The quickest way to change your email password on iPhone
You cannot change your email password directly in the Mail app on iPhone. Instead, you change it through your email provider's website or app, then update it in Mail so the app can still receive your messages. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or another provider, but the principle is the same: change the password at the source, then tell your iPhone about the change.
The entire process takes about five minutes once you know where to go. You will need to know your current password to start, and you should do this on a device where you can easily open a web browser — your iPhone works, but a computer is often faster.
Key Takeaways
- You change your email password on your email provider's website or app, not in the Mail app itself.
- After you change your password, you must update it in Mail settings so the app can still connect to your email account.
- Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other providers each have their own password change page, usually found in account settings.
- If Mail stops working after you change your password and forget to update it, you can fix it by going to Settings > Mail > Accounts and re-entering the new password.
How to change your password for Gmail on iPhone
Open Safari or Chrome on your iPhone and go to myaccount.google.com. Tap the profile picture in the top right corner, then tap "Manage your Google Account." Swipe to the "Security" tab at the top.
Scroll down and tap "Password" under the "How you sign in to Google" section. Google will ask you to sign in again to confirm it is really you. Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice. Tap "Change Password" to save it.
Now open the Mail app on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts, tap your Gmail account, then tap "Account." Scroll down and tap "Password." Delete the old password and type in the new one you just created. Tap "Save" in the top right corner. Mail will verify the new password and you are done.
How to change your password for Outlook or Hotmail on iPhone
Go to account.microsoft.com in Safari or Chrome. Tap "Security" in the left menu (you may need to scroll down to see it). Tap "Change my password."
Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice. Tap "Next" and Microsoft will send a code to your phone or recovery email to confirm the change. Enter that code and tap "Verify." Your password is now changed.
Open the Mail app and go to Settings > Mail > Accounts. Tap your Outlook account, then tap "Account." Scroll down to "Password" and replace the old password with your new one. Tap "Save" in the top right. Mail will connect with the new password within a few seconds.
How to change your password for Yahoo Mail on iPhone
Open Safari or Chrome and go to login.yahoo.com. Sign in with your Yahoo email and password. Once you are signed in, go to account.yahoo.com and tap "Account info" at the top.
Tap "Security" in the left menu, then tap "Change password." Enter your current password, then your new password twice. Tap "Change password" to save it. Yahoo may ask you to verify the change by entering a code sent to your phone or recovery email.
Go back to Mail on your iPhone. Open Settings > Mail > Accounts, tap your Yahoo account, then tap "Account." Scroll to "Password," delete the old one, and type the new password. Tap "Save" in the top right corner.
What to do if Mail stops working after you change your password
If you changed your email password but forgot to update it in Mail, the app will show an error message saying the password is incorrect. You will not receive new emails until you fix it. The good news is the fix takes less than a minute.
Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts and tap the email account that is not working. Tap "Account," scroll down to "Password," and enter your new password. Tap "Save." Mail will reconnect when ready and start downloading your messages again.
If you see a message that says "Mail could not verify your password," double-check that you typed the new password correctly. If you are not sure what your new password is, go back to your email provider's website and use the "Forgot password" link to reset it, then update Mail again.
Why you should change your email password regularly
Your email account is the key to everything else — password reset links, account recovery, two-factor authentication codes. If someone gets into your email, they can reset passwords on your bank account, social media, shopping sites, and more. Changing your password every few months makes it harder for someone to use an old password they may have found.
You should change your password right away if you reused it on other websites, if you typed it on a public computer, or if you suspect someone else may have seen it. You should also change it if your email provider sends you a notice that your account was involved in a data breach — even if the breach happened years ago.
How to make a strong password you can actually remember
A strong password is at least 12 characters long and uses a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. But a password that is too complicated to remember is a password you will write down on a sticky note, which defeats the purpose.
One approach is to use a phrase you can remember and turn it into a password. For example, "My dog ate three socks in 2019" becomes "Mda3si2019!" — take the first letter of each word, swap a number for a word, and add a symbol. Another approach is to use a password manager like iCloud Keychain (built into iPhone), Bitwarden, or 1Password, which remembers strong passwords for you so you do not have to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my email password without a computer?
Yes. Open Safari on your iPhone and go to your email provider's website — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or whoever you use. Sign in, find the Security or Account Settings section, and follow the password change steps. It works the same way as on a computer, just on a smaller screen.
What if I forgot my current password and cannot change it?
Go to your email provider's sign-in page and look for "Forgot password" or "Can't sign in." You will be asked to verify your identity using a recovery email address or phone number. Once verified, you can set a new password. Then update it in Mail on your iPhone the same way you would after a normal password change.
Do I have to update the password in Mail right after I change it?
You should do it within a few minutes. If you do not, Mail will keep trying to connect with the old password and may lock your account temporarily as a security measure. Once you update it in Mail settings, the app will work normally again.
Will changing my email password sign me out of other apps?
Not usually. Apps like Instagram, Facebook, or banking apps use their own passwords or sign-in methods, not your email password. However, if an app uses "Sign in with Google" or "Sign in with Microsoft," you may need to sign in again after you change that password. Mail will definitely need the update, as explained above.
Is it safe to use the same password for multiple email accounts?
No. If someone figures out one password, they can access all your accounts. Use a different password for each email account you own, and use a password manager to keep track of them. If you have multiple email addresses, this matters even more because email is how you recover access to everything else.