The fastest way to reset your password on iPhone

If you have forgotten your email password, the quickest path is to use the password reset link from your email provider's website on any device — computer, tablet, or another phone — then sign back into the Mail app on your iPhone with the new password. You do not need to reset anything within the iPhone itself.

If you only have access to your iPhone and cannot use another device, you can still reset your password through the email provider's website using Safari on that same phone. The process takes the same steps either way: go to your email provider's login page, select "Forgot password" or "Can't sign in", follow their verification steps, create a new password, and then return to the Mail app to sign in again.

Key Takeaways

  • Use your email provider's website to reset your password, not the iPhone Mail app — the app itself has no password reset feature.
  • You will need to verify your identity through a recovery email address, phone number, or security questions before creating a new password.
  • After you reset your password on the provider's website, open the Mail app on your iPhone, tap Settings, find your email account, and sign in with your new password.
  • If you cannot remember the recovery email or phone number linked to your account, contact your email provider's support team directly.

Resetting a Gmail password from your iPhone

Open Safari on your iPhone and go to accounts.google.com. Tap "Sign in" and enter your Gmail address. On the next screen, tap "Forgot password?" and enter the last password you remember (if you can) or tap "Try another way" if you cannot.

Google will ask you to verify your identity. This usually means entering a verification code sent to your recovery phone number or recovery email address. Check the text message or email, enter the code, and then create a new password. Make sure it is at least 8 characters long and includes a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols — Google will tell you if it is too weak.

Once you have created your new password, go back to the Mail app on your iPhone. Tap Settings at the bottom of the screen, then tap your Gmail account name. Tap "Password" and enter your new password. Tap "Next" and wait for the app to verify the new credentials — this usually takes a few seconds.

Resetting an Outlook or Hotmail password from your iPhone

Open Safari and go to account.microsoft.com. Tap "Sign in" and enter your email address. Tap "Forgot my password" on the sign-in screen.

Microsoft will ask you to verify your identity by sending a code to your recovery email or phone number. Enter the code when it arrives, then create a new password. After you reset it, return to the Mail app on your iPhone, go to Settings, select your Outlook account, tap "Password", and enter the new one.

Resetting an iCloud email password from your iPhone

If your email address ends in @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com, your password is tied to your Apple ID. Go to iforgot.apple.com in Safari on your iPhone. Enter your Apple ID email address and tap "Continue".

Apple will ask you to verify your identity using your trusted phone number, a trusted device, or your recovery email address. Follow the on-screen steps to receive a verification code, enter it, and then create a new password. After you reset your Apple ID password, your iCloud email password changes automatically — you do not need to update anything in the Mail app.

What to do if you cannot receive verification codes

If the recovery phone number or email address on your account is outdated or no longer works, you will not be able to receive the verification code needed to reset your password. In this case, contact your email provider's support team directly. For Gmail, go to support.google.com and select "Contact us". For Outlook, go to support.microsoft.com. For iCloud, go to support.apple.com and select "Contact Apple Support".

Be ready to answer security questions or provide other proof that you own the account — your full name, the date you created the account, or recent activity on it. Support teams can update your recovery information and send you a password reset link through a verified channel.

Signing back into the Mail app after you reset your password

After you have created your new password on your email provider's website, open the Mail app on your iPhone. Tap the Settings icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom left, then tap "Accounts". Find the email account you just reset the password for and tap it.

Tap "Password" and enter your new password in the field. Tap "Next" in the top right corner. The Mail app will contact your email provider's servers to verify the new password — this usually takes 10 to 30 seconds. If the password is correct, you will see a checkmark and the account will sync normally. If you see an error message, double-check that you typed the password exactly as you created it, including capital letters and special characters.

Preventing password loss in the future

After you reset your password, consider storing it in a password manager so you do not lose it again. iPhone has a built-in password manager called iCloud Keychain. When you sign into an account in Safari, iPhone will offer to save the password — tap "Save Password" to store it. Later, when you need to sign in again, Safari will fill it in automatically.

You can also keep your recovery information current. Go to your email provider's account settings and check that your recovery phone number and recovery email address are correct and still in use. This makes it much faster to reset your password if you forget it again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reset my email password without a recovery phone number or email?

No — email providers require you to verify your identity before resetting your password, and they do this by sending a code to your recovery phone or email. If you no longer have access to either, contact your provider's support team. They can verify your identity through other means, such as security questions or account history.

Will resetting my email password sign me out of the Mail app automatically?

Not when ready. The Mail app will continue to work for a few hours or a few days, but eventually it will fail to sync because the old password no longer works. You will see an error message asking you to update your password. Tap the account, enter your new password, and tap Next.

What if I reset my password but the Mail app still will not sign in?

Wait a few minutes — sometimes it takes time for the email provider's servers to recognize the new password across all their systems. If it still does not work after 10 minutes, sign out of the account completely and sign back in from scratch. Go to Settings, tap Accounts, tap the account name, scroll down, and tap "Delete Account". Then tap Accounts again, tap "Add Account", select your email provider, and enter your email address and new password.

Do I need to reset my password on my computer too?

No. When you reset your password on your email provider's website, the new password works on all devices — your iPhone, computer, tablet, and any other device you use to check email. You only need to sign in again on each device with the new password.

What if my email provider is not Gmail, Outlook, or iCloud?

Go to your email provider's website directly and look for a "Sign in" or "Login" link. On that page, you should see a "Forgot password" or "Can't sign in" option. Follow their steps to verify your identity and reset your password. Once you have a new password, return to the Mail app and update it the same way you would for any other provider.