Viewing in apple mail problem

[CiberTiger]

Why are some of my email messages slammed against the left side of box with no margin or indentation? I can't find anywhere in preferences or documents to fix this. Anyone know how too do that? Yes, I changed everything but still can't fix it. If I open mail messages in browser. There is no issue from anyone so it isn't the sender. It is a problem with apple mail from any email address but not all. Help!!

 

[MacInWin]

Welcome to the forum.

So many questions, so be patient. Remember, we cannot see your machine, so we have to ask you to describe things in detail.

What Mac? What version of macOS? What version of Mail? What do you mean "slammed against the life side of box?" What "box"? Do you have a screenshot to show us what you mean? What was the "changed everything?" We can't read your mind, so tell us what you have already tried so we don't recommend it again. What do you mean "open mail messages in browser?" Are you taking about a mail service like Gmail? What does

It is a problem with apple mail from any email address but not all.

mean? Is it all email addresses or not.

Let us know more and we'll try to assist.

Here is a link to Apple's Mail User Guide: Mail User Guide for Mac

 

[CiberTiger]

Welcome to the forum.

So many questions, so be patient. Remember, we cannot see your machine, so we have to ask you to describe things in detail.

What Mac? What version of macOS? What version of Mail? What do you mean "slammed against the life side of box?" What "box"? Do you have a screenshot to show us what you mean? What was the "changed everything?" We can't read your mind, so tell us what you have already tried so we don't recommend it again. What do you mean "open mail messages in browser?" Are you taking about a mail service like Gmail? What does

mean? Is it all email addresses or not.

Let us know more and we'll try to assist.

Here is a link to Apple's Mail User Guide: Mail User Guide for Mac

Oh, thank you MacInWin! I'm new to forums. Please excuse me. This is my desktop iMac 2017, Monterey 12.1, Apple mail version 15.0. Sure, I can show screen shot. Thank you for your help!!! I describe as best I can. You can see the body of my email message is shoved all the over to one side. I can't align it over with either indentation or margins. It only happens in some messages, not all. Even from same sender. Just can't figure it out. Spent several hours researching and trying on my own using Mac manual, Preferences, documents, googling. Even in Apple community forum. No luck. Appreciate any help but starting to think it is a flaw in Apple mail. I sent feedback to Apple but couldn't send a screen shot. Hope they understand what I'm sharing. Best, Gail

 

[MacInWin]

Gail, that line is movable. Hover the mouse marker over the line and a double headed arrow will appear. Move it left or right to make more room for the text of the message. It's not a flaw in Mail, I think. That space is called "Preview" and lets you see the message without fully opening it. It's not intended for reading, just previewing. I suspect the messages giving you problems are formatted in a way that forces them to stay a given size, whereas messages NOT formatted that way are flexible and change line breaks and lengths as the width of the preview window changes.

 

[CiberTiger]

Gail, that line is movable. Hover the mouse marker over the line and a double headed arrow will appear. Move it left or right to make more room for the text of the message. It's not a flaw in Mail, I think. That space is called "Preview" and lets you see the message without fully opening it. It's not intended for reading, just previewing. I suspect the messages giving you problems are formatted in a way that forces them to stay a given size, whereas messages NOT formatted that way are flexible and change line breaks and lengths as the width of the preview window changes.

Nope, that doesn't work either. I have tried everything. It is indeed a flaw in the apple mail app. If I open this same iCloud mail message in the Safari browser. It doesn't do this. This isn't preview. This is the actual message opened up. So frustrating. Does it to other mail accounts as well in Apple mail. Gmail, Yahoo mail. I was hoping someone more knowledgeable then me would know what to do. Guess some messages will just have to be opened in browser or going to have to get another mail app. Thank you for your help. Oh, to show you in another format with no sidebar. Here goes. Absolutely no side margin / indentation or center alignment. Thank you anyway.

