Level 1

37 points

This message has not been downloaded from the server.

iphone emails: exchange: This message has not been downloaded from the server.

I am an I.T. admin who also runs the network and email server. This error on the iphone about the messages not being downloaded is bogus.

In the older IOS versions I would get the same error message, however, when you touch and hold the email message, it would preview the entire email because the iphone had in fact actually downloaded the message.

Now in the latest IOS, apple has disabled the preview to hide the fact that the message was actually downloaded.

I did a network packet capture on the mail server using my phone’s IP address while I downloaded email on my phone.

I can confirm 100% that when the iphone did not display a email message, it had already downloaded that message according to the email server logs and also the fact that whenever I would refresh the messages back and forth, switching between messages until the message actually displayed, the iphone never once talked to the mail server before the message was actually displayed.

I was able to reproduce this test over and over again to prove to other iphone users that their iphone never communicated with the mail server again before magically working out how to display the message that has an error message of “This message has not been downloaded from the server.”

This problem is an IOS issue that needs to be solved.

If this problem is not addressed in the next IOS update, the end users are going to see this for what it is.

Don’t simply blame the end user’s non apple / not icloud / email solution / email server / third party email.

It is an strange situation that apple’s own icloud accounts don’t get the same error message.

It is a strange situation that the previous IOS version would allow you to touch and hold the message that could not be downloaded and it would fully display the contents of the message until we let go. It is very strange that the preview feature has now been disabled in the new IOS versions.

Fix the problem and stop trying to make people feel like they should have to use an apple icloud account because their own email solution is inferior to apple’s….

I am interested in sharing my findings with others and with apple.

iPhone 12 Pro Max

Posted on Aug 15, 2023 6:10 AM

Top-ranking reply

nige44

Level 1

14 points

Posted on Jun 20, 2024 3:29 AM

I have the same issue on my iPad, which uses Apples own email app. I have two fixes.

On the iPad, select Reply and the message magically appears. It remains visible even after cancelling the reply.
On my iPhone, I use the Outlook email app. In this, I never get ‘not downloaded’.

I think this is appalling behaviour from Apple because in an increasingly digital world we receive many things (event passes, QR codes for parking, flight details) be email that we simply present on the device at the point we need to; check-in, or a concert gate etc. And almost all of these will be booked well in advance.

My own example is that I have booked a holiday to celebrate my wife’s birthday and received QR codes for the car park and the hotel reservation, four events, a restaurant booking and a link to prepay for a gluten free cake three days before we arrive (my wife is coeliac). I have just been to check everything, which I booked in January 2024, and on my iPad “message not downloaded”. I checked my phone…there they are! On the iPad, I clicked Reply and the whole message appeared, codes, QRs and the necessary link. I cancelled the Reply and the email contents remained on screen so I can use the link to pay for the cake. I then went through all the other emails and had to Reply to see them all too.

It must be date-related, but that is very poor from Apple.

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95 replies

Darth151

Level 1

10 points

Feb 11, 2024 6:27 AM in response to Springnuts

I’ve done everything that’s been advised and still the issue continues. The Yahoo app itself is working perfectly. It does appear to be an iOS issue. Also finding more and more that the blame for issues seems to be put as everyone else’s fault and not an Apple one. Refreshing to see that I’m not the only one with this problem.

Techimum

Level 1

8 points

Feb 25, 2024 4:31 AM in response to isochromanone

I have the exact same issue with Yahoo Mail. iPhone 11 works consistently, iPhone 13 also. My iPad Pro however with yahoo Mail results in this rather annoying issue so I have to then either use the yahoo app or go via the web which means which was fine back in the 90s not so when I have a small fortune of modern Apple tech.

Apple whether this is your issue or that of one of the major email vendors, take some responsibility and please find a solution that works.

cookn

Level 1

10 points

Mar 2, 2024 6:32 AM in response to Sipizen

Is there a fix to this? This has been an issue for YEARS. If the message does not download in the specified amount of time, it just stops trying and the “this message has not been downloaded” screen displays. There should be way to keep the app downloading, or force download the email. Extremely frustrating when I check my email on my phone and it won’t show up, and then I have to go to my desktop and it’s visible to view and respond, no problem. This has been an issue for as long as I can remember - internet speeds vary, the app should not just time out if the top speeds are not achieved right away. Worse than when we had dial up!

