If your iPhone is not receiving emails that you are waiting for, there could be various explanations.
Mail is the most stable and reliable email app on iPhone, but sometimes there are still technical snafus that stop your emails from reaching the inbox. This can amount to a minor disaster if the email is important (such as a lucrative job offer).
There is nothing new about the problem of iPhone not receiving emails as it has existed on almost all iPhone models. The issue has affected many iPhone models, including iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, XS Max, iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone SE. So what do you do when your iPhone is not receiving emails?
Here’s a list of troubleshooting tips you can try if emails are not received in Mail app on iPhone.
How to fix iPhone not receiving emails issue
1. Check your junk folder first
Let’s start with the easy option. Even though email Spam filters are very advanced, they can still snag your emails up in the spam folder. This can be due to a word in the email tripping the spam filter or many other users marking that email sender as spam.
If you see the email in junk, you can bring it out again by selecting Move To > Inbox.
2. Check your trash folder next
The next step is to see if the email is in your trash. When deleting another email, it’s very easy to get carried away and unintentionally delete another one. So check the trash folder next.
3. Check to see if you have an internet connection
This one may sound silly, but we often overlook the obvious. If your iPhone is not receiving emails, maybe your Wi-Fi connection has suddenly blinked out, and you haven’t noticed. Or perhaps your internet connection is a bit sluggish, making it difficult for mail app to receive large emails?
Whatever the reason, turn your Wi-Fi connection off, then on again. If that doesn’t work, reset your router. But before that, maybe do a speed test first?
You may also want to check your data plan. Do you still have data, or have you run out? Have you even got your cellular data switched on? Also, check your signal strength in the area you’re in. Big cities and towns will have excellent 4G LTE coverage, but you could be struggling to get decent reception in rural areas.
4. Try refreshing the inbox again
Sometimes the problem can be due to a hiccup in your internet connection or your connection to the server. This is a best-case scenario! You can easily work around this by simply pulling down in your inbox to refresh your content.
5. Close And Reopen The Mail App
While it’s uncommon, closing and reopening the Mail app can sometimes fix minor glitches that may cause the problem of iPhone not receiving emails. Just bring up the App Switcher on your iPhone and swipe up the Mail app card. Then, relaunch Mail. In most cases, that should help get things moving again.
6. Restart Your iPhone
If you continue to have issues receiving emails on your iPhone, try restarting your device before moving on with the rest of the fixes. Believe it or not, restarting an iPhone can solve tons of problems. Sometimes your phone just needs a fresh start. Follow the steps below:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap General.
- Select Shut Down.
7. Update iOS On Your iPhone
Another key troubleshooting step when iPhone won’t receive emails is to update iOS. Mail is a native iOS app, meaning it comes pre-installed on your iPhone. Native apps can only be updated by updating the iOS version on your iPhone. iOS updates contain bug fixes, one of which may help resolve the error your iPhone is currently experiencing.
- Go to settings.
- Tap general.
- Select software update. If an update is available, tap download & install.
8. Delete The Problematic Account And Set It Up Like New
If your iPhone is not getting emails, deleting the problematic account and setting it up like new can give it a fresh start. Deeper account issues can be difficult to track down. Rather than trying to troubleshoot the issue, we’re going to completely erase what’s causing the error. To do this, you’ll need first to remove your email account from the Mail app.
- Head to Settings.
- Tap Mail.
- Select Accounts.
- Tap the problematic account, and choose Delete Account to take it off your phone.
Now, re-add the same account by following the steps below:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Mail.
- Select Accounts.
- Tap Add Account.
9. Delete And Reinstall The Mail App
If the iPhone is still not receiving emails, it’s a good idea to delete and reinstall the Mail App.
Start by deleting the Mail app from your iPhone. Then, reboot your iPhone, reinstall Mail from the App Store, and set everything up from scratch.
10. Reset Network Settings
You can patch out broken or corrupt network configurations from interfering with Mail by resetting the network settings on your iPhone.
- Head to Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Choose Reset.
- Hit Reset Network Settings.
11. Contact your email provider for support
If your iPhone still isn’t receiving emails, it’s time to get some direct tech support for your email problems. A good first step is to check with your email provider (Google for Gmail, Yahoo for Yahoo Mail, etc.). Each email provider has different ways to provide support, but a good bet is to log into your email account on the web and then look for links like Help or Support.
If it’s a work account, check with your IT department. If you’re trying to check a work email account, it may be that the problem doesn’t lie with your iPhone at all. The problem might reside on the email server that you’re trying to get email from.
A temporary problem with that server or a configuration change that you’re not aware of could block your iPhone’s access. If the account that’s not working is provided by your job, check with your company’s IT department and see if they can help resolve the problem.
12. Get help directly from Apple
If your email provider can’t help, you may have a problem that’s bigger or more complex than you can solve. In that case, it’s probably best to take your iPhone — and all of the information about the email account — to your nearest Apple Store for tech support (you can also chat with Apple online. Apple Stores are busy places, though, so make a Genius Bar appointment before heading out to make sure you get help.
Fixed iPhone not receiving emails
If your iPhone is not receiving emails, it could be down to various things. The first thing is to check that the email hasn’t gone to another folder by mistake (such as the junk folder. Then check your internet connection. These troubleshooting steps should help you fix the problem you are having. Make sure to share this article on social media to teach your friends and family how to fix the problem when their iPhone is not getting emails. If you found this tutorial helpful, let us know in the comments below!