If you encounter a pop-up error message on your iPhone while checking email that states, “Cannot get mail – the connection to the server failed”, this issue may be due to internet connectivity problems, mail settings, or other factors.
You can easily get rid of this error on your own by just following this simple guide, this is a common error every user faces, and in some cases you need to delete and add your email account again on your iphone and reset network settings. This will resolve the issue. So, let’s start troubleshooting this error “cannot get mail error on iphone the connection to the server failed error on mail app..
Whether it can be a microsoft email, gmail or any SMTP server email like cpanel email or any other email, you will see this error cannot get mail error and it can be resolved easily.
Why Cannot Get Mail Error Connection to Server Failed Occurs
Cannot get mail the connection to the server failed error means that your iphone is unable to communicate with the mail servers and when attempting to connect the server failed and it is unable to establish connection and something went wrong here.
This can also be a bug from apple end also, many users experienced this issue after upgrading their iOS to latest version and landed in trouble on iphone 14 pro or iphone 15 pro, updating their iOS 18 or later versions. In this case you need to update mail app and the issue will be resolved.

How to Fix Cannot Get Mail Error: The Connection to The Server Failed
Just start troubleshooting by following these simpl;e solutions and you will start receiving mail again without any error.
Turn OFF SMTP and Turn Back ON
Step 1: Open Settings on iPhone -> Scroll Down and Tap on Mail.

Step 2: Tap on Mail Accounts to access your Mail App Settings.
Step 3: Tap on your mail account that you are having issue with here.
Step 4: Now, Tap on Account Settings.

Step 5: Tap on SMTP and then Tap on SMTP Server.
Step 6: Toggle button Next to Server and Turn it ON again.
Step 7: Now, Force Close mail app and all other apps that are open. Restart your iPhone and check.
Now, Go ahead and Open mail app and check that you are still unable to get mail, if the connection to the server failed or not. Most of the time by just turning off and turning on SMTP server (refreshing SMTP) will fix the issue. If not, don’t worry, just follow the other solutions here.
Delete Mail Account and Add Mail Account Again
Step 1: Tap Settings on iPhone and Tap on Apps
Step 2: Now, Find Mail App and Tap on it.
Step 3: Tap on Mail Account and Select you email Account.
Step 4: Now, Tap on Delete Account.
Step 5: Now, Tap on Add Account and Follow onscreen instruction and add mail account again.
Once you delete and add your Mail account again, then you wont get this error “Cannot Get Mail The Connection To The Server Failed” on your iphone and it will be resolved.
Also Read:
1) iPhone Mail App Not Working on iOS 16
2) How to Show Gmail Notifications Preview on iPhone?
3) How to Remove Gmail Account From iPhone 13, 14
4) Solved: Unable to Create Mailbox The Mailbox couldn’t be Created on the Server iPhone
5) Solved: iPhone Not Showing Emails in Inbox
Update Mail App
Head over to the App Store on your iPhone and look for the Mail app. See if there’s a newer version available, and if so, update it!
If the bug originates from Apple, Apple will release a new version of the mail app to address the bug, which may also resolve the issue.
Offload Mail App
Step 1: Open Settings -> Tap on General.
Step 2: Select iPhone Storage.
Step 3: Find Mail App and Tap on it.
Step 4: Now, tap on Offload App and wait for the mail app to offload.
Step 5: Now, Once you see the reinstall app, tap on it and reinstall Mail app.
Once you offload mail app, this will remove cache and remove unnecessary data and it will refresh mail app and any issue due to this will be fixed.
Reset Network Settings
This method is common if you are having any network related issues like wifi not working on iphone is not connecting to wifi or wifi keeps dropping on iphone or any wifi related issues, then you need to reset network settings on iphone.
To reset network settings on iPhone -> Launch settings app -> Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone and then tap on Reset, Now, select tap on Reset Network settings, Enter your passcode and then confirm reset settings.
After resetting network settings on the iphone then you will be able to get your email and wont get any error like cannot get mail the connection to the server failed error message on your mail app.
Outlook Email Account:
If you are experiencing this error with outlook email on the mail app on iphone, then you need to update your outlook to the latest version and delete and add email again and reset network settings. If the above solution doesn’t help, then you need to contact microsoft support team and they will guide you accordingly and resolve the issue if there is an issue with their server or apple servers.
Gmail Account
For the gmail account, you need to turn off and turn on SMTP settings and refresh it, re-add your gmail account and configure it correctly again, reset network settings and sign out of apple id and sign in again and check.
If there’s a newer version of the Mail App on the App Store, update it and see if that helps.