Troubleshooting

Where to look first

The status line at the bottom of the folder pane says what the app is doing and what went wrong, for example an account that couldn't be reached. Most problems show there first.

New mail isn't arriving

Press F9 (or click the button next to the status line) to check now, and read what the status line says.
Check that you're online, and that you can reach your mail in its webmail.
If new mail comes only every few minutes instead of at once, check Instant new mail (push) in File > Options > General, then restart the app.
If the app was closed (not just in the tray), mail arrives when it starts again.

The provider has ended the app's access, for example after you changed your password. Remove the account in File > Options > Accounts and add it again (see Adding and managing accounts). Nothing on the server is lost.

Gmail doesn't accept the password

Gmail needs an app password, not your normal password, and IMAP must be turned on in Gmail's settings. See Adding and managing accounts.

The server's certificate isn't trusted

When you add an Exchange or Obsidian account whose server has its own certificate, the app asks you to trust it and shows its fingerprint. Compare it with the one your administrator gave you; if it doesn't match, click Cancel and ask your administrator.

The title bar says observe mode

In observe mode the app reads your mail but changes nothing on the server: spam isn't moved to the Quarantine, rules don't run, and Mark as spam is unavailable.

On a PC that never had the earlier Obsidian Mail app, the app manages your mail from the first start, and you never see observe mode.

Observe mode is for people moving over from the earlier app, so the two apps don't both act on the same mailbox. Quit the earlier app (tray icon > Quit), then choose File > Info > Spam Filter > Switch to This App…. Your filter training and allow and block lists are copied over, and from then on this app manages your mail. Go Back to Observing… in the same place undoes the switch; it is offered only while the earlier app's data is on the PC.

Version 0.1.32 and earlier could stay in observe mode on a PC that never had the earlier app. Install the latest version (see Updates) and it switches to managing your mail by itself.

Something only happens while the app is running

These are done by the app itself, so it has to be running (in the tray is enough):

snoozed messages coming back,
reminders for events and tasks, and "remind me if nobody replies",
messages scheduled with Send later (they go out when the app next starts),
rules,
automatic replies sent by the app (see Automatic replies).

To keep the app running, leave Closing the window keeps it running in the tray on, and consider Start Obsidian Mail Client when you sign in (both in File > Options > General).

I can't find an older message

Search looks through the mail kept on this computer. Press Ctrl+Shift+F to search the server too. See Searching your mail.

Pictures don't show

Pictures from the internet stay off until you click Show images above the message. See Reading mail.

A message looks wrong in a dark theme

Use View > Switch Background to see it in its own colors on white.

An Outlook file won't import

Close Outlook first: the app can't read a .pst or .ost file that Outlook has open. See Importing and exporting.

The Windows Hello lock is grayed out

Windows Hello isn't set up on this PC. Set up a face, fingerprint or PIN in Windows Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, then turn the lock on in File > Options > Security.

Windows warned me when I ran the installer

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen may say it doesn't recognize the app while our code-signing certificate is being issued. Choose More info, then Run anyway. Updates the app installs itself are always checked against our signature.

Log files

If you ask us for help, we may ask for the app's log files. Open their folder with Help > Log Folder, or File > About > Open the Log Folder. The logs record what the app did (syncs, errors), not the content of your mail.

File > About > Open This App's Data Folder opens the folder where the app keeps its data.