The absolute joy comes when you have a new iPhone in your hand. It is something you would like to flaunt among your friends. However, the real problem arises when every time you try to send a mail through your iPhone, you receive a message, “iPhone cannot verify server identity.” However, you must understand that the problem is not with your iPhone. The ‘cannot verify server identity’ pops up because your mail server’s certificate as it is fake. iPhone follows a rigorous verification of your mail server’s certificate.
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How to Fix Cannot Verify Server Identity
Restart Your iPhone:
The simplest option is to restart whenever there is a problem with your phone. The same goes for your iPhone. If you cannot send an email to your friend through your iPhone as a message ‘cannot identify server identity’ is constantly popping up, the best solution is to restart your iPhone. It often works as it can be a minor issue obstructing the mail server from functioning smoothly.
Hold the power button of your iPhone till you see the power off the display on the screen. Slide the red power button to shut down your iPhone. You must wait for a minute or two to restart your phone again. Press and hold the power button to turn your iPhone back to action. Now, try to send a mail to anyone of your choice and check whether it is functioning smoothly.
Close the Webmail App:
There may be occasions when the app software of your mail app may crash. It then does not allow the normal functioning of your Mail and a message ‘verify server identity’ will display on the screen of your iPhone. Therefore, the best option is to close the mail app on your phone and restart it.
If you want to close the mail app on your phone, you need to perform the following steps:
- Double-click on the Home button.
- The App Switcher will appear on your screen.
- Swipe up the mail app until it disappears from the App Switcher.
- Re-open the mail app again after a while.
- Check and confirm whether the mail app is functioning smoothly.
Delete Your Email Account From the Phone:
Deleting your email account does not mean you are entirely wiping off your account. Since your email account is synced with the iPhone, deleting the account from the device can reset the Server’s mail certificates. Once you sync your email account with the phone, the mail app will verify it and help solve the issue once and for all.
If you want to delete your email account from the iPhone, the following are the steps:
- Open the Settings app of your iPhone.
- Tap on Mail and then Accounts
- Find your email account.
- Tap on the red Delete account button that you will find at the bottom of the screen of your phone.
- A tap the Delete account to remove your email address from the phone.
Once you have deleted your email account, you need to reinstall it. The following steps will help you restore your email account on your iPhone.
- Open Mail on your iPhone
- Tap in Add Account
- Follow the guidelines where your iPhone will prompt you to enter your email address and password.
Update iOS on Your iPhone:
You must never ignore the message when it prompts for an update. It is one of the critical solutions when your phone displays the message ‘cannot verify server identity iPhone.’ Updates are critical as it fixes patches and system bugs. You can always check for updates if you have a good and smooth internet connection. However, you must ensure that your iPhone has ample storage space and good battery life.
If you want to check for any iOS update, tap on Settings and find ‘General.’ You will come across the ‘Software update’ menu, where you will find software update notifications if they are available. Tap on ‘Update’ and follow the instructions on your iPhone’s screen. Your updates will automatically start downloading on your device.
Once you update the iOS on your phone, checking for ‘carrier’ updates is advisable, and it is one of the remedies that can solve the problem of mailing from your iPhone.
Once all the updates are complete, reboot your iPhone and check if the problem persists.
Reset Network Settings:
One of the solutions that can combat the issue ‘of verifying server identity is to reset your network settings. If there is a glitch in your network settings, it can hamper the smooth functioning of the mail server of your iPhone. Therefore, follow the simple steps to reset the network setting of your iPhone.
- Tap on ‘Settings’ from the Home screen of your iPhone.
- Find ‘General’ and tap on it.
- Scroll down to tap on the ‘Reset’ button.
- Select ‘Reset Network Settings
- Your phone may prompt for a password.
- Enter the password to continue resetting your network.
- Tap the option to confirm the Reset Network Settings on your iPhone’.
Once the Reset is done, your phone will reboot. You can now check to see whether the Mail app is functioning smoothly.
Reset All the Settings on Your iPhone:
If you find that nothing is working that will help you to send emails from your iPhone, the only option is to reset all your device settings. It will delete all data from your device, and all your issues with the mail server will also get solved.
If you are sure to reset all settings on your iPhone, the following are the steps:
- Open ‘General’ on your iPhone.
- Tap on Reset and then Reset All Settings.
- If you have a password, you will have to enter it to reset all settings of your iPhone.
- Once you tap on ‘Reset all settings, a confirmation message will appear at the bottom of your screen.
You can now log in to your email address and check if it is working smoothly.
Causes That Trigger the Message Cannot Verify Server Identity
It is true that when the certificate is bad or has expired, you will instantly receive a message ‘Cannot verify server’ on your screen. However, there are times when iPhone misjudges a valid certificate as fake. Following are the prime causes that will help you to identify and solve the issue.
A Mismatch Between the Server Name and Domain Name:
Often, there is a mismatch between the Server and the Domain name. Since iPhone is highly secure, it will mark the certificate as fake, and hence you will not be able to send emails from your device.
Therefore, if you want to know how to get rid of ‘cannot verify server identity, you need to follow the three essential ways:
1. Change Mail Server Name:
If you have a VPS account, it is advisable to change the mail server name so that it matches the certificate name.
2. Fix Your Mail Configuration:
If you are a shared hosting customer, you need to change your iPhone’s mail server setting to ‘mail.server-name.com’ instead of ‘mail.website-name.com.’
3. Opt for a Free Dedicated Certificate:
You need to get a valid certificate that provides free SSLs if you are a VPS user.
Disable Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Encryption:
When you get a display on your screen the iPad cannot verify server identity, and you have some problems with your email account. During such a situation, one of the best options is to disable the SSL encryption of your email account. To do so, you need to follow the steps given below:
- Tap on the ‘Settings’ app and find Mail
- Select ‘Accounts’
- Find the email account that is causing the problem.
- Tap on ‘Advanced’
- You will find the ‘Incoming Settings’ option.
- Switch off the ‘Use SSL’ option.
It is advisable to try the method only if the other methods fail to resolve your issue. It is because disabling SSL may pose a threat to your incoming emails.
Remove Bugs From Your iPhone:
It is a wrong notion that changing the certificate name can resolve the problem of the mail server of your iPhone. Hence, if you find an error message, it is advisable to add the Server’s SSL certificate to the ‘Trusted List. Following are the steps:
- When you find the error message on your iPhone’s screen, tap on the ‘Details’ button.
- On the next screen, tap on the ‘Trust’ link.
FAQs
Q1. What does the message mean by ‘Cannot verify identity’?
Ans: When you get a message on your iPhone while trying to send a mail, ‘Cannot verify identity, it means that the mail server’s certificate is fake. It is because the verification process for iPhones is rigorous. If it sniffs anything wrong, it will block the app’s functioning smoothly.
Q2. What is the simplest way to stop receiving the message ‘cannot verify server identity’?
Ans: The simplest and the most popular way to resolve the issue ‘that cannot verify server identity is to reboot your device. Switching off your iPhone for a while and restarting it again is advisable.
Q3. Can you disable the SSL certificate of your Mail?
Ans: You can disable your Mail’s SSL certificate if the mail server’s problem persists. However, it is advisable not to do so, as it harms your incoming mails.
Conclusion
If you follow any of the above steps, you may be able to control how to stop and cannot verify the server identity on your iPhone. However, it is advisable to try and locate the errors and resolve them using simple methods, which will surely give you a solution to your distress. Therefore, enjoy free emailing services from your favorite iPhone by following the guidelines.