Troubleshooting — Nixt Mail docs

This page is organised by what you are trying to do. Each section lists the messages you might see, what they mean, and what to do. Many messages quote your server’s own words or a server name; those parts are shown here as ”…”.

Quick checks

Before anything else:

Check your internet connection. Open a web page in your browser.
Check the account is connected. The message list shows Connection issue if it is not.
Try again now. Choose Reconnect in the message list, or press ⌘R (Ctrl+R on Windows and Linux) to check for new mail. Nixt Mail otherwise waits a little longer between each automatic retry, up to 5 minutes.
Check your provider. If your provider’s own website or app is also having trouble, wait for it to recover.
Restart Nixt Mail. Quit and reopen it. Your accounts reconnect without asking.

Signing in

You chose Continue with Gmail or Continue with Outlook, and nothing happens, or the button stays on Waiting for browser….

Look for the sign-in page in your browser — it may have opened behind Nixt Mail or in another window.
Finish signing in there. The page should end with Signed in to Nixt Mail — You can close this tab and return to Nixt Mail.
If the page showed an error, or you closed it, choose Cancel in Nixt Mail and start again.
If your browser shows Sign-in failed — Please return to Nixt Mail and try again. — return to Nixt Mail and read the message there.

Message	What to do
Couldn’t open the browser to sign in.	Set a default web browser in your system settings, then try again.
Sign-in timed out. Start again when you are ready.	The sign-in was not finished within 5 minutes. Choose Continue with again.
Sign-in window closed before completing.	Start again and finish signing in in the browser.
Sign-in was denied: …	Start again, and approve access on the provider’s page.
Sign-in failed a security check.	Start again. If it repeats, restart Nixt Mail.
Sign-in did not return a code.	Start again.
The authorization code was already used or has expired. Try again.	Start again, and finish without delay.
… signed you in but did not give Nixt Mail access to your mail — only your name and address. …	Sign in again and leave the mail permission ticked.
Signed in, but couldn’t read the account email.	Start again.
Sign-in failed at the token exchange (…). The provider said: …	Read the provider’s explanation, then start again.

A password or app password is refused

Message	What to do
Sign-in failed. Gmail/iCloud/Yahoo need an app password, not your normal one.	For Gmail, iCloud and Yahoo, create an app password (choose Get an app password in the form) and use it instead of your normal password. For other providers, check the password — and whether your provider requires an app password too.
Sign-in failed. Check your email and app password — if the password changed, put the new one in Settings → Accounts, with Edit on this account.	The saved password no longer works — you may have changed it, or revoked the app password. Open Settings › Accounts, choose Edit on the account, and enter the current one in New password. See Change an account’s password.
Couldn’t reach the server. Check the host, port and your connection.	Check your connection. Under Server settings, check the IMAP and SMTP server names and ports against your provider’s instructions.
Enter a valid email address. / Enter your password. / Enter your IMAP and SMTP server.	Fill in the field named.

If your server offers encryption only after connecting (STARTTLS, usually on ports 143 and 587), see the note under Other IMAP and SMTP accounts.

Open Settings › Accounts. When this device will not keep a sign-in, a Secure storage line under your accounts says so:

Status	What to do
No line	Sign-ins are being saved. If you are still asked, your provider is withdrawing access — for example after a password change. Sign in again.
Not saving	This device would not store a credential. Nothing is wrong with your account. Check that your system keychain or credential manager is available and unlocked, then sign in again.
Saved but unreadable	Unlock your keychain, then restart Nixt Mail.

When you connect and the device does not keep the sign-in, Nixt Mail says so at once: Connected … — but this device would not store the sign-in, so it will be asked for again next launch.

Message	What to do
Enter the JMAP server, like mail.example.com.	Type the server’s name.
… did not answer as a JMAP server.	Check the server name with your administrator, or use Use a password over IMAP instead.
… does not say how to sign in (…). / … answered with sign-in details that do not parse. / … sent no sign-in details.	Ask your administrator to check the server’s sign-in settings.
… names its … somewhere else, so Nixt Mail will not sign in there. / The JMAP session at … names … on another server (…). Nixt Mail will not send your sign-in there.	The server points at a different host. Nixt Mail refuses to protect your sign-in. Ask your administrator.
… does not offer PKCE, which Nixt Mail requires.	Ask your administrator to enable it.
… does not offer signing in with a code. / … did not give a sign-in code. / … answered with a sign-in code that does not parse. / … did not say where to approve the code. / … sent its sign-in page somewhere else, so Nixt Mail will not open it.	Add the account on a computer instead of a phone or tablet.
The sign-in code expired before it was approved. Start again.	Start again and approve sooner.
The sign-in was declined on the server.	Start again and approve on the server’s page.
… offers no mail account to …	You signed in as someone with no mailbox on that server. Sign in as the right person.