Mar 6, 2024 1:02 PM in response to Sipizen

This happens to me all too often when there is an attachment! It’s unacceptable. Sometimes it will open on either the Apple iPad or the Apple iPhone but not both! Def an Apple issue and only started about a year ago for me.

Mar 9, 2024 3:51 AM in response to Springnuts

Update: March 2024. This is now being actively pursued by Apple. They recognise that there is a problem, and we were able to reproduce it with a test email from the Apple engineer. They are now trying to find the source of the problem.

Mar 17, 2024 4:14 AM in response to Sipizen

I fixed it. !!!

too many emails

i went to yahoo mail

searched for Macys

press search

then edit

then either delete one at a time or for fast action lightly touch top left of screen ren ringer down to bottom and hold it there and all of the Macy ads I had do previously deleted were highlighter

press delete

Using this technique with other others I deleted well over 1000 emails and not yahoo works fine on my iphone

Mar 17, 2024 4:19 AM in response to Sipizen

This worked too many emails saved

went to yahoo mail

searched for Macys

press search

then edit

then either delete one at a time or for fast action lightly touch top left of screen ren ringer down to bottom and hold it there and all of the Macy ads I had do previously deleted were highlighter

press delete

Using this technique with other others I deleted well over 1000 emails and not yahoo works fine on my iphone

Less

Mar 17, 2024 12:57 PM in response to Dizzyd12

I have been working with a IT person called Aaron for the past week. We were on the phone for over 3 hours and tried everything. Deleting the app, powering down, fiddling about with the settings etc. Nothing worked. I keep sending him screenshots of my “empty” emails and links to comments on this page (so that he is aware of the fact that it is a bigger issue than just mine). I’ve advised that it works fine when I go onto the yahoo mail website, just doesn’t work through the apps.

He seems to be trying to work out what’s wrong but nothing yet. I’m hoping it will be resolved shortly. Let’s see!

Mar 18, 2024 7:05 AM in response to Sipizen

I see this problem has been around for a long time and yet Apple hasn’t fixed the problem. What does it take to get this fixed? Rather ridiculous I think that so many users of Apples products find a problem and nothing is done to fix it.

Mar 26, 2024 5:19 AM in response to Sipizen

Thanks for posting this. I get the error message all the time and it is beyond frustrating. I have tried everything to resolve it and yet it persists. It is now simply a game of chance as to which messages display. Ridiculous

wilby288

Level 1

12 points

Apr 5, 2024 5:47 AM in response to Sipizen

my emails are not downloading again this has been happened for months. Iv even got the latest iPhone something needs to be done. It’s frustrating and I need these for work. Iv done everything possible to fix this. Apple please sort this

Amigemma

Level 1

8 points

Apr 18, 2024 2:48 AM in response to Sipizen

Wow thought this was just me , it’s been happening on my phone now for around 6 months , it’s the most frustrating this ever, I also very much rely on my emails daily , and need to be able to access them in the move ,

is there actually a solution to resolve this problem??

Apr 22, 2024 5:13 AM in response to Sipizen

Wow! I thought something was wrong with my phone, password etc! Email I use is on the yahoo and associated with yahoo server- I have iPhone 11 Pro Max- emails- Account error can’t download from server!!! Been receiving more and more frequent! It’s beyond frustrating!! I immediately log directly into my email on website and it’s fine - We SHOULD NOT have to go through this! I swipe up mail app- retype password in - then maybe after few minutes or hours works - then all happens again in a few days- hours / never know

Apple needs to fix - we all have so much important information coming in on our emails - So sad for the amount of money we pay they cannot fix this issue

jmfrmtxi

Level 1

13 points

Apr 24, 2024 7:03 PM in response to Sipizen

Two things about mail . #1 half my mail goes straight to JUNK. It gets worse with each upgrade. #2 I keep getting the message that my mail has not been downloaded by the server. This has also gotten worse with eac IOS upgrade. This even happens to ky Apple News.

js3357

Level 1

12 points

May 22, 2024 9:45 AM in response to Sipizen

I’m having the exact same problem. Missing many important documents and nothing is resolving the issue! I’m so fed up I’m contemplating going back to the other side. At least there I never missed any emails or downloads.

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This message has not been downloaded from the server.