CenturyLink email stopped connecting after 18.1.1 update

I also was having problems with my Centurylink mail. I subscribed to the Centurylink email plus cost $5.99 a month. You have the option to forward email. I made me a Gmail account added it to the mail app and set it as default. shame have to pay for but at least I can view my mail without logging in the webmail. There’s a glitch somewhere that neither one knows how to resolve after the iOS update. I also have 18.1.1 This is another option Maybe one day will start back working and I will cancel the subscription

This is also what CenturyLink wrote me on the support chat. They said they don't fix third-party software. I can log into their web site and read my mail there, not ideal, but a work around.

I cannot receive emails, IMAP failure after updating Apple IOS-18.1. Message says server not responding. Provider centurylink says this is a widespread problem after above IOS update?

VPN has nothing to do with the account. If you have installed ANY VPN app that can cause problems with email (and many other functions).

If you tell us what you tried, maybe someone can find one that you missed.

However, the most likely reason is your username and password for the email accounts are not correct.

What mail providers do you use, such as iCloud, AOL, Outlook, MS Exchange, Yahoo, Verizon mail, AT&T mail, etc., and do you have the problem with all of them or just one of them?

ErikTalgoy wrote:

I have the same issue with Gmail after updating to 18.1.1. No new mail and just says connecting....

Have you tried deleting the account, and adding it back? Go to Settings/Apps/Mail/Accounts and tap on the account to reach the Delete button, then tap Add Account.

So one disappointing result of using POP3 instead of IMAP is that the mail app doesn't give you access to any of the sub folders on your embarqmail account, and mail you delete on your phone stays in your embarqmail inbox on the server. If all you care about is fast access to your mail, use pop3. If you want your mail app to sync properly with the server you need to suffer along with imap.

Update I canceled Centurylink mail subscription and imported mail to my Gmail account from the Gmail app free Works fine however the regular mail app is also working now I like Gmail app better. Don’t like the regular mail app format.

What did CenturyLink say when you contacted them about your CenturyLink email not working?

I saw where someone said it could be the 18.1 update doesn’t recognize the server using the IMAP address and that it responds to POP3 server, but I don’t know how that “works”!

[Edited by Moderator]

Hello everyone,

I am having the same problems as you guys. I'm doing some work for a lady that has a centrurylink email and she is having the same problems as you all describe on her iPhone 13. For the people that have gotten it to start working, what server settings are you all using? I just want to verify those setting it to rule that out. These are the settings i have been using:

Username: example@centurylink.net

POP3 Server: pop.centurylink.net

POP3 Port: 995 (SSL/TLS)

IMAP4 Server: mail.centurylink.net

IMAP4 Port: 993 (SSL/TLS)

SMTP Server: smtp.centurylink.net

SMTP Port: 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)

After a day of frustration, centurytel emails still aren't working on 3 apple (iOS) devices when they were all working just fine prior to 18.1.1. I've updated to 18.2 - no change. I deleted the mail application, did a forced restart, re-entered the data and the emails from the account appeared but since then the account refuses to update. I've tried settings for IMAP - no change. I've tried settings for POP - no change. All settings were from the centurylink website and from comments above. For whatever reason, centurytel email servers just don't want to play with iOS. Yes, the password is fine as I can look up all email via webmail. If anyone found any other proven solution, I beg you for it!

My wife’s phone went through the 18.3 update and now she does not receive any CenturyLink emails. Can someone remind me how to reinstall CenturyLink as a POP account not IMAP on the iPhone? We tried removing and reinstalling, but it automatically installs as IMAP.

The old tip worked in April 2025 on my iMac OS 15.4.1 and iPhone SE OS 18.4.1 and allowed a switch to a POP account. My Centurylink mail comes in at warp speed now. This had been driving me crazy for months. Many thanks to you and Matt 1203.