The message list says Connection issue

The message list shows Connection issue with a sentence, and Reconnect or Sign in again.

Message	What it means	What to do
Couldn’t reach the mail server. Check your connection and server settings.	The server did not answer.	Check your connection and choose Reconnect. For a password account, check the servers in Settings › Accounts › Edit.
Disconnected.	The account is not connected, and no reason is known.	Choose Reconnect.
Something went wrong loading this mailbox.	An unexpected error.	Choose Reconnect, or restart Nixt Mail.
Nixt Mail has no saved sign-in for this account. Sign in again to reconnect.	No token is saved for this Gmail or Outlook account.	Choose Sign in again.
Nixt Mail has no saved password for this account. Add it again to reconnect.	No password is saved.	Choose Sign in again. See Sign in again.
This device would not let Nixt Mail read its keychain, so it cannot open your saved sign-in. Unlock your keychain and try again — your account and its credential are still there.	The keychain is locked.	Unlock the keychain, then choose Reconnect. Do not sign in again — the saved sign-in is fine.
… refused the sign-in Nixt Mail has saved. It has expired or been withdrawn — sign in again to restore access.	Google or Microsoft no longer accepts the saved sign-in.	Choose Sign in again.
… would not renew Nixt Mail’s access to this account. Sign in again.	The token could not be renewed.	Choose Sign in again.
Nixt Mail’s saved permission for this account is no longer valid — it was withdrawn, it expired after long disuse, or the account password changed. Sign in again.	Access was withdrawn.	Choose Sign in again.
The saved sign-in has no refresh token, so access cannot be renewed without asking you. Sign in again.	The saved sign-in cannot be renewed.	Choose Sign in again.
The provider accepted the request to renew access but returned no token. Sign in again.	Renewal returned nothing usable.	Choose Sign in again.
… refused the sign-in Nixt Mail saved. It has expired or been withdrawn. Sign in again to restore access.	A JMAP server refused the saved sign-in.	Choose Sign in again, then Sign in with JMAP instead.
The saved sign-in cannot be renewed. Sign in again.	A JMAP sign-in cannot be renewed.	Sign in again over JMAP.
… did not answer as Nixt Mail expected. …	A JMAP server gave an unexpected answer.	Choose Reconnect. If it repeats, ask your administrator.
Sign-in failed. Check your email and app password — if the password changed, put the new one in Settings → Accounts, with Edit on this account.	A password was refused.	Enter the current one in Settings › Accounts. See Change an account’s password.
… presented a certificate this computer does not trust, so Nixt Mail did not connect. …	See A server’s certificate changed.
… presented a different certificate from the one you trusted, so Nixt Mail did not connect. …	See A server’s certificate changed.
The server’s certificate isn’t trusted by this computer. Open the account and connect again to see the certificate and decide whether to trust it.	A secure connection failed on a certificate Nixt Mail could not show you.	Choose Reconnect. If it repeats, ask your administrator.

If the list shows your mail with Offline. Showing … above it, Nixt Mail is showing mail kept on this device. See Offline mail.

A server’s certificate changed

Nixt Mail remembers the exact certificate you trusted for a server. If the server later presents a different one, Nixt Mail will not connect.

Ask your administrator whether the certificate was replaced, and for the new certificate’s SHA-256 fingerprint. If it was not replaced, do not continue — someone may be intercepting the connection.
If it was replaced, add the account again so you can check and trust the new certificate:
1. Choose File › Add Account… and enter the same address and server details.
2. When The certificate has changed or Certificate not trusted appears, compare SHA-256 fingerprint with the one your administrator gave you.
3. If they match, choose Trust and connect.
Remove the old copy of the account from the account list (see Remove an account).

For a JMAP account, adding it again with the same address replaces the old one, so there is nothing to remove.

