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Error 'Can't connect to the account "iCloud". Enter the password for user "".'

I'm at a loss - I've rebooted, reconnected - am receiving email - but when I try to send I get an error pop-up with this message "Can't connect to the account "iCloud". Enter the password for user "". "


Thank you for any suggestions/ideas!


Alice

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.12

Posted on May 31, 2022 7:12 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 1, 2022 8:55 AM

Hello ad0237,


For difficulties with sending email using iCloud on your Mac, you'll want to follow the steps below:


If you receive an alert when you send a message from your @icloud.com email address using Mail on your Mac

If you see an alert that says “This message could not be sent. It will remain in your Outbox until it can be sent.", make sure that iCloud is your Outgoing Mail Account.

1. Open Mail and choose Mail > Preferences.

2. Click the Accounts tab.

3. Select your iCloud email account.

4. Click the Server Settings tab. If iCloud isn't listed as the Outgoing Mail Account, select iCloud.
If you choose Edit SMTP Server List, you won't see your iCloud account listed as an option.


You can also find those steps in this resource: If iCloud Mail isn't working - Apple Support


Should that still persist, you'll want to reach out to Apple Support so they can look into this further: Contact - Official Apple Support


Take care.

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 1, 2022 8:55 AM in response to ad0237

Hello ad0237,


For difficulties with sending email using iCloud on your Mac, you'll want to follow the steps below:


If you receive an alert when you send a message from your @icloud.com email address using Mail on your Mac

If you see an alert that says “This message could not be sent. It will remain in your Outbox until it can be sent.", make sure that iCloud is your Outgoing Mail Account.

1. Open Mail and choose Mail > Preferences.

2. Click the Accounts tab.

3. Select your iCloud email account.

4. Click the Server Settings tab. If iCloud isn't listed as the Outgoing Mail Account, select iCloud.
If you choose Edit SMTP Server List, you won't see your iCloud account listed as an option.


You can also find those steps in this resource: If iCloud Mail isn't working - Apple Support


Should that still persist, you'll want to reach out to Apple Support so they can look into this further: Contact - Official Apple Support


Take care.

Jun 1, 2022 12:24 PM in response to ad0237

I noticed you seem to be on MacOS 10.12. If that is indeed the case, you may have an expired certificate in your Keychain.


The certificate in question is the Apple IST CA 2 - G1 cert from the Apple PKI (Apple PKI - Apple) site. Apple has recently placed a new version there that expires in 2025. If yours, as shown in your Keychain Access, has expired, try downloading the new version and install it by double clicking on the downloaded cert. Then reboot and test again.


If this cert issue does not apply to you, then there is some other issue.

Error 'Can't connect to the account "iCloud". Enter the password for user "".'

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