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Aneres11

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 2, 2011
4,372
9,599
Hello all,

I've tried Googling this and haven't got anywhere at all and wondering if someone can help.

I have used iPhones, iPad's and Mac's previously but not for 6 months or so (moved to Android from iPhone) and have always used the default mail apps on those devices with just one email address.

Last weekend I bought a new MacBook for studies I have recently started and need to be able to send my completed work to different people / addresses.

Since I got my MacBook, the mail app seemingly isn't working.
It recognises my email address straight away, but won't send anything due to 'my account not having a preferred outgoing mail server'.
It is a hotmail account but when I look in the mail options I can't see my account? It's all under the iCloud section but I don't really know what I'm doing with it?

Previously, I'd just add my outlook account and it would work, now it's going on about iCloud and I have no idea what to do to get it to work!

Any ideas? Apologies if very simple and I'm just being stupid... it could be the case! Ha.

Thanks in advance.
 
Go to System Preferences > Internet Accounts. Do you see it there? If not, try adding it again.

Hey, thanks.
No it's not in there. iCloud is, but when I tick for mail to be added to that, it tells me to add my iCloud.com email address.
Well I don't have an iCloud address?
Also, there is no option to add hotmail, just 'Exchange'. And when I try to do that it says it's unable to verify my details.

Also, when i try too add it using the general @mail account, it says the account already exists?!
WHERE?!

This is very confusing!
 
This is very confusing!

Don't worry about that, I've been using Macs since 2002 and computers since 1968 and I have continual problems with the Mail app. Anyway, under "Internet Accounts" you'll need to select "Add Other Account..." at the end of the list of providers in order to add a hotmail account. Clicking on that drops down a list of generic accounts, select "Mail account" from the list. Then just step through the process. If it takes more than one try, don't get frustrated. Just keep asking questions here and slog away. OS X no longer "Just Works" but with help you can usually sort things through.
 
Thanks for your help.
Haven't got anywhere.

I've already tried using the 'add other account' but it just tells me that the email address is already added.

But I am not receiving email, nor can I send any from the Mail app.

Getting really annoyed with this.
I'm using Pages for the first time to do my first assignment, and it's the most frustrating thing I've ever encountered. Along with Mail.
Don't understand why it is so bloody difficult.
 
Not knowing exactly where things are at on your system, it sounds like one of your earlier failed attempts to set up your account is still hanging around. If there are any accounts listed in System Preferences > Internet Accounts that you aren't using, get rid of them and try again. You might even go all paranoid and reboot after getting rid of them before trying to add your account again. If that doesn't work, I hesitate to suggest that you delete all Internet accounts and start over, but that may be your only choice. I've had to do this sort of down-to-the-metal recovery before with Mail (and with printers, and don't get me started), and some times it's the only way forward. Good luck.
 
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