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ov10mech Author

Level 1

19 points

Annoying imap.gmail.com is not responding.

I have been unable to resolve this after trying many suggestions on the web. This is a Verizon IPhone 4S. Daily I get this message and it's usually when I change from 3G data to wireless or the opposite. I have no problems with data other than GMAIL. The message I get is "The mail server imap.gmail.com is not responding. Verify that you have entered the correct account info in the mail Settings". See SnapShot Attached.

I am running IOS 5.1.1

The only way I can resolve the problem is to reboot the phone and it starts working again.

These are all the things I have tried to resolve it.

Deleted and recreated gmail account several times (works temporaily then problem returns)
Tried changing IMAP server from imap.gmail.com to imap.googlemail.com (works then problem returns again)
Tried the Google Unlock CAPTCHA suggestion
I am using IMAP vs Exchange account setup on the Iphone becuase I need to send email as another identity. When I switch to Active Synch it is much faster, works better, but I see no way to send as another email account using that setup. I have my personal email account forwarded to GMAIL. I also have my personal email as my primary ID in gmail. Regardless, the Iphone sends as the gmail.com account instead of my personal alias.

Please let me know if anyone has any suggestions.

Posted on Aug 8, 2012 7:31 AM

229 replies

fromsouth

Level 5

4,945 points

Dec 13, 2013 1:23 PM in response to ov10mech

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/78761?hl=en

kdeisher

Level 1

5 points

Dec 13, 2013 1:34 PM in response to ov10mech

I removed Gmail and turned off mail in my iCloud account which was also my Gmail address and I am still getting the "Cannot Get Mail...the connection to the server failed." *** is wrong with this stupid iPhone all of the sudden?

Dec 14, 2013 7:41 AM in response to ov10mech

As a workaround i downloaded the Gmail app from the app store and it works fine as long as Gmail is not set as your default email account in general settings.

Dec 15, 2013 5:48 AM in response to Rabyd07

Ah yes, totally forgot I enabled 2-step verification on google. I entered the 12 character password that google generates into the password field on my iphone for accessing my google account. It worked!

irinaaxi

Level 1

0 points

Dec 18, 2013 11:15 PM in response to ov10mech

**** gmail. All stopped sending, even on my stationery computer, copies of emails are sitting in the outbox. I will quit google

faridbe

Level 1

1 points

Feb 27, 2014 12:45 AM in response to ov10mech

I FOUND A SOLUTION!!!

Go to settings in Gmail and disable IMAP, click save changes, and the enable it and of course click save changes again.

Tnee315

Level 1

0 points

Feb 28, 2014 10:05 AM in response to ov10mech

I received an email yesterday that my GMAIL Account had suspicous sign on activity and the IP address was in Japan, so when i tried to sign on it made me change my password, so i changed my password using my computer at home, but when i tried to change the password from my phone Iphone 4 i got the same error. So from my desktop i went to my Google settings and disable the two step sign on feature. now my email is working again on my phone.. fingers crossed.

Tnee315

Level 1

0 points

Feb 28, 2014 10:05 AM in response to faridbe

dang it just saw this!!

Mar 21, 2014 5:19 PM in response to jeweles95

That link didn't work for me,so I found a video on Youtube that resolved the issue:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnUot4WtqaE

hype23

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2014 8:45 AM in response to ov10mech

MAKE sure you have the WI-FI turned on........ :/

I was a complete fool when I realised that it didn't work because I didn't have Internet access

DBoltzZ

Level 1

0 points

Apr 9, 2014 8:15 AM in response to ov10mech

Dont need to disable IMAP

Go to your setting account

https://www.google.com/settings/security

Security -> App passwords -> Settings

create a special password for the device

Works for me.

islphrs

Level 1

0 points

May 10, 2014 2:18 PM in response to hype23

Yes, this method does work.

Even though on the app-specific passwords page, Google claims that,

Some applications that work outside a browser aren't yet compatible with 2-step verification and cannot ask for verification codes, for example:

Apps on smartphones such as Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, etc..

Ignore that message from Google. The app-specific passwords fixes this issue on iphone 5s (iOS 7.1.1)

May 14, 2014 8:29 PM in response to ov10mech

Hi everyone. You can resolve this issue by just simple turning off your

2-step verification from your Google account, go to

https://www.google.com/accounts/b/0/SmsAuthConfig

and click "Turn off 2-step verification...

If you would like to keep 2-step verification enabled, in order for your phone to receive email you will likely need to use or Install Google Authenticator on your application store and you need to login you gmail account by going to your mobile browser > www.gmail.com > once logged in just go to account setting then there is a blue link for 2-step verification and there are help buttons there that you can press to set this up.

So it is really easy Ü

Hope this helps,

janeth

May 15, 2014 2:38 AM in response to ov10mech

Same exact problem.

Started yesterday for me (in Spain, if that matters).

No change yet.

iPad Mini Retina is affected.

iPhone 4 is not.

MacBook Air… not sure - don't use it much.

Both handheld devices are running iOS 7.1.1.

All devices are on the same network(s).

All networks are affected.

Go figure.

I expect it will be resolved soon by an unseen hand, with none of us the wiser.

Jun 23, 2014 12:02 PM in response to Doug in Toronto

This is the one that finally worked. Thanks to "Doug from Toronto"!

Problem:

"Cannot Get Mail. The mail server "imap.gmail.com" is not responding. Verify that you have entered the correct account into in Mail settings."
Only occurs with iOS Mail app & iMessage.
Only occurs with one particular WiFi network. Doesn't occur with 3G, 4G or most WiFi networks.

Solution That Worked For Me When Nothing Else Would:

Go to Settings>General [Then scroll down]>Reset>Reset All Settings
None of the other fixes worked, but this worked for me on iOS 6.1.3. I doesn't erase anything, and I did not have to re-enter the gmail settings, but I did have to re-enter the gmail password.
Other settings that had to be re-entered included, the setting to use Passcode, the time before Passcode is required again after lock (because immediately is annoying) and my WiFi password.

You will probably loose other saved WiFi passwords, but it's a small price to pay to have gmail working again.

Annoying imap.gmail.com is not responding.