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My mam (who is 93YO and in a care home) uses an iPad extensively to keep in touch with family. She's been using a UK v****n.n*t email account for free seemingly for ever. I've been expecting it to be closed down for at least the past 10 years but it's still sending and receiving OK .. BUT just in case, I've set her up with a gmail account. The issue is that whatever I do, I can't get the iPad to set the gmail account as the default one for sending messages. Yes, I've altered the default in Mail settings. Yes, I've re-started. Done all these things seemingly a squillion times. The system shows the gmail account ticked as the default, but whenever she sets up a new message to send it ALWAYS shows that it will go from the v****n account. I don't want to close the v****n account as she does use this a lot and until the gmail account is set up - and working - as default it would leave her without one. I KNOW that she could tap on the account name in the from: line, and change the sending account, but try getting a 93YO to remember how to do that?? I KNOW she could change to use the gmail app, but a 93YO who has used the same app since her first iPad in 2010 isn't likely to adapt so easily. All suggestions gratefully received. Thanks - at my wits end ...

Bin the gmail app and set the gmail account in Mail on the iPad.

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MacPro (2010) quad core macOS 10.15.7
13" (2011) Macbookpro OSX 10.10.3
15" (2017) Macbookpro OS 13.3
iPhone 11 iOS16
Original iPad wifi

The default account setting ONLY applies when creating an email from OUTSIDE the Mail app. If a new email is created from within Mail, it will always be sent from whichever account is selected in the sidebar.

I have four different email accounts and have just tested it by selecting an account, then creating a new message. Each time it was going to send from the account selected.

When I created an email from within another app (eg Safari) then it defaulted to the account I have set within Settings ▸ Mail ▸ Default Account.

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I'm never wrong, I'm just less right on occasions.

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MacPro (2010) quad core macOS 10.15.7
13" (2011) Macbookpro OSX 10.10.3
15" (2017) Macbookpro OS 13.3
iPhone 11 iOS16
Original iPad wifi

Have you tried deleting the v*n account so the GMail is the only one, then adding it back? Maybe GM will take control and keep it. A bit tentative I know, but maybe it might work. You have already done the right thing in Settings, which should have worked.

I wouldn't want to be deleting accounts and adding again either.

I did some searching and found on the imore forum. Someone replied...

If I understand the way it works correctly, the default account you set is what it'll go to unless its AI thinks you typically respond/receive from a different account, and then it will use that one instead. You'll sometimes even see it changing when you add the to: address and it sees which account that address is most often used with.

Other than that, it's a pref toggle, so try toggling it

...which I dunno - does iPadOS have such an AI? Maybe it will settle as you want it after a few outgoing emails go via gmail.

Anyway, I hope you manage to fix it or find a viable workaround.