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iPhone cannot verify server identity

Today whenever I enter my e-mail on iOS 10, iPhone 7 a message pops up with 'cannot verify server identity'...previosly this gave you the option to continue, details or cancel...now on iOS 10 the continue option has been dropped so I cannot simply click and get my e-mails...does anyone know how to fix? I have searched online with no joy as all are much older versions of iOS. or based on safari issues.

[Re-Titled by Host]

iPhone 7, iOS 10.0.3

Posted on Oct 19, 2016 1:33 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 29, 2017 6:27 AM

Today, I ran into the same issue with a co-worker of mine.

Somehow he couldn't setup his mail account on his iPhone, while it is running without any issues on mine.

On my iPhone i could select the Trust certificate option while creating the new Exchange account, while the Trust-option wasn't available on his phone.

At first I thought it might be the iOS version (10.2.1 vs 10.3), but I have the account running on my iPhone for over a year already.


The other difference was the WiFi being used: WEP-security on his phone and WPA2 security on mine.

After adding the SSID with WPA2 on his phone, and recreating the account, suddenly the Trust option was there as well.

This is confirmed in Certificate "Not Trusted" on iPhone.

Now it's running like a charm

126 replies

Dec 13, 2016 5:26 AM in response to GolfProAL

PARTIALLY SOLVED: Problem started with iOS 10.1.1. I upgraded to 10.2 with no impact. Turning WIFI off and accessing mail via cellular on iPhone activates "continue" option, solving the issue for me. Problem did not reoccur when reactivating WIFI, seeming to solve the problem. I have the same problem on my iPad, (iOS 10.2). As I don't have cellular service, I have been unable to resolve this on the iPad.


This is an Apple bug. Not providing "Continue" option on "Cannot verify server identity" when connected via WIFI. Hope this solves the issue for all iOS devices with cellular service. Spread the word if this works for you.

Dec 13, 2016 3:01 PM in response to Lurch57

Also experiencing this problem with my iPhone 6s with iOS 10.1.1 and 10.2, connecting to an IMAP server running Postfix and Dovecot and using TLS for both.


Problem began after updating SSL certificate issued by CAcert. Note that CAcert is not listed in the default iOS root certificates, but is installed as a Profile. This combination has always worked before.


I tried deleting the mail account, rebooting the iPhone 6s, and re-setting up the email account. No go with iOS 10.1.1. Updated to iOS 10.2 and repeated email account setup. Incoming server Cannot Verify Server Identity dialog did have the Continue button this time, but outgoing (SMTP) server only gives me Details and Cancel option, no Continue option.


Server log shows that a TLS connection was established, but it then times-out after a while, waiting on the iPhone...


Is there any way to get the outgoing server Cannot Verify Server Identity dialog to give a Continue option?

Dec 15, 2016 3:38 AM in response to GolfProAL

I figured this out for a friend having the same issue.

What you can do is launch Safari and navigate to the https url of the server address.

Eg. https://my.server.com

You will be prompted with a security warning here and can press details then 'Trust' at the top right corner.

Close Safari and run through email wizard again (or just reenter password if account already saved) and you will again have the option to press continue for this server.

Dec 28, 2016 6:32 AM in response to GolfProAL

Apple definitely has some things to work out with this issue. Not only do they no longer have the Continue button available (which basically just auto-switched it to non-SSL) but they no longer have a way to accept the certificate when you view the SSL certificate details. This all tends to be related to SMTP, not incoming (but can work for both).


The issue usually comes from misaligned certificates or using the wrong type of security protocol with that certificate.


Potential ways to fix the issue:


1. change the authentication type to password (I think it tries to default to MD5 or something) and make sure you are using the proper username and password


2. use the ISP's actual mail server name (many shared hosting services will tell you your mail domain is "mail.yourdomain.com" but it's not that way on the certificate - it's usually "mail.theISPdomain.com" on the certificate, so it cannot validate.) ... if you do switch to this, you definitely will require your full email address as the username


3. Turn off all SSL until Apple addresses the issue.




@APPLE : you need to either allow the ability to accept the SSL certificate that is available on the server, or to continue and auto-switch to non-SSL as before. You are not going to force ISPs (especially shared hosting environments) to buy a certificate for each domain and it's not feasible for them to order multi-domain certificate when they don't know what domains they will host on a daily basis. You need to follow some modicum of accepted IT networking principals.


