6 Ways to Fix Mail App Opens Randomly on macOS 10.15

Audrey Goodwin

2024-04-12 10:55:47 • Filed to: macOS 10.15 • Proven solutions

A recurring problem that has plagued nearly every Mac OS update, and has now been reported in Catalina, is that macos 10.15 mail app opens randomly. The Mail app may pop up incessantly in a split-screen, or it might just crawl up in the dock. But whenever the mail app keeps popping up in the background in macos 10.15, it creates annoying distractions. This problem has been traced to corrupt mail files, notification settings, calendar alerts, and even bugs, with solutions suggested based on each root cause.

How to Fix macOS 10.15 Mail App Opens Randomly.

There’s currently no silver bullet that works for everyone. However, some solutions have worked for some users based on the root cause of the problem.

If you’re wondering, “how do I stop mail from popping up on Mac OS 10.15,” the first thing to do is to check if the Mail app is the root cause of the problem. The first two methods we recommend address the problem if the Mail app is the root cause. But if the problem lies elsewhere, then you might need to try other methods.

How do I stop apple mail from opening on macOS 10.15? The following is a rundown of different solutions you can try.

Method 1: Change Mail Preferences Settings

This method ensures your Mail has not been set to show notifications on split screens.

1. Go to “Mail > Preference” or open Mail and then press the shortcut key (Command +).

2. Uncheck the option “Prefer opening messages in split view when in full screen.”

mail app keeps popping up in the background in macos 10.15

Method 2: Removing Corrupt Mail Files

If Mac OS 10.15 mail app opens randomly, it might be because of a corrupt Mail settings file. You may have to delete all your Mail settings files to get rid of the corrupt ones.

1. Exit the Mail app, and then launch Finder and enter the path: “~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail”.

2. Dump the com.apple.mail folder in the trash

3. Now, re-open Mail, and then set up your settings again.

If this creates another problem, you can always reverse this step to revert the settings or reset it to the original state.

And if the original problem persists, try repeating the process, but this time around removing the com.apple.MailServiceAgent folder in step 2.

Method 3: Changing Notification Settings

How do I stop mail from popping up on macOS 10.15? You can also try removing the Mail app from your notification center.

1. Open system preferences, and then select Notifications

2. In the “In Notification Center,” remove the Apple Mail icon by unchecking the “Show in Notification Center” box next to it.

Method 4: Change Mail Notification Settings on Google Calendar

Google Calendar might be the culprit behind this problem. To stop Google calendar from pushing mail notifications,

1. Open https://calendar.google.com and login to your account.

2. Tap on the gear icon on the upper right corner, and then click on “Settings” from the drop-down menu.

3. On the next window, open the “General” tab, and then navigate to the “Event settings.”

4. Next, click on “Notifications,” In the drop-down menu, turn off the “Desktop Notifications” switch.

Method 5: Turn off Power Nap Notification

Another culprit behind incessant Mail notifications might be the Power Nap feature. Power Nap enables your Mac to perform certain functions during sleep mode, including alerts for new messages, invitations, and calendar updates.

To turn off Mail notifications coming from the Power Nap feature,

1. Open System Preferences, and then select “Energy Saver.”

2. Turn off Power Nap by unchecking the “Enable Power Nap” option.

mail app keeps popping up in the background in macos 10.15

For Notebook Macs, click the Battery tab after step 1, then uncheck the “Enable Power nap while on battery power” and the “Enable Power Nap while plugged into a power adapter" boxes.

Method 6: Close or Minimize the Mail Window

If none of these methods work, you don’t have to despair. You can learn to live with the problem until you can find a lasting solution. But this doesn’t mean you have to put up with the distractions. You can make the Mail notifications to go unnoticed.

You can close the Mail window by clicking the red ‘X’ button at the top right corner of the screen, so the Mail app continues to run in the dock without an open viewer window. This can significantly reduce the rate at which the Mail Window pops up.

Alternatively, you can minimize the main window by clicking on the “-” button at the screen's top right corner. With this setting, the intrusive Mail window will only pop up in a minimized, inconspicuous window.

mail app keeps popping up in the background in macos 10.15