To change an email password on your iPhone running iOS 17, you need to do two things. First, you must update the password directly with your email provider like Gmail or Outlook. Second, you update that new password in your iPhone’s settings. This guide will walk you through the full process for the Mail app, show you what to do when it fails, and explain how to handle apps like Gmail and Outlook.
The Most Important Step You Must Do First
Your iPhone does not create or change your actual email password. It only stores the password you give it. The change must start with the company that provides your email account.
This is a rule that many guides skip, which leads to confusion. Before you touch your iPhone settings, go to your email provider’s website on a computer or your phone’s web browser. Log into your account, find the security or password settings, and create a new password there.
For Gmail, this means going to Google. For Outlook or Hotmail, you go to Microsoft. For Yahoo Mail, you go to Yahoo. You have to complete this step successfully. Only after your new password works to log into your email on the web should you move to your iPhone.
How to Change Email Password on iPhone iOS 17 in the Mail App
How to change email password on iPhone iOS 17 in the native Mail app involves updating the stored password in your settings. Once you have changed your password with your email provider, follow these exact steps.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone. It is the grey icon with gears.
- Scroll down the list and tap on Mail.
- On the next screen, select Accounts. This shows all the email accounts set up on your phone.
- Tap on the specific email account where you just changed the password.
- You will see details about your account. Tap on the field that shows your email address at the top, labeled Account.
- Find the Password field. Delete the old, stored password that is there.
- Type in your brand new password that you created on your email provider’s site.
- Finally, tap Done or Save in the top right corner of the screen. Your iPhone will now try to use this new password to connect to your email.
What Happens After You Save the New Password
Your iPhone will quietly check the password with your email provider’s servers. If it is correct, the account will simply start working again. You might see your inbox refresh with new messages.
No confirmation message usually appears. The best way to know it worked is to open your Mail app, pull down to refresh your inbox, and try sending a test email. If both actions succeed, your update was successful.
Fixing the Password Incorrect Error
This is the most common problem, and it is frustrating. You know the new password is right, but your iPhone insists it is wrong. This section solves that.
Double Check the Source Password
First, go back to basics. Open a web browser on any device and try to log into your email provider’s website using the new password. If you cannot log in there, the password change did not save properly on their end. You must fix that first before returning to your iPhone.
Update Both Server Passwords
An email account on your iPhone uses two connections: one to receive mail and one to send mail. Sometimes, updating the main password field only fixes one connection.
Go back to Settings > Mail > Accounts > [Your Account]. Tap your email address again. Scroll down below your main password. You may see separate fields for Incoming Mail Server and Outgoing Mail Server, each with their own password box.
If you see these, you must enter your new password in both places. This ensures both sending and receiving functions have the updated login information.
When You Use Two-Factor Authentication
If you have two-factor authentication turned on for your email account, a regular password will not work for apps like iPhone Mail. You need a special app-specific password.
You generate this on your email provider’s security page. It is a long, one-time code you use only in your iPhone’s password field instead of your normal password. If you have 2FA enabled and have not created an app password, this is likely the cause of the error.
The Last Resort: Remove and Re-add Your Account
If nothing else works, removing the account from your iPhone and setting it up again often solves hidden problems. Do not worry, this does not delete your emails from the server.
Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts. Tap on the problem account. Tap Delete Account at the bottom. Confirm the deletion.
Then, go back to Accounts and tap Add Account. Choose your email provider and walk through the setup steps, using your email address and your new password. This creates a fresh connection and usually bypasses any glitches.
Changing Passwords in Other Email Apps
The steps above are only for Apple’s built-in Mail app. If you use the Gmail or Outlook app from the App Store, the process is completely different.
For the Gmail App User
The Gmail app manages passwords through your Google account directly. You usually cannot type a new password inside the app itself.
When you change your Google password on the web, the Gmail app on your iPhone will often notice the next time it tries to sync. It will show you a prompt asking you to sign in again. Just follow that prompt and enter your new password.
