How to Turn Off Push Email on iPhone (Fetch New Data)

Open Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts > Fetch New Data to control how Apple Mail checks supported accounts for new messages. Turn Push off if you want to stop supported accounts from receiving new mail through push delivery, then choose a Fetch schedule. Accounts that do not support Push use Fetch regardless of the main switch.

Push sends new-mail updates when the provider supports them. Fetch has the iPhone check on a schedule. A less frequent schedule can mean new messages arrive later, so choose it with your notification needs in mind. These settings apply to accounts in Apple Mail, not necessarily to a separate email app. For account setup and everyday tasks, see our iPhone Mail app guide.

The Push switch may not be available for every account or provider. Apple says an account that does not support Push falls back to Fetch. Check the account entry on this screen before assuming that the main switch alone controls every mailbox.

Turn off Push and set Fetch

1. Open Settings and tap Apps, then Mail.
2. Tap Mail Accounts, then Fetch New Data. You should see the Push control and account or schedule options.
3. Turn Push off if that is your goal. This changes how supported accounts receive new data.
4. Under Fetch, choose a schedule. Apple says Automatically downloads new data when the iPhone is charging and connected to Wi-Fi; a timed schedule checks more often outside those conditions.
5. Open Mail and refresh or wait for the next scheduled check to confirm that new messages appear. Sending mail is a separate action and is not disabled by changing Fetch.

If mail arrives later than expected, return to Fetch New Data and pick a more frequent schedule. If only one account behaves differently, review that account’s options and its provider’s capabilities. Turning off Push does not force a provider to offer a Push feature it does not support.

This setting controls how Mail checks for data in the background. The alert that appears after a message arrives is controlled separately at Settings > Notifications > Mail. If messages are visible when you open Mail but you receive no alert, inspect notifications before changing Fetch again. If no messages arrive, check the provider’s webmail or service status and the account settings.

To restore your previous behavior, turn Push back on if it was previously enabled and supported by the account. For help managing the account itself, see how to add, turn off, or delete an iPhone email account.

Pick a fetch interval that suits your mail use

Turning off Push means the Mail app will not rely on push delivery for eligible accounts. With Fetch, the phone checks at the interval you choose, or when you open Mail if you select a manual approach. A longer interval can mean less frequent checking but later alerts. If you need immediate work messages, consider whether the delay is acceptable before choosing the longest interval.

After changing the setting, send a harmless test message from another address and note when it appears in Mail. An account may have provider-specific behavior, and notification settings can also prevent an alert even when the message has arrived. Check the inbox itself before deciding that Fetch is broken. If a separate Gmail or Outlook app handles the account, its own background and notification settings may be different from Apple's Mail setting.

Does turning off Push stop all email? No. Mail can still fetch or load messages when opened, depending on the account and selected schedule.

Apple explains the Fetch path and Automatically behavior in Add and remove email accounts on iPhone. Its Mail troubleshooting guide also distinguishes Fetch settings from Mail notifications.

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