Hotmail stopped working on my iPhone
Hotmail Stopped Working on My iPhone: Causes and Fixes
Why Hotmail stops working on iPhone
Even if your Hotmail was fine yesterday, it can fail today for a few predictable reasons.
- Saved password became invalid** after a Microsoft security check or password refresh.• The wrong kind of account type, such as POP or "Other", was selected instead of Outlook/Exchange and this might cause an error in syncing or logging in. * **iOS update conflicts** (particularly with major releases such as iOS 18) can break Mail/Outlook authentication or background sync. * Network issues: basically, Wi-Fi DNS glitches, captive portals, or cellular restrictions. * **Microsoft outage or server-side throttling**—rare, but it happens.
- Mailbox or iPhone storage full**, stopping new mail from downloading or sending.
The good news: you don't need to diagnose perfectly. The following steps are ordered from easiest to most powerful.
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Sounds basic, but it's the #1 silent cause.
- Try this quick test1. Open Safari and load a site.
- Wi-Fi off → test on cellular.
- If cellular works but Wi-Fi doesn’t - reboot your router or reset network settings later, see Fix 9.
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Microsoft sometimes invalidates old tokens after security checks.**Steps**
- Settings → Mail → Accounts**
- Tap your **Hotmail/Outlook** account
- Click **Re-enter Password** (or if not presented remove and add it again).
If you have recently changed your password on another device, then you *must* update it here too.
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- Solution 3: Remove and re-add Hotmail-most reliable fixIf Hotmail won't sign in, won't sync, or keeps looping password prompts, reset the account connection.**Steps**1. **Settings → Mail → Accounts**
- Tap on your Hotmail account → **Delete Account
- Reset iPhone
- Go to **Add Account → Outlook.com** (or Microsoft Exchange)
- Sign in with your Hotmail email + password.
- Important:** Do not add Hotmail using "Other." Outlook.com/Exchange automatically uses the right Microsoft servers.
- Fix 4: Turn Mail sync off and onThis refreshes the iPhone ↔ Microsoft server handshake.
- Steps**
- Settings → Mail → Accounts → Hotmail**
- Click **Mail OFF**
- Wait 10 seconds
- Toggle **Mail ON**. ---
- Fix 5: Fix Hotmail not receiving emails (Push/Fetch)
- Steps**
- Settings → Mail → Accounts → Fetch New Data**
- Turn **Push ON**3. Under Fetch, select **Automatic** or **Every 15 Minutes**.
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- Steps**
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- Steps**
- Install **Microsoft Outlook** from the App Store.
- Log in with Hotmail.
- Enable notifications and background refresh.
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- Steps**
- Settings → General → Software Update
- App Store → update **Outlook** (if you use it).
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- Steps**
- Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone**
- Tap **Reset → Reset Network Settings**
- Reconnect to Wi-Fi and then try Mail again.
- What to do
- Delete large emails/attachments
- Empty Deleted Items & Junk
- Free iPhone storage: **Settings → General → iPhone Storage** ---
- Keep attachments small: Outlook blocks large sends.
- If using manual setup, ensure outgoing server is Outlook SMTP:
- smtp-mail.outlook.com`
- Port **587
- TLS/STARTTLS on
- Authentication on.
- FAQ: Hotmail Not Working on iPhone
- Q1. Why did my Hotmail suddenly stop working on iPhone? Usually because iOS updated, Microsoft refreshed server security, or your saved password expired. Most cases are fixed by re-adding the account as Outlook.com. (The Mac Observer)
- Q3. Why am I not getting emails from Hotmail on iPhone? Fetch/Push may be off, sync window too short, or mailbox storage is full. Turn on Push and set Mail Days to Sync to No Limit.
- Q4. Why does Hotmail keep asking for my password? Microsoft might have invalidated your sign-in token. Remove/re-add the account, or re-enter your present password.
- Q5. Which is better - Apple Mail or Outlook app for Hotmail? Outlook application is more stable with Hotmail/Outlook accounts, mostly after iOS updates.
- Bottom line The universal quick fix when **Hotmail stops working on an iPhone** is: 1. Delete the account 2. Restart iPhone 3. Add it again through **Outlook.com / Microsoft Exchange That resets your server profile to Microsoft's current standard and clears 90% of Hotmail access issues. If you want, just tell me the exact error text that you see, such as "Cannot Get Mail" or "Password Incorrect", and I will map it to the precise fix.
If your inbox doesn't update unless you open Mail, Fetch is probably off.
If older emails disappeared or your inbox looks incomplete:
1. **Settings → Mail → Accounts → Hotmail**2. Tap **Mail Days to Sync**
3. Choose **No Limit**.
Many users find Apple Mail flaky with Microsoft accounts following an iOS update, while Outlook works just fine.
-Fix 10: Check mailbox + device storageFor instance, when your Microsoft storage is near full, Hotmail may stop taking new emails; similarly, if iPhone storage is maxed out, Mail may fail to sync.
11. Fix: If Hotmail won’t send emails
Sending failures almost always relate to attachment size or SMTP rules.
If you didn't set anything manually, the delete/re-add through Outlook.com fixes SMTP automatically. ---
Q2. Hotmail works on my computer but not on iPhone — what does that mean? Your account is OK; the iPhone Mail configuration is at fault. Delete the Hotmail account and re-add it using **Outlook.com/Microsoft Exchange**.
Q6. What if I still can’t log in even with the right password? You might be temporarily blocked for security. Log in via Safari, and complete any verification/reset prompts then try again on iPhone.
Q7. Hotmail won’t send mail from iPhone — why? Most likely an attachment too large or SMTP mismatch from manual settings. Re-add as Outlook.com or use Outlook app.