If it does not prompt you, you can force it. Open the Gmail app, tap your profile picture in the top right, and select Manage your Google Account. From there, navigate to security settings to ensure your device is recognized with the new password. Sometimes, simply removing and re-adding the Google account from within the app’s settings fixes the issue.
For the Microsoft Outlook App User
The Outlook app works similarly. The password is tied to your Microsoft account. Changing it at account.microsoft.com is the first step.
After that, the Outlook app may prompt you to re-authenticate. If not, open the Outlook app, tap your profile picture or settings icon, and look for your account settings. There is often an option to sign out or update password. Sign out of the account and then sign back in using your new password to establish a fresh connection.
How to Check If the Password Change Worked
Do not assume it worked just because you saved the settings. Take a minute to verify everything is functioning.
First, close the Mail app completely and reopen it. Pull down on your inbox to force a manual refresh. You should see new emails come in if there are any.
Next, compose a new email and send it to yourself. Check your Sent folder to confirm the message appears there. This tests both receiving and sending mail, confirming the full update was successful.
Managing All Your Saved Email Passwords
Your iPhone has a central place for passwords, but it is important to know the difference. The passwords for your email accounts in the Mail app are stored separately from website passwords.
To see and manage passwords for websites, you go to Settings > Passwords. This is managed by iCloud Keychain. However, your email account passwords for the Mail app are managed in the Settings > Mail > Accounts section as shown earlier.
If you use iCloud Keychain, updating a password on one Apple device can sometimes suggest it for other devices. But for email accounts, you still usually need to update each device directly for the Mail app to work properly.
Conclusion
Learning how to change email password on iPhone iOS 17 is a two-part task that starts away from your phone. Always change the password with your email provider first, then update the stored login in your iPhone Settings. Remember that the process is different if you use popular third-party apps, and persistent errors often require checking secondary password fields or re-adding the account. By following this complete guide, you can solve the problem and secure your email access.
Frequently Asked Questions
My password is correct, but my iPhone says it’s wrong. What now?
First, verify the password works on your email provider’s website. If it does, check for separate incoming and outgoing server password fields in your account settings on the iPhone, and ensure you use an app-specific password if you have two-factor authentication enabled.
Do I need to change my email password on my iPad and Mac too?
Yes, you likely do. Each device stores the password separately. After changing it with your provider, you must update the password in the Mail or account settings on each Apple device you use for that email.
What is an “App-Specific Password” and when do I need one?
An app-specific password is a special code generated by your email provider for use in apps that do not support two-factor authentication. You need one if you have 2FA turned on for your email and are setting up the account in Apple’s Mail app.
Will changing my email password delete my old emails on my iPhone?
No, it will not. Your emails are stored on your provider’s servers. Changing the password only updates the key your iPhone uses to access them. You will not lose any old messages.
I use the Gmail app. Where do I change my password there?
You change your Google password on Google’s website, not inside the Gmail app. The app will usually prompt you to sign in again with the new password automatically, or you can sign out and back in through the app’s settings.
How do I update my iCloud email password on iPhone?
Your iCloud email password is your Apple ID password. To change it, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign-In & Security and tap Change Password. This updates it for iCloud Mail and all other Apple services.
What’s the difference between updating a password and re-adding the account?
Updating just changes the stored password for the existing account setup. Re-adding the account involves deleting it completely and setting it up as new, which can fix hidden server or configuration errors that a simple update cannot.
After updating, my emails won’t send, but they can receive. Why?
This usually means the password for the outgoing mail server is incorrect. Go back into your account settings on the iPhone and check for a separate outgoing (SMTP) server password field. Ensure the new password is entered there.
How can I see my saved email passwords on iPhone?
You cannot see the actual passwords for email accounts set up in the Mail app. They are hidden for security. You can only see and manage website passwords in Settings > Passwords.
I changed my password months ago. Why is my iPhone only asking for it now?
Your iPhone stores a temporary authentication token. Sometimes, after a server update or a security check by your provider, this token expires. Your phone then tries the old stored password, fails, and finally prompts you to enter the new one.