“The connection to the outgoing server failed” means your iPhone couldn’t reach your email provider’s sending (SMTP) server. It’s usually fixed by checking your internet connection, confirming your email password on the provider’s website, and then removing and re-adding the account in Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts. Your unsent message waits in the Outbox until it goes through.
These steps follow Apple’s If you can’t send email on your iPhone or iPad article and its Add an email account to your iPhone or iPad guide. They apply to the Mail app on iPhone and iPad. If the stuck message is in Outlook on a Windows PC instead, see where the Outbox is in Outlook and how to clear it.
Quick Fixes to Try First
- Check your connection. Open a website in Safari. If it doesn’t load, fix Wi-Fi or cellular data first, or turn Airplane Mode on and off.
- Check for Undo Send. Apple notes that if you see an Undo Send button in your Inbox or mailbox list, the message hasn’t been sent yet. Wait a few seconds for it to finish.
- Check the Outbox. In Mail, go to your list of mailboxes and tap Outbox. If you don’t see an Outbox, your email was sent. If you do, tap the email, make sure the recipient’s address is correct, and tap Send.
- Check your password. Sign in to your email provider’s website with the same address and password. If you changed your password there, update your email password on iPhone too.
Result: If the problem was a brief connection drop or an old password, the message in the Outbox sends once the issue is fixed.
Check With Your Email Provider
If the quick fixes don’t help, Apple recommends contacting your email provider or checking its status page for a service outage. Also ask about:
- Security features such as two-step verification. Apple says you might need a special password (often called an app password) or need to authorize your device before Mail can send email.
- Your account settings. Your provider or IT team can confirm the correct outgoing server, port, and security settings for your account.
If you use Gmail and need to change the password itself, see how to change your Gmail password on an iPad (the Google Account steps are the same on iPhone). Yahoo users can try these fixes for Yahoo Mail not working on iPhone.
Remove Your Email Account and Set It Up Again
Before you delete the account, sign in to your email provider’s website on a computer and make sure all of your email is there or saved somewhere else. Apple warns that changing or deleting an account can remove previously downloaded email from your device, and an iCloud or computer backup saves your mail settings, not the messages.
- Go to Settings and tap Apps.
- Tap Mail, then tap Mail Accounts.
- Tap the email account that’s having trouble.
- Tap Delete Account and confirm.
- Go back to Mail Accounts and tap Add Account to set it up again.
Result: For providers like iCloud, Google, Microsoft Exchange, or Yahoo, Mail sets the account up automatically with just your address and password, which also restores the correct outgoing server settings.
If you have to enter server settings manually
For less common providers, Apple’s setup guide says to tap Add Other Account > Mail Account, enter your name, email address, password, and a description, then tap Next. If Mail can’t find the settings, choose IMAP or POP and enter the Incoming Mail Server and Outgoing Mail Server details from your provider. If any setting is wrong, Mail asks you to edit it before you can save.
Other Things That Can Block Sending
- Wi-Fi filtering: Some networks, such as hotel, school, or work Wi-Fi, block email ports. Try sending on cellular data instead.
- VPN or security apps: Turn off a VPN temporarily and try again.
- Old iOS: Install updates in Settings > General > Software Update.
- Restart your iPhone: Turn it off and on again to clear temporary network problems, then check the Outbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I receive email but not send it?
Receiving and sending use different servers. Your iPhone can be connected to the incoming server while the outgoing (SMTP) server rejects the connection because of a password, security setting, or network block.
Will I lose the email in my Outbox?
No. Unsent messages stay in the Outbox until they send or you delete them. Check that it’s empty after fixing the problem.
Does removing the account delete my email?
It removes the account and its downloaded email from your iPhone. For IMAP and Exchange accounts, mail stored on the provider’s server comes back when you add the account again, but check the provider’s website first to be sure.
What if none of these steps work?
Apple suggests contacting your email service provider for more help, since they can see why their server is refusing the connection.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.