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bellsouth.net email not working iOS 14.4.1

After updating to iOS 14.4.1 one of my 2 Bellsouth.net (ATT) email accounts stopped working. It keeps saying the password has not been entered, which of course I’ve entered a dozen times. ATT says it is an Apple issue, since I can access the account on my computer. All advice appreciated!

iPhone 11

Posted on Mar 12, 2021 8:33 PM

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Posted on Apr 17, 2021 7:41 PM

Hi Sandy,


I just spent the last hour scavenging the internet with the same problem.

Lawrence's info clicked with something I read in the beginning, there is something you need called "secure mail key"

you get this when you log into att.com with your bellsouth.net ID.


Go to Profile

-> Scroll to bottom of page, left side under My Linked Accounts

---->Click "Manage Secure Email Key"

-------> Name it: "IPhone" (or whatever), then click next and a key will come on the screen.

------------>Start the process of creating a new email account with the other option from the beginning and us the Secure email key for your password and the iPhone will do the rest.

52 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Apr 17, 2021 7:41 PM in response to SandyJ2021

Hi Sandy,


I just spent the last hour scavenging the internet with the same problem.

Lawrence's info clicked with something I read in the beginning, there is something you need called "secure mail key"

you get this when you log into att.com with your bellsouth.net ID.


Go to Profile

-> Scroll to bottom of page, left side under My Linked Accounts

---->Click "Manage Secure Email Key"

-------> Name it: "IPhone" (or whatever), then click next and a key will come on the screen.

------------>Start the process of creating a new email account with the other option from the beginning and us the Secure email key for your password and the iPhone will do the rest.

Apr 18, 2021 7:32 AM in response to Premeau

Premeau wrote:

Hi Sandy,

I just spent the last hour scavenging the internet with the same problem.
Lawrence's info clicked with something I read in the beginning, there is something you need called "secure mail key"
you get this when you log into att.com with your bellsouth.net ID.

Go to Profile
-> Scroll to bottom of page, left side under My Linked Accounts
---->Click "Manage Secure Email Key"
-------> Name it: "IPhone" (or whatever), then click next and a key will come on the screen.
------------>Start the process of creating a new email account with the other option from the beginning and us the Secure email key for your password and the iPhone will do the rest.

That is incredibly helpful. Do you mind if I reuse your post for others with this problem?


Apr 15, 2021 7:22 AM in response to lirose

I had the same problem on March 10 when IOS updated on my Iphone. My bellsouth email not working - saying password not entered (even though I did) -- I deleted account (as instructed above) and re-entered Imap server data, etc. Still saying same thing -- password not entered - even though it shows password in there? Help.....

Apr 17, 2021 8:22 AM in response to Jimbo_007

My Bellsouth email also quit working after the IOS update in March 2021. It’s also saying password not entered and of course the password is there. I too deleted the account and tried to reenter the account but it will not accept it due to the password problem. The account is accessible on my Windows based laptop and was working fine on my iPhone and iPad until the last update. PLEASE HELP.

Apr 17, 2021 8:33 AM in response to SandyJ2021

I’ve seen a lot of complaints about Bellsouth email lately. If you have 2 factor authentication on your AT&T account you need to create an application-specific password for your email account on your phone. I don’t know if that’s the problem, but it’s something to consider.


I’ve read that you can’t create a new Bellsouth email account, but existing accounts are grandfathered.

Apr 18, 2021 7:44 AM in response to lirose

Thanks. This doesn’t work for me. I cannot log into AT&T with my Bellsouth account as I no longer have them as a provider, even though my email account was working before update. Several years ago I had received an email from Yahoo! that they were taking over service of AT&T’s email so I set up a new password with them for my Bellsouth account. This sounds crazy but that works on my Windows laptop through the Yahoo currently login. BUT on my iPhone my old password for Bellsouth on the att.net did work before the update.

Apr 24, 2021 9:18 AM in response to Premeau

Hi Premeau.

THIS DOES WORK!! Thanks so much!

I wanted to provide you and the discussion panel with an update. When lirose posted earlier that this worked I couldn’t log into AT&T due to a password issue. Because my Bellsouth account was grandfathered in I had been able to retrieve my email on my iPhone with an old password (prior to this last update) even though a few years ago I set up a different password when I had received an email to do so from Currently (AT&T Yahoo). So now everything is working. Thanks also lirose for your explanation of your process of adding the secured email key.

Apr 24, 2021 6:29 PM in response to lirose

Att tells me to use browser instead of Apple Mail App on my iPhone and IPad. They say their working on fixing it. Yahoo/ATT switched something (Currently?) and now I can’t add my ATT email to APPLE Mail App using the Yahoo choice. I also tried the “Other” choice but I haven’t been able to get the correct answers to the Ingoing Mail Server and the Outgoing Mail Server yet. Does anybody know them?


I prefer to use Oauth instead of SecureKey too!

Att support at first wanted me to set up a key, but after reading more, I see the Apple Mail App has Oauth in it.


The lack of good communication coming from our vendors about this Email problem is also very sad. I would hope both Apple and Att would send out communications to each of us that have been effected. Both should know who we are that are using the Apple Mail App for Att email. These have been my two most trusted I.T. Vendors.


I think Apple Mail may need to be updated to handle changes for Att email.

Currently.ATT?


Anybody at Apple or ATT that can get with Apple/ATT to get Apple Mail working correctly again with the New ATT email settings?

Thanks

Apr 24, 2021 7:03 PM in response to ask_ford

By the way I’m on 14.4.2 and have had no problems using Apple Mail since I went on 14.4.2 with getting and sending my ATT email using Apple App.

my problems started when I was on a desktop and changed my password. When I tried to enter the New password on my IPhone and IPad, the ATT/Yahoo side gets misdirected and lost! Yes I could switch to secure key but WHY? ATT has stated Oauth is more Secure than using a security key. I read that on ATT.com And on ATT.com it says the APPLE Mail APP uses Oauth, so we shouldn’t have to switch to a security key. BUT somebody doesn’t have the connections between APPLE Mail and Currently ATT Yahoo Email working with Oauth, it seems? I prefer they get it fix, and I want to use the more secure method of Security that ATT prefers and I think APPLE also prefers, Oauth, instead of secure key. That was their original intent, I believe, from what I read on ATT.COM

My Yahoo email account is still functioning properly using APPLE Mail APP. I haven’t had to change anything on it. Why ATT, and not YAHOO too?

I would expect Yahoo to use the better security method too, Oauth.


I still ask, anybody at ATT or APPLE know when this problem with Apple Mail and ATT email Currently... will be fixed?

Thanks

Apr 25, 2021 7:50 AM in response to ask_ford

I too didn’t have any trouble with my Bellsouth email until the last Apple update. But I have had password problems due to AT&T taking over Bellsouth and Currently/Yahoo servicing the email. That’s why I changed my primary email account to a different provider. The imap and smtp settings are: mail.att.net. The password to obtain the email on your Apple device is the secure email key you create on att.com

bellsouth.net email not working iOS 14.4.1

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