Getting connection errors in Mail for iPhone or iPad? Here's how to fix them!

July 6, 2014

The iPhone and iPad's built-in Mail app is a great way to get all your email for all your accounts in one place. But just like any other app, it isn't completely error proof either. One of the most common errors that you may is the dreaded "Connection to the server failed" message. Other common error messages include server not responding messages and password errors. If you're receiving any of these messages, here are some steps that can help you troubleshoot and resolve the problem in no time!

1. Be sure you have an active internet connection

This may sound obvious but sometimes you may thing you have cellular service but data actually isn't working or is incredibly slow. If you can, try checking your mail over a wifi network and make sure data isn't the issue. In some cases, an extremely slow data connection can cause a mail server to time out, resulting in error messages all over the place.

2. Check your mail settings for missing fields

After an iCloud restore, your mail accounts are restored except for the passwords. You'll need to hop into settings and re-enter them. I've also seen this happen randomly and without explanation a few times. So before anything else, hop into your Mail settings and make sure no password fields are blank. If they are, update your account with your passwords. You'll also need to do this anytime you change a password.

3. Delete and re-add the problem account

One of the easiest and sure fire ways to fix mail problems is to completely delete the account and re-add it. For most people, this fixes any server errors or issues that could arise, especially with accounts that automatically configure themselves. Perhaps a port changed on the server or something else was updated that just isn't reflected for your account. Adding it fresh should update things and bring them current.

4. Manually configure your account

Sometimes certain types of accounts, particularly custom domains, may need to be added manually. This is common if you can receive mail but can't send any outgoing messages. Depending on who your email provider is, you'll need to check their website and FAQ for information on configuring POP and IMAP accounts on your iPhone or iPad manually. Here are some helpful links to some of the most common third party mail providers though:

For the most part, you can typically perform a Google search containing your email provider's name and then the words mail setup iPhone iPad in order to get the results you need.

5. Contact your email provider

If you still can't seem to get your email working properly on your iPhone and iPad, it may be time to contact your email provider or system administrator. If the account you're using is provided by a hosting company, contact them directly. If you have an account that was given to you for work, you most likely have a system administrator or IT help desk you can reach out to. This is the time to contact them directly.

Your tips for troubleshooting iPhone and iPad mail errors?

If you've encountered any weird errors with the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad, what were they and how did you manage to solve them? Be sure to let me know in the comments!