Top 14 Ways to Fix iPhone Not Sending Emails

The default Mail app offers a solid email experience on iPhone. While we recommend using the desktop to manage your emails, the default Mail app should be good enough to send or receive emails on the go. However, you are up for confusion when you can’t send email from an iPhone. Here are the top ways to fix iPhone not sending emails.

iPhone not sending emails can break your workflow. Especially, when you rely on your iPhone or iPad to manage emails. Several factors can affect break your Mail setup on your iPhone. Before you switch to one of the Mail alternatives, use the steps below to fix emails not sending from an iPhone.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

Before we move to advanced solutions to fix the iPhone not sending email issue, let’s cover the basics first.

You should verify that you are working with an active internet connection on your iPhone. Make sure you have full or at least a couple of network bars to use the mobile data. If you are working with a slow internet connection and sending a large file (around 20MB) on an iPhone, the device may throw an error. For best results, we advise using a fast Wi-Fi connection.

2. Enable Mobile Data for iPhone

iOS allows you to disable mobile data for individual apps. If you have disabled mobile data access for the Mail app, it won’t send the email over mobile internet. You need to make settings tweaks from the Mail menu.

Step 1: Launch Settings on your iPhone and scroll to Mail.

Step 2: Enable Mobile Data and close the app.

3. Check Email Address

There is a chance that you may have misspelled the email address while adding it manually. Understandably, you won’t send the email no matter what you try.

Closely inspect the typed email address. If there is any typo, fix it and try sending an email again.

4. Change Default Email Account

The Mail app is perfectly compatible with Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other popular email providers. If you have trouble sending an email with Gmail, move to Outlook, compose, and send the email.

Once comfortable with a specific email provider, you should make it the default account to send emails on your iPhone.

Step 1: Open Settings on iPhone.

Step 2: Scroll down to the Mail menu.

Step 3: Scroll down and you will find an option to choose the default account.

Step 4: Select your preferred email provider from the following menu.

5. Keep the Mail App Open When Sending a Large Attachment

Gmail and Outlook can send up to 25MB of files over an email. If you are dealing with such large files to send over an email, you should keep the Mail app open during the sending process.

While the Mail app is open, you will hear the sent email sound. That confirms that the email was sent successfully. Go to Sent inbox and confirm it.

6. Contact Your Email Provider or System Admin

Are you facing issues with sending or receiving emails from a specific email provider? The default Mail app also supports a custom email domain. If you use one of such email providers, contact the company or your company admin to resolve the problem. You can also reach out to your school IT admin and ask for the latest credentials to send emails from your school email address.

7. Add Email Account Again

If you face trouble with a specific account on the Mail app, it’s time to remove and add the account again.

You might have changed your Gmail or Outlook email password. The Mail app on iPhone will ask you to authorize the account again to enable email functions.

Step 1: Launch Settings on iPhone.

Step 2: Go to the Mail menu.

Step 3: Select Account and tap on the email account that troubles you.

Step 4: Select Delete Account and confirm your decision.

Step 5: Go back to the Accounts menu, select Add Account, and choose your email provider to add login details.

Once you add the account, go to the Mail app and start firing up emails to send.

8. Reset Network Settings

Incorrect network settings can cause issues with sending emails via the Mail app on iPhone. Here’s how to reset network settings on your iPhone.

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone and scroll to General.

Step 2: Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Step 3: Select Reset. Tap Reset Network Settings and confirm your decision.

You can read our dedicated post to learn the implications of resetting network settings on iPhone.

9. Check Gmail or Outlook Storage

Google offers 15GB of Gmail storage for free. That storage is divided between Google Drive, Photos, and Gmail inbox. Similarly, Outlook has 5GB of free storage for every user. When you run out of email space, you can’t receive or send emails on your iPhone. None of the tricks mentioned in the post will work here. You should check Gmail or Outlook space using the steps below.

Step 1: Visit Google Drive on the web and check the available space from the side menu.

Step 2: You can click on it to check the detailed storage breakdown and take the required steps to free up space.

Outlook users can follow the steps below.

Step 1: Visit Outlook on the web and click the Settings gear in the top-right corner.

Step 2: Go to General and open the Storage menu.

Step 3: Check the storage space for your Outlook inbox.

You can subscribe to one of the Microsoft 365 plans to unlock 50GB Outlook space.

10. Disable Privacy Protection in Mail

Privacy Protection is a part of iCloud+ and Apple One subscription. It is designed to hide your Mail activity on your iPhone. The privacy feature hides your IP address and loads remote content privately in the background.

The feature might be interfering with the email functions on iPhone. Let’s disable it and try again.

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone and go to the Mail menu.

Step 2: Find Privacy Protection under the Messages menu.

Step 3: Disable Protect Mail Activity toggle and try sending the email again.

11. Reinstall Mail App

Apple allows users to delete the built-in apps on iPhones. If the Mail app is acting up, you can delete it and install it again from the App Store. Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1: Long-press on the Mail icon and select Remove App.

Step 2: Tap on Delete App and remove Mail from iPhone.

Step 3: Open the App Store on your iPhone and search for Mail.

Install the app and start using it.

12. Update iPhone

Even though Apple distributes the Mail app from the App Store, the company packs the feature updates with iOS builds. You need to keep your iPhone up-to-date to install the latest Mail bug fixes and features.

Head to iPhone Settings and open the General menu. Go to Software Update and install the newest iOS version.

13. Try Third-Party Apps

Does the default Mail app still give you anxiety? The App Store is jam-packed with third-party email apps to use. You can go with Outlook, Gmail, or Spark Mail to level up your email experience on your iPhone. Unlike the Mail app, these feature-rich email apps receive frequent updates.

Most GT members use Microsoft Outlook or Gmail to send and receive emails on their iPhones. These apps support all the popular email providers.

14. Restore iPhone

Do you still face issues with sending emails on your iPhone? When none of the tricks work, restore your iPhone and set up everything from scratch.

Step 1: Head to the General menu in iPhone Settings (check the steps above).

Step 2: Tap Erase All Content and Settings.

Follow the on-screen instructions to reset your iPhone and try sending an email again.

Manage Your Emails Like a Pro

iPhone not sending email can waste your productivity hours. The tricks above should troubleshoot the problem in no time. Which trick resolved the problem? Share your findings in the comments below.