Knowledge Base
Troubleshooting Password Issues for Mac Mail and iOS Devices
Click here for iOS device users.
Click here for Mac Mail users.
iOS Device Users
If your iOS device shows an error when sending emails even after using the correct/alternate SMTP server and ports. This can be fixed by entering your full email address and password in the outgoing server section, even though it says "Optional."
- Go to your iPhone settings.
- Tap on Passwords & Accounts.
- Tap on the email account in concern.
- Select SMTP in the Outgoing Mail Server field.
- Tap on the first result in the list of the PRIMARY SERVER (it should say "On")
- The User Name field must list the full email address for this account.
- Re-enter your password in the Password field.
- Click Done on the top right section of the screen.
Remember that it is crucial to retype the password in the Password field for this fix to work. Regardless if there is already a password in there. Once the password has been re-entered in your outgoing mail settings, you should send emails from your device without any issues.
Mac Mail Device Users
If Mac Mail keeps asking for your password or gives you an error that says it can't connect to your email account.
- Make sure that you are using the right password.
- Aside from entering the password in the prompts, you can manually type it in the email settings. This is appropriate if the password prompt appears only upon trying to send a message, or when you try to receive emails.
Manually type in your password in the Mail preferences for the SMTP server along with your incoming server.
- Make sure that you are using the correct password.
- Aside from entering the password in the prompts, you can manually type it in the email settings.
- Manually enter your password in the Mail preferences for the SMTP server along with your incoming server.
- Go to Mail preferences.
- Click on Accounts, then select the affected email account from the list.
- Update your password in the Password field from the Server Settings tab.
- In the Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) menu, select Edit SMTP Server List…
- Choose the SMTP server you are using with your account.
- Re-enter your password in the tab.
- Click the ok button once done.
- Old passwords are usually saved in the Keychain. To clear the previously-cached password:
- Go to Applications.
- Select Utilities.
- Click on Keychain Access.
- Search for your account (usually your email) or the server used.
- Double click on the entry and check the checkbox in front of Show Password.
- Verify that it's the new password that is stored there.
It is safe to delete multiple entries of the same account, you should just have one entry.
The background is that Mac Mail will first try to use the password(s) stored in the login Keychain, and when those fail, it will prompt the user to enter the new password.
How to enter your updated password in the Apple Mail app (OS X)
How to change your email password in your Mac Keychain
The background is that Mac Mail will first try to use the password(s) stored in the login Keychain, and when those fail, it will prompt the user to enter the new password.
How to enter your updated password in the Apple Mail app (OS X)
How to change your email password in your Mac Keychain
- Passwords are usually saved in your Mac's Keychain app. If you have re-entered the password for some reason and then saved it in your Keychain, you may have entered it incorrectly. This could be the cause of your email issue. So, key in the password again and make sure you have it right. Also, please always keep your Keychain up to date.
- Enter the Keychain Access app.
- Look for your email account to find the keychain entries used for accessing your Mail.
- Choose the relevant ones and erase them.
- Go back to Mail, enter your password when asked, and select the option to save it.