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Q: iPhone mail account retains wrong username

iPhone is capable of allowing more than one mail account.  I am trying to have three: iCloud mail, Gmail, and email on a custom domain.  Email used to work on the custom domain, but I changed domains and it now receives email but fails to send with an error indicating it's still trying to use the wrong/old username despite the fact I updated it.

One of the email accounts used to be on a ".us" domain I bought, email hosted by Zoho (mail.zoho.com).  I bought a ".family" domain and let the ".us" domain expire, and then I updated my Zoho email hosting for all users to be on the new domain.  Webmail works fine, and email on iPhone using the Zoho mail app also works fine.  My own email also works fine, including on my iPhone mail.  But my wife's email will receive but not send, getting the error about the username or password being wrong, and it shows it's still using the old username.

I looked at her iPhone mail account settings and it was indeed updated, and showed the correct username (as per my earlier update); so it made no sense why the send mail action would fail, still using the wrong username not given in the settings.  I deleted the Zoho mail account entirely from her iPhone, rebooted her phone, and then re-added the Zoho mail account as a new account with the correct details on the ".family" domain.  Then went to send a new test email: but it's still hanging on to the wrong username, and thus fails to send mail.

I got a screenshot of the screen while re-adding the account, and of the confirmation screen, showing that I set the new username correctly, and those all passed all the checks.  Account set up successfully.  But then go to send a test email from ".family" domain and it tells that the ".us" username is still in use and incorrect specifically for outgoing email.  I don't see that wrong username specified anywhere for incoming or outgoing email.  It's right in the settings.  Why would it use the "wrong" settings when sending?

iPhone 6, iOS 9.3.2

Posted on Jun 3, 2016 8:56 AM

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Q: iPhone mail account retains wrong username

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  • by mabaeyens,

    mabaeyens mabaeyens Jun 3, 2016 9:05 AM in response to ImaMember
    Level 4 (1,986 points)
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    Jun 3, 2016 9:05 AM in response to ImaMember

    Although my first bet was on DNS records, I guess all DNS records have been updated accordingly, and that if you or any family member log via webmail, they can both send and receive emails correctly? If yes, can you send, not using iPhone Mail but any other app or web service emails to that ".family" account? Say from your iCloud account to that one. Do they get there?

     

    Maybe you are using that account for something else and you need to sign out and in again?

    Like in What to do after you change your Apple ID email address or password - Apple Support

  • by ImaMember,

    ImaMember ImaMember Jun 3, 2016 9:23 AM in response to mabaeyens
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 3, 2016 9:23 AM in response to mabaeyens

    Thank you @mabaeyens.  The email does work for all users via webmail, and also on iOS devices via the Zoho mail app from the app store.  All other users are fine with their accounts.  My wife's iPhone is the one device that fails, and only for sending.  It hasn't changed when I updated settings, nor when I deleted the account, rebooted, and added a new account.  On her iPhone via mail she can work with iCloud mail and Gmail, and with this Zoho mail account she can receive but not send.  Yet if she opens Zoho mail app, or webmail in Safari, then it works for both send and receive.

    iPhone should not be "holding" the wrong username like it is.

  • by mabaeyens,

    mabaeyens mabaeyens Jun 3, 2016 9:57 AM in response to ImaMember
    Level 4 (1,986 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 3, 2016 9:57 AM in response to ImaMember

    I can only think of recreating her account in the new system, if that does not mean loss of information. If it does, at least change her password and try to see whether her device takes the new settings.

  • by ImaMember,

    ImaMember ImaMember Jun 3, 2016 10:09 AM in response to mabaeyens
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 3, 2016 10:09 AM in response to mabaeyens

    What new system?  new iPhone?  meaning iPhone Mail cannot be made to work on her existing iPhone with the Zoho account?  Else I could erase all settings and data and set her phone up as a new phone, and then add it, but was hoping to leave that as a last resort.

  • by mabaeyens,

    mabaeyens mabaeyens Jun 3, 2016 10:12 AM in response to ImaMember
    Level 4 (1,986 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 3, 2016 10:12 AM in response to ImaMember

    I agree with the last resort.

     

    I meant in your Zoho control panel or wherever you manage the ".family" email accounts, change her password to force the iPhone to communicate again with the server and get the new settings, adding the account with a new, different password.

  • by ImaMember,

    ImaMember ImaMember Jun 3, 2016 10:17 AM in response to mabaeyens
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 3, 2016 10:17 AM in response to mabaeyens

    I can try that.  Do you think that will also kick it into picking up the correct username?  Else it seems it is holding onto a cached username.  I think that's what you're saying, so I will try that and will report back.

  • by Martin-iPhoneguide,

    Martin-iPhoneguide Martin-iPhoneguide Jun 20, 2016 11:53 AM in response to ImaMember
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 20, 2016 11:53 AM in response to ImaMember

    I have had the same problem. Changing the password on the served solved the problem.

  • by ImaMember,

    ImaMember ImaMember Jun 27, 2016 11:30 AM in response to Martin-iPhoneguide
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 27, 2016 11:30 AM in response to Martin-iPhoneguide

    This has not solved my issue, sadly.  The Zoho app and webmail still work.  With the Zoho control panel I changed the application-specific password (the mail account uses two-factor verification) and then on the iPhone I created a new mail account using the new password.  Creating the account was a success, but sending still fails.  I then verified the Zoho mail iPhone app and the webmail work well.  I welcome any advice so that I won't need to either not use this mail account in her settings (just use the app or webmail) or so that I won't need to reset all content and settings to get the iPhone to work with this mail account.