We all operate our smartphones on a regular basis. In fact, our lives without our smartphones are kind of incomplete. But what happens when your dearest device is struck by an error that you cannot understand. Regular iPhones frequently display the “cannot verify server identity,” which is usually because of some error from your mail service provider.
The iPhone strictly verifies your mail certificates. If it sees any kind of discrepancy, the above-mentioned error follows. This is not a situation of crisis, we will tell you some methods to remove the error.
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What causes cannot verify server identity error?
To connect to your mail server, the iPhone tries to fetch its SSL certificate. If this certificate is expired, does not match the domain name, or expired, it is marked as unreliable. When that happens, the phone pops up with the “cannot verify server identity” error.
Apart from that, the mismatch between the domain and server name could also cause the error. Most hosting companies provide the server name as “mail.website-name.com.” Though the mail server certificate should be “mail.server-name.com.” iPhone sees this and marks your certificate as unreliable.
Apple as a company verifies your certificates rather seriously. In case there is no way to change the name of your certificate, the error would pop up. You will have to add the server’s SSL certificate to the trusted list.
This error could pop up when you have set up a new account on your device. It could also arise after the change of mail server certificate and migration of the email account.
Some methods to fix the error
Method 1: Quit and restart your mail app
Often the error could be one of the random errors generated by the mail app. You can rectify it by just closing and restarting your mail app. In case you just opened the mail app, just quit and try restarting it.
For iPhone 8 and above, use the following steps to do so:
- Double press on your home button
- You can now see all the open apps
- Go through the previews of all apps and swipe each
- To close your app, swipe on the preview, and the app is closed
Check if you are still getting a cannot verify server identity error. If yes, then move on to the next method.
Method 2: Reboot your iPhone
If you are still worrying about how to fix cannot verify server identity error, you could reboot the iPhone. There are ways in which you can do so.
For iPhone x, XS, XS Max, or XR
- Press the slide button or volume until you see the power slider button
- Drag the slider and initiate power off
- Restart the device after 30 seconds
For iPhone 8, 8 Plus
- Press or hold the top or side button until you see the power off slider
- Again drag the slider to start the power off
- Restart the device by pressing the Top or Side button
Method 3: Removing the email account and readding
Often you can fix the “cannot verify server identity” error just by removing your email account and reading it.
- Go to the home screen and tap on Settings
- Click on the Accounts and passwords and navigate to Accounts
- Select the email account which you wish to remove
- You will see a delete button at the bottom of the screen; click on it
- Now you have to tap on “Delete from my iPhone.”
- Go back to the Settings-> Accounts & Passwords
- There is a button to “Add account.”
- Click on it and enter all the information
Method 4: Updating the iOS and carrier settings
Is there an update pending for your device? You could be receiving the error because you have ignored the update. Before starting the update, make sure you have enough storage space.
Go to Settings-> General-> Software Update. You will find out if there is a pending update or not. Follow the instructions and update the device.
Method 5: Reset your network settings
When you reset the setting, you restore the default factory settings. If you cannot verify server identity error is arising due to faulty settings, here is how to fix it:
- Go to the home screen and tap on Settings
- Tap on General
- Now scroll down and tap on Reset
- There is an option where you can Reset Network settings
- Click on it and enter the passcode if required
- The phone will automatically reboot post this
Method 6: A factory reset or Master reset
Eventually, nothing might work. You will have to Factory reset your iPhone in that case. Error is probably because there are some complex errors. By Factory reset, you can eliminate any fatal errors causing trouble. Before proceeding further, make sure you have backed up all the data.
- Go to the home screen of your iPhone
- Tap on General
- Now go down and tap on the Reset button
- Select the “ Erase all content and settings” option
- You might have to enter the passcode
- Confirm the option where they ask if you are sure about doing a factory reset
Once the factory reset process is over, you may have to set your phone again. When you have to set up the email using your correct credentials. Else you might have to face cannot verify server identity error once again.
Method 7: Changing email settings
You could also change your email settings through the following steps:
- Go to the settings on your iPhone
- In settings, scroll to “mail” and click
- Click on the Accounts option
- Choose the account that is causing mail cannot verify server identity error.
- Under the “Incoming Mail Server,” change it to mail##.webmailaccess.net where ## is your hostname
- Now go to the outgoing mail server. Here you will see SMTP and mail server name.
- Under hostname, use mail##.webmailaccess.net.
- Click on done and save
This method should work when your iPhone cannot verify identity.
Method 8: Reinstall your Outlook/ Gmail server certificates
Another technique to tackle cannot verify server identity error is to reinstall your Outlook/Gmail server certificates.
- You receive the error and with it these three options, Yes, No, View Certificate
- Click on the view certificate button
- Now click on the Install certificate button
- You will see the import wizard
- Skip “Current user” selected and then click on Next.
- Select “Automatically select the certificate store based on the type of certificate.”
- Click on Finish
Method 9: Changing your phone’s SSL settings
This tip may work when you cannot verify server identity iPhone.
- Open Settings and look for Accounts and Passwords
- Tap on the mail app you think is causing problems
- Select on the registered account
- Go to advanced settings and disable your SSL feature
The technique may remove your error. But, sending emails on a secure non- platform could be dangerous.
Conclusion
Sometimes your work goes haywire if you see a strange error bothering your mobile phone. If you are facing the error cannot verify server identity on iPhone, you do not have to worry. It is nothing serious that you should be worried about.
Use the above techniques, and very soon, the error will go away. It might take you some time before actually figuring out the problem. Once that happens, you can use the fix immediately. However, if nothing seems to solve the issue, you could try a Factory reset.
Before trying a Factory reset, make sure to save your data. You will have to set up your device again once the process is completed. That may take some time but will remove your error of server identity.