New mail is not arriving

Check for new mail now. Press ⌘R (Ctrl+R), or choose Refresh in the message list header. File › Check for New Mail is greyed out when no account is connected.
Check how Nixt Mail watches for mail. In Settings › Sync and offline › Checking for new mail:
- Push, as it arrives keeps a connection open so mail appears as it arrives.
- Check on a schedule checks every 1, 5, 15 or 30 minutes, so mail can be up to one interval late.
Turn on Check when Nixt Mail comes to the front in the same section, so coming back to the window checks straight away. A computer that has been asleep may have dropped its push connection.
Check which account is open. Nixt Mail listens for new mail on the account that is open in the sidebar. Other accounts’ inboxes are refreshed in the background and when you switch to them.
Check your rules. A rule may have archived, trashed or moved the message as it arrived. Look in the folder the rule files to, or turn the rule off in Settings › Rules.
Check snoozes. If the header shows N asleep, a message may be snoozed.
Check the folder ceiling. Very old mail beyond Most messages in a list is reached by search.

Notifications do not appear

The Nixt Mail window is in front. System notifications are not shown while you are looking at Nixt Mail; the banner above the list says it instead.
When mail arrives is set to Banner only or Nothing. Set it to Banner and system notification in Settings › Notifications.
Permission. The first notification asks your system for permission. If you declined, allow notifications for Nixt Mail in your system settings.
Quiet hours are on. Check Settings › Notifications › Quiet hours.
Notify me about is set to People I have replied to, and the sender is someone you have not replied to.
The message was already read elsewhere, or you sent it to yourself; neither is announced.
A rule marked the message read or moved it; such messages are not announced.
Only one notification for several messages. Mail that arrives together is announced once, such as “3 new messages”.
Subjects hidden. While Nixt Mail is locked, notifications say only that mail arrived. Otherwise check Settings › Notifications › Notification previews.

Sending fails

Message	What it means	What to do
”…” is not an email address.	An address in To, Cc or Bcc cannot be read.	Correct or remove it.
Add someone to send this to.	To is empty.	Add a recipient.
The server stopped responding, so this was not sent. It is still here — try again in a moment.	The server did not answer in time.	Send again shortly.
Could not reach the mail server, so this was not sent. …	No connection to the sending server.	Check your connection. For a password account, check SMTP server and Port in Settings › Accounts.
Not connected — reconnect and try again.	The account is not connected.	Reconnect, then send.
The server is busy and did not take this message. It is still here — try again shortly.	A temporary refusal, such as greylisting.	Wait a few minutes and send again. Do not change the addresses.
The message is larger than the server accepts, so it was not sent.	Too large.	Remove or shrink attachments.
The server would not accept the sign-in for this account, so nothing was sent. Check the password or app password for it.	The sending server refused your sign-in.	Check the password; for Gmail, iCloud and Yahoo use an app password. Sign in again if needed.
The server would not accept one of the addresses, so nothing was sent. It said: …	A recipient was refused.	Check each address. The server’s words say which.
The server refused this message, so nothing was sent. It said: …	The message was rejected, often as suspected spam.	Read the server’s words.
The server did not accept this message, so nothing was sent. It said: …	Another refusal.	Read the server’s words.
Couldn’t send: …	An unexpected failure.	Try again; check the account’s connection.
Couldn’t send your reply: …	A reply from the reply box failed after the undo wait.	Check the account’s connection, then send the reply again.
… could not be read. Remove it and try again.	An attachment could not be read when sending.	Remove it and attach it again.
Too late — that one has already gone.	You pressed Undo after the message was sent.	Send a follow-up if needed.

If a message is waiting in the undo bar when you quit, it is sent.

Drafts

Message	What to do
The server stopped responding, so this wasn’t saved to Drafts.	Your message is still held in Nixt Mail. Open the compose window and close it again later.
The message couldn’t be saved to Drafts. The account may have no Drafts folder. …	Check with your provider that the account has a Drafts folder. The message is still held in Nixt Mail.
Couldn’t save to Drafts — the draft is still here.	Try again later.

See Drafts.