Have a great weekend! Gail

 

[MacInWin]

Not to argue, but your image is of the Mail app open to the window that has the list of email messages on the left column, and the preview on the right. The image does not show an email opened, just previewed. If you double click on one of the messages in the left column, a new window will open with the message in it. And, again, comparing Safari to Mail is not valid. How did you create the second screenshot? Was it all by itself in a window, or did you trim off some part of the window? It's not a bug or defect in Mail, as I have received emails from all the sources you have listed (gmail, yahoo, iCloud, etc) and none of them display that way. So, it has to be something in how your system is set up. We can find it, if you will work with us.

 

[pm-r]

So, it has to be something in how your system is set up. We can find it, if you will work with us.

Maybe the OP might prefer changing the Mail viewing options to better suit their usage...????:

Change Viewing preferences in Mail on Mac

Change Viewing settings in Mail on Mac

In Mail on your Mac, change how emails are shown in the Mail window.

support.apple.com

And there are additional options available for viewing changing the formatting under View Customize toolbar or use the optional List Viewn and its whole separate adjustable preview window.

Lots of viewing options...


- Patrick
=======

 

[MacInWin]

I just got one email with the same zero-margin left side. It was a political ad, which normally I dump in the trash, but the preview showed no margin, like the OP, so I opened it to check it out. Given that it was on a mailing list and that it was spam, I'm thinking that the spammer's email system uses zero margins to jam as much crapola on the page as they can. None of my other emails has the zero margin.

So, @CiberTiger, it is most likely the sender that is doing it, and there is nothing I could find to fix it, other than to throw the message in the trash.

 

[CiberTiger]

I just got one email with the same zero-margin left side. It was a political ad, which normally I dump in the trash, but the preview showed no margin, like the OP, so I opened it to check it out. Given that it was on a mailing list and that it was spam, I'm thinking that the spammer's email system uses zero margins to jam as much crapola on the page as they can. None of my other emails has the zero margin.

So, @CiberTiger, it is most likely the sender that is doing it, and there is nothing I could find to fix it, other than to throw the message in the trash.

Hi Jake, Problem is, the email I got wasn't spam. It was a biz news letter I'm subscribed too. Also, does it to my guitar lesson teacher so I don't know what it is. i think i will write to both of them and let them know what is happening. Odd thing, like I said earlier, is if I open these emails in my browser iCloud or Gmail. It is perfectly aligned so it is something with Apple mail. Thank you for your help and taking the time. I do appreciate it. Have a great weekend! Best, Gail aka CiberTiger

 

[CiberTiger]

Not to argue, but your image is of the Mail app open to the window that has the list of email messages on the left column, and the preview on the right. The image does not show an email opened, just previewed. If you double click on one of the messages in the left column, a new window will open with the message in it. And, again, comparing Safari to Mail is not valid. How did you create the second screenshot? Was it all by itself in a window, or did you trim off some part of the window? It's not a bug or defect in Mail, as I have received emails from all the sources you have listed (gmail, yahoo, iCloud, etc) and none of them display that way. So, it has to be something in how your system is set up. We can find it, if you will work with us.

No, it was how I look at all my email. The view I use is with side column. Doesn't matter how I change it. It's not arguing. We are just working together to figure it out. Really hard to show with screen shots. Doing my best but at this point. Guess it is what it is. I have played with settings to open it up and set up mail app but doesn't change it. So basically, I give up. Just not worth wasting any more time on. Appreciate the help. Truly! Best, Gail

 

[CiberTiger]

Maybe the OP might prefer changing the Mail viewing options to better suit their usage...????:

Change Viewing settings in Mail on Mac

In Mail on your Mac, change how emails are shown in the Mail window.

support.apple.com

And there are additional options available for viewing changing the formatting under View Customize toolbar or use the optional List Viewn and its whole separate adjustable preview window.

Lots of viewing options...


