Email suddenly stops working on Mac

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Level 1

4 points

Email suddenly stops working on Mac

We're a MAC family and I'm trying to help my elderly mom. For the last 2-3 years her email will suddenly stop working on her laptop. Email on her phone is always OK. She never messes with anything. Just checks email so it's zero chance that she went into settings and screwed around. I'm fairly adept with apple products and even I have to poke around to get it working again. Any idea on what the issue could be? I've never had issues myself, but is it possible that malware followed from her previous laptop to the new one she has? Honestly, if it was me I'd blow it up and start fresh. The whole laptop. Wipe it and start over. But my mom would have a fit since it's hers. Suggestions?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Random Email Issue

Posted on Jun 27, 2025 12:22 AM

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Answer 1

brbo

Level 8

38,137 points

Jun 27, 2025 08:45 PM in response to Cheshiregr1n

Re: Random Email Issue : I'm trying to help my elderly mom. For the last 2-3 years her email will

suddenly stop working on her laptop. Email on her phone is always OK

Wonderful that you are trying to help your mom in this way!

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Re: Any idea on what the issue could be?

We may need a bit more info., to see if we can find what's causing the situation, and then .. maybe a solution.

Eg: Is she using the Mail app for her email,

or

does she go to the provider's website (eg: Yahoo GMail etc.)to check her email, (browser issues ? Safari ?)

or

perhaps her eMails are synced to her iPhone and Mac from iCloud ?

or even

she may be using a third-party (non-Apple) app that needs updating to keep up with the tech changes.

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