@APPLE : While we are on the subject of email ... you also need to stop this anal requirement of inputting incoming and outgoing credentials separately. 99.9% of all mail services are combined and use the same settings for both. You are the only OS and mail client that still requires separate entry, which is really confusing for many people. You should still have an Advanced section where this can be adjusted in the off chance it is required, but for most you should just be setting everything in one swoop during setup. The notion of separate inbound and outbound servers hasn't been used in decades now, except in specialized environments. You also do not require "extra SMTP servers". That was a very old requirement when ISPs used to only let people on their own network use their mail service. That type of validation (again) hasn't been used in decades, especially with the mobile universe we are now living in.

Dec 30, 2016 2:12 PM in response to Lurch57

This didn't work for me. Whether on wifi or cellular, I get the same error when attempting to send. Incoming mail is fine; works like it always did. Luckily I don't have this issue on my MacBook when using Outlook. Cant send with Mail app although it doesn't give the same error; just a generic can't send. This could be something else altogether though.


I used to get the warning and could continue. I think Apple is trying to protect us too much by taking that option away. Everything worked fine before the update as note in the various postings in the thread.

Jan 21, 2017 7:48 AM in response to LesleyNu

Indeed, the only way two times in a row to make my mail live again – to remove mailbox from iOS. Then go to smtp severs in Outgoing Mail and remove that old smtp server, that have left after mailbox deletion. Especially easy it is if you have some deferent mailboxes.

You may reboot after it.

Then set up your box again.

It worked well for few people.

Jan 26, 2017 12:21 PM in response to GolfProAL

This is definitely a problem with iOS 10 and the iPhone 7.


I have the exact same email accounts on both my iPhone and my iPad. Both run the same version of iOS 10.2.1.


When my email certificates were updated by my email service (Dreamhost), I got the same untrusted error on both devices.


Under Details on my iPad, the Trust button appeared and worked fine.


Under Details on my iPhone, the Trust button is missing.


It appears that Apple forgot to include the Trust button on the iPhone.


Please Advise.

Jan 26, 2017 7:16 PM in response to Brian Bard

I had this Same Problem and what I kept doing was Deleting email and then adding back, but that didn't fix

So after a lot of trouble shooting this was what Solved it so I could get the Continue to be able to Trust Certificate

1st Delete the Email Account that's giving you Trouble


2nd Go back to Settings and then Mail then Click on Accounts then click on another email account that you have on there click on it then Outgoing Mail Server

After getting to the Outgoing Mail Server Click on the Email that you deleted in 1st step then Scoll down and

Delete the Server!

3rd and Last Re Add Email Account and the Contiue will pop up to Verify Server


If you need help feel free to message me

Mar 9, 2017 2:57 PM in response to GolfProAL

Note: this fixes the issue of "cannot verify server identity" having no Continue/Details-Trust buttons when creating an Exchangemail account. This also assumes you have already reset your network information.This seems bonkers. Just go with me, I promise you.


Solution as of 03/09/2017 for EXCHANGE accounts:


- Mail -> Accounts -> Add New Account -> Exchange

- Type in random characters (like 'a') in the email address and password fields and click Continue

- Type in random characters in the email address, passwords, and username fields.

- TYPE IN YOUR CORRECT SERVER INFORMATION (ie: mail.domain.org)

- Click Next

- TADAH! Click Details -> Trust

- You will receive an error message saying invalid username/password; Change all other fields (domain, email address, username, password) to the correct credentials.

- Presto kablamo, you got yourself a working account.


My only thoughts as to why this is a thing is maybe IOS devices query the username/email/password information prior to asking the domain if it has a certificate.. Your domain will respond "Well, yes, this information is correct that you have provided me", and the IOS device will think WELL SUPER GOSH THANKS! and not hear the domain when it says "here's your certificate". In doing it the way above, the username/email/password information is incorrect, so the domain goes "Nope! But here's a cert" to which your device says, Well phooey. Hey thanks for the certificate Maybe they typed their info incorrectly?


shrug. This works.

iPhone cannot verify server identity

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