FAQ

  • Licensing
  • I received a license, how do I enter the registration code?
    1. Open Mailplane
    2. Locate the license email in your inbox. The subject is Mailplane license for
    3. Scroll down to the attachment section
    4. Click the Download link next to the Your License.mailplanelicense
    5. Done!

    LicenseDownload
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  • I have a single user license and like to get the family option, can you help me?
    Visit the Kagi store and just purchase the family option. I will then upgrade your license and re-send it. Please allow 1 business day for the license to arrive. Back to top
  • I can't find the license email, can I get a new one?
    Sure, just visit this page and enter the same email address you entered when you registered Mailplane. Back to top
  • I bought the family option, how do I install it?
    You may install the family option on up to five Macs in your household. Here how you install the license on each Mac (repeat for each Mac or Mac OS X account):
    1. Forward the license email to the family member Gmail account
    2. Open Mailplane
    3. Locate the license email in the inbox. The subject is Mailplane license for
    4. Scroll down to the attachment section
    5. Click the Download link next to the Your License.mailplanelicense
    6. Done!
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  • Versions
  • What is the difference between the "stable" and "beta" releases?
    The stable release is the default version of Mailplane, it currently support Gmail 1, and has a fixed set of features. Plus: It contains 16 different languages.
    The cutting edge (or beta) is a preview of next Mailplane stable release. It contains new features and ideas and support both Gmail 1 and Gmail 2. It works only in English, and is released more frequently. It may contain more undiscovered bugs and problems as the stable release.

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  • How do I get the "beta" release?
    1. Open Preferences
    2. Go to the Advanced folder
    3. Enable the "Check for updates watches for cutting edge release"
    4. Select the "Mailplane->Check for updates" menu item to get the latest release

    Or just download Mailplane 2.0 beta from here. (see bottom of page).

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  • I installed the beta release. How can I switch back to the stable release?
    1. Open preferences
    2. Go to the Advanced folder
    3. Disable "Check for Update" watches for "Cutting Edge" releases
    4. Quit Mailplane
    5. Download the latest stable release from this page.
    6. Open the DMG and overwrite the your Mailplane
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  • What are the system requirements?
    Mailplane needs MAC OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or 10.5 (Leopard) to run. As it is a Universal Binary it does run on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. Mailplane runs on old hardware, too. It has been tested on a iMac G3 with 640 MB RAM. Back to top
  • Features
  • Why do I need Mailplane when there is IMAP for Gmail?
    Google mail is about a "different approach to email". Most of it's unique features are lost by using IMAP. I love to "Google search" my emails, see all relevant posts in the conversation view, use labels instead of folders, see the virus scanner at work, chat with Google Talk etc.

    Mailplane is about combining this "different approach to email" with desktop features found in email applications such as Mail.app or Thunderbird.
    Here is my blog post about the subject. Back to top
  • Can I use Mailplane offline?
    No. Mailplane needs an internet connection to access Gmail. Back to top
  • I miss a feature, how can I make suggestion?
    Check out the mailplaneapp Google Group, it contains many threads and new features can be discussed with other users.

    Or send me an email, I love to hear from you:
    1. Open Mailplane
    2. Go to Help->Feedback and Support
    3. Click the first Compose Mail button

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  • Can use Mailplane in my language?
    Mailplane has been translated from English to many different languages. This page lists all of them and gives you instructions how to switch to another language. Back to top
  • How can I use "Edit in TextMate"?
    • Install the TextMate InputManager by following the steps outlined in TextMate Help.
    • In Mailplane click on the "Plain Text" above the body text field. Rich Text editing isn't supported by the TextMate InputManager. Gmail will remember the setting, BTW.
    • Now use the "Edit->Edit in Textmate" menu item or press (Cmd-Control-E) to open the current message in TextMate

    Tested with Mailplane 2.0 beta 4 (758) and TextMate 1.5.7 (1464).     Back to top
  • Tips and Tricks
  • I'd like to extend Mailplane with user scripts, is it possible?
    Yes, it is. Thanks to the excellent work of KATO Kazuyoshi there is an extension called GreaseKit. GreaseKit allows you to install user scripts in any WebKit application like Mailplane or Safari. This blog post shows you how to install and run a sample script called Folders4Gmail user script.

