some time for the Mail app to sync the data between your Gmail account and the app itself. However, once completed, you should not run into anymore instances of macOS Catalina’s Mail app opening itself.
Conclusion
There are far more bugs and quirks when it comes to macOS Catalina than Apple would like to admit. We are sure that these issues will be rectified with future incremental updates. As is the case with many software releases, you can either choose to upgrade and file bug reports, or just hang back until many bugs have been squashed.
If you continue running into issues with macOS Catalina, sound off in the comments below and we’ll be more than happy to assist. As for the Apple Mail app, let us know what you think about the upgrades provided or if you have been using another client such as Spark or AirMail.
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.