deleting a gmail account from mac mail via Terminal

[Stan Islavski]

Hello all,

I have several gmail accounts in my Mac mail client. I've always used Mac mail for all of my email accounts. I am having a problem deleting one of them that
I use as a 'burner' account when I sign up for something on the web which requires an email. I've tried all the regular methods of deleting this account and have had no luck. When I go to system preferences--->internet accounts and highlight this particular gmail account, uncheck the 'mail' app and click on the minus
button in the lower left corner, I get a message after some amount of time saying 'cannot verify this account name or password'.

Here is a link to a step by step process illustration that I've been doing for your visual reference

So, if someone knows a way to delete this account using a terminal command, that would be quite helpful.

Thanks.

Dennis

 

[MacInWin]

Open Mail, then Preferences. (Not accounts, Preferences.) Inside Preferences is an "Accounts" button. Go there, select the one you want to eliminate in the left column, click the "-" at the bottom of the window. Done.

 

[Stan Islavski]

Open Mail, then Preferences. (Not accounts, Preferences.) Inside Preferences is an "Accounts" button. Go there, select the one you want to eliminate in the left column, click the "-" at the bottom of the window. Done.

Hi @MacInWin

Thanks for the note.

You didn't read my post, did you?

Dennis

 

[MacInWin]

Hi @MacInWin

Thanks for the note.

You didn't read my post, did you?

Dennis

Yes, I did. Did you read mine? What I told you to do was different from what you said you did.

 

[Stan Islavski]

Yes, I did. Did you read mine? What I told you to do was different from what you said you did.

Hi @MacInWin ,

Thanks for the note. Did you take a look at the illustration that I made in the link that I included in my initial post?

step by step process illustration that I've been doing for your visual reference

Dennis

 

[MacInWin]

Nope, I don't open links on websites to places I don't know. Your description says you were going into System Preferences, which is one way to delete accounts. I suggested opening a particular location in Mail to delete the account that you did not reference. If your links shows my process, my apologies to you. Maybe somebody else can help you, that's how I've always deleted unwanted accounts and they go away every time. Good luck with it.

 

[IWT]

@Dennis,

If, as you say, you have several Gmail accounts and one of them you use as a "burner" account", would I be correct in saying that this is an alias account?

If so, then it needs to be deleted within Gmail. That is, you need to go into Gmail itself and disable or delete the alias account from there - assuming I'm right in thinking that it is an alias.

Ian

 

[Stan Islavski]

Nope, I don't open links on websites to places I don't know. Your description says you were going into System Preferences, which is one way to delete accounts. I suggested opening a particular location in Mail to delete the account that you did not reference. If your links shows my process, my apologies to you. Maybe somebody else can help you, that's how I've always deleted unwanted accounts and they go away every time. Good luck with it.

Hi @MacInWin ,

Thanks for the note. Did you read the title of my initial post?

 

[Stan Islavski]

@Dennis,

If, as you say, you have several Gmail accounts and one of them you use as a "burner" account", would I be correct in saying that this is an alias account?

If so, then it needs to be deleted within Gmail. That is, you need to go into Gmail itself and disable or delete the alias account from there - assuming I'm right in thinking that it is an alias.

Ian

Hi @IWT ,

Thanks for your reply. No this is not an alius account. It is the email for one of the Google accounts that I have.

Regards,

Dennis

 

[IWT]

Hi again Dennis.

I'm grateful to you for the clarification.

I have a few comments:

In picture 1, what happens if you uncheck "enable this Account"? On the same picture, have you tried clicking on the minus sign, bottom left. That is the usual way of deleting an account.

If, as it appears, you are directed to Internet Accounts - picture 3 - instead of unchecking the Mail box, how about clicking on the minus sign as mentioned above. It does the same thing as clicking on the minus sign in picture 1.

I don't think that deleting an account by the minus sign approach requires a password. Could be wrong about that. If a password is needed, then you have a problem if you changed the PW and can't recall it.

Ian

 

[Stan Islavski]

Hi again Dennis.

I'm grateful to you for the clarification.

I have a few comments:

In picture 1, what happens if you uncheck "enable this Account"? On the same picture, have you tried clicking on the minus sign, bottom left. That is the usual way of deleting an account.

If, as it appears, you are directed to Internet Accounts - picture 3 - instead of unchecking the Mail box, how about clicking on the minus sign as mentioned above. It does the same thing as clicking on the minus sign in picture 1.

I don't think that deleting an account by the minus sign approach requires a password. Could be wrong about that. If a password is needed, then you have a problem if you changed the PW and can't recall it.

Ian

Hi @IWT ,

Thanks again for the additional input. None of these things work. That is why, in the title of my original post, I am asking if anyone knows
a way to delete an internet account using the Terminal utility.

Regards,

Dennis

 

[IWT]

Yes. I should have paid more attention to the detail in your first post. I was remiss. Sorry.

When you get the message: 'cannot verify this account name or password', that tends to imply an issue with the name and/or the PW.

Even if you used Terminal, I guess you would need the name & PW. As you said, you made changes to the PW, that may be the problem.

I am a Terminal avoider because, in ignorance, I could do a lot of harm. Senior colleagues on this Forum do use Terminal a lot & will chip in with help. However, I fear that a PW may be required. Same problem.

I've done all I can to assist; which isn't much. I shall bow out now, particularly as it's near midnight here.

Ian

 

[ferrarr]

In one of the images, it states that this account is shared by other apps on your Mac? Can you remove the email from those apps first?

You are going to have to confirm the new password, using the browser and gmail web login. Then you should have the ability to remove it, after it is up and working.

 

[MacInWin]

Hi @MacInWin ,

Thanks for the note. Did you read the title of my initial post?

Yes, I did. Thanks for asking.

 

[pbw]

I'm curious; did you try what MacInWin suggested?

 

[pbw]

Just to clarify my question: you are aware that MacInWin's suggestion was completely different to the method you described and that your images illustrated, and you did try that and it didn't work?

Otherwise, some reading this thread (me for example) will assume that you did not try his method, whereas others will assume from your reaction to MacInWin that you have.

 

[Rod]

When I go to system preferences--->internet accounts and highlight this particular gmail account, uncheck the 'mail' app

Why do you "uncheck the Mail app" prior to attempting to delete the email address?