Adding a mail account takes three steps: open Settings, choose Mail, and enter your email address and password

On your iPhone, open Settings and scroll down to find Mail. Tap it, then tap Accounts, then Add Account. You'll see a list of common email providers — Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, AOL — and an Other option at the bottom. Tap the one that matches your email address.

Enter your full email address and password, then tap Next. iPhone will try to find your account settings automatically. If it succeeds, you'll see a confirmation screen; tap Save and you're done. If it fails, you'll need to enter your settings manually — your email provider's support page will have the server addresses and port numbers you need.

Once saved, Mail will start downloading your messages. You can add as many accounts as you want by repeating these steps.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account and choose your email provider from the list, or tap Other if yours isn't shown.
  • iPhone can usually find your account settings automatically if you choose the right provider, so you only need your email and password.
  • If automatic setup fails, you'll need to enter server addresses manually — your email provider's website has these details.
  • You can add multiple email accounts to the same iPhone, and Mail will check all of them when you open the app.

What happens if your email provider isn't in the list

If you don't see your email provider listed — for example, if you use a company email or a smaller service — tap Other at the bottom of the account list. You'll be asked for your name, email address, password, and a description (like "Work Email" or "Personal"). Tap Next.

iPhone will attempt automatic discovery again. If that fails, you'll see four fields: Incoming Mail Server, Outgoing Mail Server, Username, and Password. Your email provider's support documentation will list the incoming and outgoing server addresses (they often look like imap.example.com and smtp.example.com). Enter these exactly as written, then tap Save.

Fixing connection problems after setup

If Mail shows a red exclamation mark next to your account name, or stops downloading messages, the connection has failed. Open Settings > Mail > Accounts, tap the account name, then tap Account (not Mailbox Behaviors). Check that your email address and password are correct — if you've changed your password recently, update it here.

If the password is right but Mail still won't connect, check your server settings. Tap Incoming Mail Server and verify the hostname, username, and port number match what your email provider lists. Common issues include using the wrong port (usually 993 for IMAP, 995 for POP3) or having two-factor authentication enabled on your account, which may require an app-specific password instead of your regular one.

Choosing between IMAP and POP3

When you set up an account manually, iPhone defaults to IMAP, which is the better choice for most people. IMAP keeps your messages on the server, so they stay in sync across your phone, computer, and webmail. If you delete an email on your iPhone, it disappears everywhere.

POP3 downloads messages to your iPhone and removes them from the server, so they exist only on the device where you downloaded them. Use POP3 only if you check email from one device and want to save storage space, or if your email provider doesn't support IMAP. To switch, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > [your account] > Account, tap Incoming Mail Server, and change the protocol at the top.

Managing multiple accounts and setting a default

When you open Mail, you'll see an Accounts list at the bottom left showing all your email accounts. Tap any account name to view only that account's messages, or tap All Inboxes to see everything combined. You can swipe left on any account to mute notifications or delete it.

To set which account Mail uses when you compose a new message, go to Settings > Mail > Default Account and choose one. This is the account that appears in the "From" field when you start writing. You can still change it manually before sending any individual message.

Turning off Mail for specific accounts

If you want to keep an account in Settings but stop Mail from checking it, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > [your account] and toggle off the Mail switch. The account stays saved, so you can turn it back on later without re-entering your password. Other apps like Calendar or Contacts can still use the account even if Mail is off.

To completely remove an account, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > [your account], scroll to the bottom, and tap Delete Account. This removes it from Mail and all other apps on your iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does iPhone keep asking for my password after I set up my account?

This usually means your password is wrong or has changed. Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > [your account] > Account and re-enter your password. If you've turned on two-factor authentication for your email account, you may need to generate an app-specific password from your email provider's security settings instead of using your regular password.

Can I add a work email account that uses Exchange?

Yes. Tap Add Account and look for Exchange in the list (it may be grouped under "Corporate" or similar). Enter your email address and password. If your company uses a custom Exchange server, you may need to contact your IT department for the server address and any additional settings.

What's the difference between deleting an account and turning off Mail for it?

Turning off Mail keeps the account saved in Settings so you can turn it back on without re-entering your password. Deleting the account removes it completely from your iPhone. Use delete if you no longer need the account; use the toggle if you just want to stop checking that email temporarily.

Will adding an email account to my iPhone affect the email on my computer?

No. Adding an account to iPhone only downloads messages to that device. If you use IMAP, the messages stay on the server and appear on your computer too, but adding the account to iPhone doesn't change anything on your computer — it just lets your iPhone see the same messages.