Archiving, moving and flagging

Message	What it means	What to do
Couldn’t archive this message. … / Couldn’t trash this message. …	The server refused, or the connection dropped.	Check your connection and try again.
Couldn’t move it. …	The move failed.	Check the folder still exists.
Couldn’t change the flag. …	Flagging failed.	Try again.
Couldn’t mark it unread. … / Couldn’t mark it read. …	Changing read state failed.	Try again.
Couldn’t undo that — the server refused.	The undo failed.	Find the message in the folder it went to and move it back.
This account has no archive folder, so the message was marked read and left in the inbox.	Your server has no archive folder.	Create one with your provider, or move mail to a folder instead.
Can’t … while offline. This message is the copy kept on this device; reconnect to change it on the server.	You are offline.	Reconnect first.
Archived 10 of 12 — 2 could not be moved	Part of a bulk action failed.	Try the remaining messages again.

Mark as Junk is missing from the menus when your account has no Junk folder. Move to is greyed out when the account is offline or has no other folders.

Search finds nothing

You are offline. Search needs your mail server.
You are in the wrong folder. Search looks in the open folder only (or every inbox, in All inboxes). Open the folder first.
A filter is too narrow. Remove filters one by one. Check for a stray character: the list quotes exactly what you searched for.
Your server refuses to search message text. Nixt Mail still returns sender and subject matches. Set Settings › Message list › Search message text to Subjects and senders only for faster results.
You used the command palette. It searches commands, not mail. Use the search box above the list.

Rules do not run

The rule shows off or unfinished — it will not run in Settings › Rules. Edit it.
Checking for new mail is set to a schedule. Rules run on arrival only with Push, as it arrives.
The mail arrived in an account that was not open. Open that account, let the folder load, and choose Run on what is downloaded.
A rule above it has Stop here on, or moved the message. Reorder your rules.
The folder name in Move to a folder does not exactly match a folder. Check capitals and spelling.
A From condition uses is exactly or ends with; senders include a name. Use contains.
A Body condition, when running on existing mail, only matches messages you have opened.

Message after Run on what is downloaded	What to do
Nothing to run them on — this folder has not been downloaded yet.	Open the folder and let it load.
Checked … messages. None of them matched a rule.	Check your conditions.
Applied the rules to … of … . … could not be changed on the server.	Check that folders named in rules exist, and your connection.

Out of office cannot be set

See the message table on Out of office. Most often, the account is a Gmail or Outlook account (set it in their own settings), or the server does not offer ManageSieve.

Images, links and mailing lists

Pictures are missing. Remote pictures are held back. Choose Load images, Always from this sender, or turn on Settings › Privacy and security › Load images from the web.
A link does nothing. Only web (http, https) and email links open. With Show where a link goes first on, choose Open in the dialog.

Message	What to do
They did not accept the request. The link in the message may still work.	Use the unsubscribe link in the message itself.
Couldn’t reach them. Nothing was sent.	Try again later.
Couldn’t send the receipt — not connected. / Couldn’t send the receipt: …	Reconnect, then choose Send receipt again.

For problems downloading or opening attachments, see Attachments and documents.

Attaching files

Message	What to do
… is too large to attach (…).	Files over 100 MB cannot be attached. Share the file another way.
… is not a local file, so it cannot be attached.	Download the file to your computer first, then attach it.
Couldn’t open the file picker on this system.	Restart Nixt Mail and try again.

Settings files

Message	What to do
That is not a Nixt Mail settings file.	Pick a file made by Export settings.
That file is not something Nixt Mail can read.	The file is damaged. Export it again.
That settings file is damaged: it does not say which version it is.	Export it again from the other computer.
That file comes from a newer Nixt Mail. Update this one to read it.	Update Nixt Mail, then import.
That file makes the same choices as these settings already do.	Nothing to do.
Couldn’t save the settings file: …	Check that your Downloads folder exists and has space.
Couldn’t open that file: …	Move the file somewhere Nixt Mail can read, such as your Downloads folder, and try again.

Removing an account

No trash icon beside your account. The trash icon appears when you have two or more accounts. To remove your only account, use Erase everything on this device.

The app lock

Message	What to do
This device has no passcode or biometrics set up, so the lock would leave you with no way back in.	Set up a passcode, Touch ID or Windows Hello in your system settings, then turn on App lock.
That didn’t unlock. Try again when you’re ready.	Choose Unlock and authenticate again.

Out of places to look

Restore a section’s defaults with Restore defaults, or every setting with Reset all settings. Your accounts, rules, signatures and mail are kept.
Start over completely with Erase everything on this device, then add your accounts again. Your mail stays on your provider’s servers. See Privacy and security.