Since iOS 10, iPhone and iPad users have faced a recurring issue with their email accounts on the Mail app, which is accompanied by the message, “cannot verify server identity”.
The error seems to have surfaced again for thousands of iPhone and iPad users in the past year, and in this article, we’ve discussed why you see the error and how you can fix it within a few minutes.
What does ‘cannot verify server identity’ mean on iPhone and iPad?
You’re probably seeing ‘cannot verify server identity on your iPhone or iPad because of outdated network settings, pending software update or an issue with the connection between the email server and the Mail app.
If your phone is showing this error, the Mail app won’t sync your mailbox or send and receive emails actively.
Also read: 6 ways to fix ‘com.apple.mobilephone error 1035’ on iPhone
5 ways to fix ‘cannot verify server identity’ error
You can go through the following five methods to fix the cannot verify server identity error on iPhone and iPad.
Restart the Mail app or your iPhone
Restarting your device can go a long way in fixing a lot of issues you might be having. A simple restart can help clear any cache files or background processes that might be hindering iPhone’s voicemail from running smoothly.
You can first try to fix the error by closing the Mail app, removing it from the list of recent apps and re-opening it but if that doesn’t work, restart the iPhone.
Moreover, since it’s one of the most elementary ways to fix the cannot verify server identity error, we recommend that you try restarting the app or your iPhone before moving on to the relatively more complex fixes.
Turn off SSL for incoming messages
Turning off SSL for incoming messages will resolve the ‘cannot verify server identity error on your iPhone, but we don’t recommend using this method permanently. Sure, it’s a quick fix, but it will hamper the security and privacy of your incoming messages.
Follow the steps mentioned below to disable the incoming SSL feature of an email account from the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Open Settings, scroll down and tap on Mail.
- On the next page, tap on Accounts.
- Then select the account that’s causing the issue.
- On the next page, tap on Account.
- Then tap on Advanced.
- Scroll down and tap on the toggle switch beside Use SSL to disable the feature.
As mentioned above, we don’t recommend using your email server with the SSL switched off. That decreases the security level for your incoming messages and potentially other data linked to the email account in question.
Delete your Mail account and add it back
If restarting the app or your phone doesn’t help, and even the short-term SSL trick doesn’t work for you, deleting the email account causing this error and then adding it back to the Mail app will help you resolve the issue.
While this might sound like an extreme measure to fix the ‘cannot verify server identity’ error on your iPhone or iPad, it seems to get the work done for most people.
Follow the steps mentioned below to delete an email account from the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Open Settings, scroll down and tap on Mail.
- On the next page, tap on Accounts.
- Then select the account you want to delete.
- On the next page, tap on Delete Account.
Also read: How to fix ‘iTunes could not connect to iPhone error 0xE800000A’?
Update your iPhone
If nothing fixes the issue, you should consider updating your iPhone. Updates could address specific bugs that could be causing software or hardware incompatibility issues and potentially fix the ‘cannot verify server identity error.
Follow the steps mentioned below to update your iPhone.
- Tap on General.
- Then tap on Software Update.
- If an update is available, you’ll see that on the next page.
- Tap on Download and Install to proceed.
Reset Network settings
If toggling the Airplane mode doesn’t help fix the error on your iPhone or iPad, you’ll need to reset the network settings, which will only reset the Carrier and WiFi settings
Open your iPhone’s settings and follow the steps mentioned below to reset network settings.
- Scroll down and tap on General.
- Tap on Reset.
- Then tap on Reset Network Settings on the next page.
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