"Cannot verify server identity" message from mail, iOS 10.2.1

Hi Jesse,

Another update, another casualty....... This is yet another case of Apple assuming you don't know what you're doing and "protecting" you from trusting a domain you possibly shouldn't - again, "possibly" is the key here, since as you know there are a lot of reasons why you might WANT to trust a valid certificate from a name that does not agree with the cert. I have a custom domain on Dreamhost and had the same problem.

Change your "outgoing mail server" for the account from mail.yourcustomdomain.com to homie.mail.dreamhost.com (Yes, that is a silly name, but you know Dreamhost) and the problem will go away without you having to delete anything.

You're not alone in your frustration - support and IOS in general are in a state of gradual decline for several years now. Apple is now in the business of pushing toys and fluff "features" while ignoring real issues, basically punishing you for trying to do "real work" with your devices. Formerly-working features are broken or removed without warning in almost every new update, but hey, think of the pretty balloons and all the new emoji you've got! Do a quick search for "apple core rot" to see a funny summary of the state of things (funny-sad, but at least good for a laugh).

Peace,

Boris

I had the same issue. I tried everything to avoid deleting all accounts. Then, I connected my usb to my desktop computer and let iTunes start, did an update to it, and, voila! - that cleared the error message. I did not have to delete any accounts or do anything to my phone.

Hopefully, this may help others who are still having this issue.

If you setup your email account in your iPhone/ipad manually, then go back to your host where you originally got all of that information, and verify it has not changed (incoming hostname, incoming port, outgoing hostname, outgoing port are the critical ones). My iPhone was giving this error all day, and it ended up that my host had most likely changed the client settings. Most hosting companies use a "cpanel", that is where your email client settings are. Or just contact your host.

I think my host was allowing me to use www.mywebsite.com for my incoming and outgoing server, but when I went to my "cpanel" and looked at the recommended client email settings, it was actually xxx.theirwebsite.biz. Once I changed that and updated a port that was wrong (had changed?), email started working again.

Bottom line, your host may have changed the email client settings you need.

I did not need to delete the account, I just needed to change the incoming and outgoing hosts.

I looked at many videos and posts on this mail issue.

this one actually works!!-

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

Thanks to "bearbeaty" the Legend

btw If you don't have a 2nd email account you may need to create a dummy one (as I did) so you can get to the "Outgoing Mail Server" section (to delete the problem account).

This worked for both my iPhone (10.3) and iPad (10.0.2)

omg, I know some people are trying to be helpful here, but please just don't repeat the same stuff (particularly when it doesn't work!)

Anyway, the reason you're seeing these issues is the SSL certificate being issued by the mail server you're connecting to doesn't have a name embedded in it that matching the mail server you've configured in iOS. (Previously you could tell iOS to ignore this and drive on, which is essentially telling iOS to accept what could be a fake or counterfeit certificate, meaning someone could be intercepting or altering your communications between you and the server - hello NSA, unscrupulous ISP's)

When you get the error message, go into the detail screen, near the top will be a name or list of names (including wildcards) the certificate is valid for. The mail server name you configure into iOS must match that, else you'll get the error.

To give an example, because it's relevant here, people using custom domain names from Dreamhost (that don't use a private SSL certificate - you'll know if you have that / i.e. pay for it) will notice the details in the SSL certificate say it's valid for *.mail.dreamhost.com. This means the mail server name you configure in iOS must match this. At this point you probably need to go to your providers site to find out the exact name to use. Dreamhost users should look at the instructions here: https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/214918038-Email-client-configuratio n-overview. It essentially tells you to go to the control panel and look at the "data centers" area under support. According to their instructions, if it says "homiemail-sub5", the servername ends up being sub5.mail.dreamhost.com. You'll need this for the incoming IMAP server name and the outgoing SMTP server name.

The alternatives are to turn off SSL (i.e. turn off encryption) so your mail, including password, goes over the entire internet in the clear (Not a good idea), or purchase an SSL certificate that has your custom domain name in it. (This is not worth the money or hassle)

Good luck!

Thank you, Briansyddall.

I had read a bunch of suggestions and spoke with the help desk at my ISP. I found your suggestion, deleted the troublesome account, reentered it and got the option to Trust the certificate. It worked as you said it would; first time.

Thank you.

I had the same problem. Using iOS 10.3.2. I deleted the account and re entered the info. At the end the IPhone stated it did not trust the certificate and gave me the option to check details where I found the Trust box has appeared. Ticked that and now I can receive emails.

Jesse, I agree... this is a stupid idea by apple built for stupid users. They are going the microsoft way of not allowing users to have any level of intelligence. The fact that you have to remove the accounts to fix this rather than being allowed to accept a new certificate is nanny state crap.

Just fixed this on my iPad. First, open the account in question. View the SMTP server settings and note the smtp server that is set to ON (this should be the offending Server account causing the cert rejection). Now delete this entire mail account. Go into one of your other mail accounts and click on the smtp servers. YOu should now be able to delete the offending smtp server. If you cannot delete it, it means you have that server as the default on some other mail account. Look at each of your accounts and ensure the offending smtp server is NOT the default account. Once you do this, you can then delete the offending smtp account from any one of your other email accounts. You will see a "Delete Server" button at the bottom of that account when you open it. Then add the entire mail account back, and you will get the cert that can be Trusted (button reappears). If you need help please reply.

Hi

Go to settings Email Accounts delete all accounts that are not working

Then add them back again .

Cheers

Brian

Hi

Go to settings- Email Accounts delete all accounts that are not working

Then add them back again .

Cheers

Brian

That is a lie and an insult. iOS 10 has broken email across many servers, Apple needs to fix this as a priority.