- Patrick
=======

Hi Patrick, Wish I could have you here I've given up. I don't want to waste anybody's time with this. Not really that big a deal. I will try that url though and your other suggestions. I will let you know what happens. Sometimes, I know just enough to be dangerous! . Have a great weekend! Best, Gail

 

[MacInWin]

Hi Jake, Problem is, the email I got wasn't spam. It was a biz news letter I'm subscribed too. Also, does it to my guitar lesson teacher so I don't know what it is. i think i will write to both of them and let them know what is happening. Odd thing, like I said earlier, is if I open these emails in my browser iCloud or Gmail. It is perfectly aligned so it is something with Apple mail. Thank you for your help and taking the time. I do appreciate it. Have a great weekend! Best, Gail aka CiberTiger

I don't thing it is related to being spam but maybe to the email generator that produces mass mailings like political spam and maybe guitar lessons, if they are mass-mailed. I've only gotten the one, so I have little to base that thinking on, but I do know that mail from other folks who don't use mass mailers don't have zero- margin messages.

 

[Rod]

I have tried moving my column width around but no matter what I do the text remains centred and the margins the same. Cannot find anything in preferences that applies.

Have you tried another email app to compare.

CiberTiger you say you are running macOS Monterey 12.1 it has been updated a few times since then, now at 12.2.1 recently they have been mostly important security updates and "bug fixes" so if that is correct I would certainly do the available updates. Mail 15 is the current version but who knows what bug fixes are in updates, it just might fix it.

The only other thing I can think of would be to reinstall your Operating System but thats pretty drastic, I would certainly try another email app before going that far. I use Spark there are plenty on the App store like Edison Mail, Canary Mail to mention a few.

The fly in my ointment is that Jake got one email like yours and i'm sure he is running the latest macOS.
Still worth a try; check System Preferences > Software Update. The last update was only this week.
*As always do make sure you have a full backup first.

 

[MacInWin]

Rod, I don't think it's anything on the receiving machine. I think it is the sender who is setting zero margin on the left. Like you, I did search for anything in Preferences to help the OP, but found nothing. I've only received the one message that way, if I get another from the same source, I think we can safely conclude it's the sender.

And yes, I'm on 12.2.1.

 

[CiberTiger]

I have tried moving my column width around but no matter what I do the text remains centred and the margins the same. Cannot find anything in preferences that applies.

Have you tried another email app to compare.

CiberTiger you say you are running macOS Monterey 12.1 it has been updated a few times since then, now at 12.2.1 recently they have been mostly important security updates and "bug fixes" so if that is correct I would certainly do the available updates. Mail 15 is the current version but who knows what bug fixes are in updates, it just might fix it.

The only other thing I can think of would be to reinstall your Operating System but thats pretty drastic, I would certainly try another email app before going that far. I use Spark there are plenty on the App store like Edison Mail, Canary Mail to mention a few.

The fly in my ointment is that Jake got one email like yours and i'm sure he is running the latest macOS.
Still worth a try; check System Preferences > Software Update. The last update was only this week.
*As always do make sure you have a full backup first.

Hi Rod, thank you! Oh yes, I'm always on top of the updates. This has actually be a problem since before with Catalina. I think Jake is right and problem is probably a mass mail from sender. Still puzzles me that in the browser, when I open same email. There is no problem. Oh well, I give up and thank you all so much for your time. I appreciate that alot. Have a great week! Cheers, Gail

 

[CiberTiger]

Rod, I don't think it's anything on the receiving machine. I think it is the sender who is setting zero margin on the left. Like you, I did search for anything in Preferences to help the OP, but found nothing. I've only received the one message that way, if I get another from the same source, I think we can safely conclude it's the sender.

And yes, I'm on 12.2.1.

Yep, think you all are correct. It is mass mailing from the sender. Personal messages never have a problem. Just weird it isn't an issue in web browser. Oh, well. No big deal. Appreciate the help. That kind of community support is awesome. You all rock! Have a great week! Cheers, Gail