    Without Folder4Gmail:
    Without Folders4Gmail

    With Folders4Gmail:
    With Folder4Gmails

    Tip: You need to activate the script for Mailplane so it can do its magic:
    1. Open Mailplane
    2. Go to the GreaseKit menu
    3. Select the Folders4Gmail menu item, it must have a checkmark as a result
    4. Restart Mailplane to apply changes.
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  • How can change the Gmail look?
    All options to change how Gmail presents itself can be customized in Preferences->Tweak UI. The Use custom stylesheet setting allows you to change every aspect of Gmail by specifying a CSS file.

    You may find user contributed CSS files at the mailplaneapp Google group pages section.

    A few tips, if you like to write your own CSS file:
    • Visit this wikipedia page
    • Test and tweak the examples at the mailplaneapp Google group
    • Right click any element in Mailplane and then select "Inspect element" to show the HTML code for the element.
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  • How to configure the "Little Snitch" network filter?
    Make sure to add rules for the application Mailplane-Launcher and Mailplane.
    Picture 1
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  • How can I replace the Gmail logo?
    If you use Google Apps for your domain, Google provides this feature. The logo can be uploaded and set in your "Manage domain->Domain Settings->Appearance":
    Pasted Graphic
    If you use a "normal" Gmail account (@gmail.com), a custom stylesheet can do the trick as Mailplane supports such a stylesheet. It can be set in your Tweak UI preferences.
    Here is an example CSS file:

    .zYsCRb {background:transparent url(http://mailplaneapp.com/downloads/logo-custom.gif) !important; }

    Upload a correctly sized image (    143 x 59 pixels) to any webserver and replace the URL in the example with the URL to your logo. Important: The picture will be shown in all account you use.
    Pasted Graphic 1
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  • Troubleshooting
  • Many toolbar buttons and menu items do not work, is there a solution?
    Yes, there is:
    • Open you Gmail settings page by clicking the "Settings" link in the upper right part of the main window.
    • Set the "Keyboard shortcut" preference to ON.
    • Save settings.
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  • Mailplane is crashing, why?
    Some users experience crashes because of one of these two InputManagers: "Safari Ad Blocker" and "SafariBlock". Solution: Uninstall these "Safari Ad Blocker" and "SafariBlock" and restart Mailplane. Or use the new "Use System WebKit" advanced preference. Back to top
  • When I press the SHIFT key, the cursor jumps to another field.
    This happens only with the "stable" Mailplane version after installing Safari 3.1. The bug hits when you have enabled the "Use System WebKit" in "Advanced" preferences. Disable the "Use System WebKit" preferences to solve the problem. Back to top
  • Mailplane crashes at startup
    In most cases the crash is caused by a corrupt keychain. Here is how you can work around the problem:
    1. Start Mailplane while holding the Option key: This will shows the Authentication dialog box
    2. Disable the Automatically login when needed option
    3. Disable the Store password in keychain option
    4. Login

    Now that Mailplane works, you may want to repair the keychain. Please check this Apple page.
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  • Mailplane's main menu doesn't work
    Some users reported that Cocoa Gestures does interfere with Mailplane in a way that makes the main menu unusable. Disable or remove Cocoa Gestures to solve the problem. Back to top
  • Mailplane's alert dialog boxes close when I move the mouse
    Again an InputManager trouble: It is caused by a software called MaxiMouse. Please deactivate or remove it to solve the problem. Back to top
  • Google Talk doesn't display non ASCII characters correctly
    Make sure you haven't enabled "Use System WebKit" in Advanced preferences.
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  • I discovered a problem, how can I report it?
    First check it is a known issue. You have two options to report the bug:
    • Use the mailplaneapp Google Group to discuss the issue with other users
    • Send me an email by using Help->Feedback and Support menu item
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