HT204075: If you can’t send or receive email on your Mac

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koi117
Level 1 (9 points)
Desktops

Q: Cannot reinstate an email address

My main email address would not send or receive. I therefore deleted it and tried to reinstall it.

 

When I reinstalled it with the same name and password I get the comment that it could not be verified.

 

I have an icloud account which works but I need to reinstate my main account as this is the reference account for all mail that is sent to me.

 

I can still find all the mail on the internet site of my email provider.

 

Thanks for any help possible.

Posted on Mar 24, 2016 7:49 PM

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koi117

Q: Cannot reinstate an email address

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  • Helpful answers

  • by jeremy_v,

    jeremy_v jeremy_v Mar 26, 2016 8:07 AM in response to koi117
    Community Specialists
    Mar 26, 2016 8:07 AM in response to koi117

    Hi koi117,
     

    Thank you for visiting Apple Support Communities.
     

    It looks like you have an email account that wouldn't send or receive, and can't be added back to your Mail account preferences. I see that your iCloud account is working and you can sign onto your email provider's webmail.
     

    Since the situation is isolated to one email account, you may want to contact your provider to verify the Mail settings you might need from your email provider.
     

    Mail automatically uses the correct settings for many email services. That's why you seldom need more than your email address and password to set up an email account on your Mac or your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. If Mail needs more information, get the settings in this article from your email provider.


    For example, you may need to adjust the SSL (security) settings for your account, as mentioned in Mail (El Capitan): Set up a secure connection for an account. You may also want to see if your provider or email account has implemented security features like two-step authentication or application-specific passwords, which is mentioned in If Mail on your Mac keeps asking for your password. 

     

    Best Regards. 

  • by koi117,

    koi117 koi117 Mar 26, 2016 4:39 PM in response to jeremy_v
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 26, 2016 4:39 PM in response to jeremy_v

    Thank you very much for your trouble in replying.

     

    Sadly the settings for the account I cannot re-set up in Mail are basically the same as the other three sub accounts that still work, so I fear that is not the answer.


    The SSL is on for all 3 and for the one I cannot set up again.


    The server I use does not have a 2 step security for the password like gmail.


    What really defeats me - although I am vert grateful! - is that the web mail page of my server had no problem with sending and receiving emails from the address I cannot set up again.


    I shall continue to struggle!


    But thanks again for your trouble.

  • by jeremy_v,

    jeremy_v jeremy_v Mar 27, 2016 3:37 PM in response to koi117
    Community Specialists
    Mar 27, 2016 3:37 PM in response to koi117

    Hi koi117,
     

    Thank you for your reply. 
     

    If you haven't already, I'd recommend adding your non-working email account to Mail in a new user account as a test. You can use the steps in How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac as a guide.
     

    All the best. 

  • by koi117,

    koi117 koi117 Mar 27, 2016 10:23 PM in response to koi117
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 27, 2016 10:23 PM in response to koi117

    Thank you very much for your help.

     

    I tried Safe Mode but the problem remained.

     

    So I set up another user account as you suggested with the link you gave me, without any problem and it worked entirely normally.

     

    But I still have one account - which is my main account - which I deleted from Mail and cannot restore as the message when I try to set it up again is cannot verify user name or password.

     

    This despite  the server web page having no problem when I user the account name and password.

     

    Although I have deleted the email account it would appear that remnants of it remain in Mail.

     

    I can log into the web server using the account name and password but cannot set it up in Mail again.

     

    If you have any further excellent ideas please do let me know.

     

    Thanks again for your help

  • by judysings,

    judysings judysings Mar 28, 2016 2:58 PM in response to koi117
    Community Specialists
    Mar 28, 2016 2:58 PM in response to koi117

    Hi koi117,
     

    Thanks for replying with more information about the issue. We're happy to help!
     

    Did you receive the "cannot verify user name or password" message when you tried to add your main email account in the new user account, too?
     

    If you did not receive that message in the new user account and all of your accounts worked normally, then it does seem like there are user preferences or settings causing a conflict in your original user account.
     

    If the issue is isolated to your original user account (and all email accounts worked normally in the new user account,) try removing old email password entries from El Capitan using these steps:
     

    1. Quit Mail if it's open. 
    2. Open Finder and choose Go > Utilities from the menu at the top of the screen.
    3. Open the Keychain Access application in Utilities.  
    4. Locate the search box in the top-right corner of Keychain Access. 
    5. Type the email address of the account that you haven't been able to re-add to Mail. 
    6. Delete any "application password" entries you find for this email account. 
    7. Open Mail and try to add the account again. 


    If you still can't add the account to Mail, you may want to contact Apple Support for more help at this stage. You can find the available contact methods at https://expresslane.apple.com/GetproductgroupList.action.
     

    Best Regards. 

  • by koi117,

    koi117 koi117 Mar 28, 2016 10:13 PM in response to judysings
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 28, 2016 10:13 PM in response to judysings

    Thank you very much for your advice.

     

    When I added the new user account I did not get Unable to verify account name and password. It it worked perfectly and I now have the new extra account

     

    Sadly having following your instructions when I come to reinstall the main email account with which I am having the problem I still get the Unable to verify account name or password.

     

    I do understand your logic and as you suggest there must be some preferences or settings for this one account that is causing conflict.

     

    Have you other suggestions?

     

    Thank you very much for all your trouble.