iPhone mail client troubleshooting

 

Overview

The following FAQs describe common issues with the iPhone mail app and their potential solutions.

FAQs

What should I do if I've added a DreamHost mail account to my iPhone, but it won't connect?

When you set up an mail account, your iPhone automatically detects the rest of the settings and connects to your mailbox. If there are any issues, then make sure you've entered the correct settings for both the incoming and outgoing mail servers.

If needed, you can also make the following changes in the Advanced section if you are experiencing any sync issues:

  • You must set the IMAP Path Prefix to INBOX (all caps) for IMAP clients to work properly with DreamHost servers. Most desktop email clients work normally but instead show all the folders under the Inbox as subfolders rather than alongside it.
  • For sent messages, tap Sent Mailbox under the MAILBOX BEHAVIORS section, and then tap the folder you wish to use for sent messages (in the ON THE SERVER section). The current choice has a paper airplane next to it.

What should I do if the 'Cannot Verify Server Identity' message appears?

If you enter any other hostname other than imap.dreamhost.com, the following message appears after you connect:

Cannot Verify Server Identity. The identity of "mail.example.com" cannot be verified by Settings. Review the certificate details to continue.

Review the steps above to ensure the hostname you've entered to connect is imap.dreamhost.com. This will resolve the error.

What should I do if my emails are bounced with a 'Rejected by the server because it does not allow relaying' error?

If you see a 'relaying' error, double-check your outgoing connection settings and ensure that you're using smtp.dreamhost.com as your hostname, along with your username and password.

How can I manually choose POP3 or IMAP on my iPhone?

Recent versions of the iOS mail client attempt to auto-detect whether the server supports POP3 or IMAP and select either accordingly. To make the choice manually, enter an incorrect email address into the 'Settings' page on your iPhone, e.g., [a bogus email address]@[your domain]. The settings will then not auto-detect, and you can select which protocol you wish to use. Don't forget to fix your email address to [your correct email address]@[your domain].

How do I fix iPhone password errors?

If you continue to see password error-related messages on your iPhone, you can delete the account from your phone and re-add it. See this Apple Support page for more information.

Where can I find more information?

If you are having trouble and suspect that you may have set something incorrectly, please refer to the Email Client Configuration article or contact DreamHost support.

See also

DreamHost links

Did this article answer your questions?

Article last updated PST.

Still not finding what you're looking for?