BT Email Not Working on iPhone or Outlook? Fix It
2 October 2026 · By Ethan Fernandes
BT Email showing "Cannot Get Mail" or "The user name or password is incorrect" on iPhone or Outlook? Here's how to get BT, Sky and Yahoo mail working again.
Your BT Email was working for years, and suddenly it isn't. On an iPhone or iPad, the Mail app says "Cannot Get Mail" followed by "The user name or password for mail.btinternet.com is incorrect", or keeps asking for your password. In Outlook you might see "Something went wrong", a password prompt that won't go away, or emails stuck in the Outbox. Sky Yahoo Mail, Yahoo and other older email services can show the same symptoms.
This is especially common for people who've had the same email address for many years. Here's how to fix it, step by step.
Quick answer
First sign in to your email through your provider's website in a browser. If that fails, reset the password there. If webmail works, the password saved on your iPhone or in Outlook is out of date, or your provider now needs an app-specific password. Remove the account from the device and add it again with the current password and the correct settings.
Why This Happens
- The password was changed on another device or after a security prompt, and the iPhone or Outlook still has the old one.
- Your provider tightened security. Email providers regularly change how third-party apps sign in. Some now require an app password (a separate code just for mail apps) rather than your normal password.
- Old account settings. Accounts set up years ago may use outdated server settings that no longer work.
- The account is locked after too many failed sign-ins, often caused by a device repeatedly trying an old password.
- A provider-side problem. Occasionally the service itself is down.
Step 1: Check Webmail First
This tells you whether the problem is the account or the device.
- On a computer or phone browser, go to your provider's email page. For BT, that's the BT Email page on the BT website. For Sky, it's Sky Yahoo Mail.
- Sign in with your full email address and password.
- Webmail works: the account is fine. The problem is the saved password or settings on your iPhone or in Outlook. Go to Step 3.
- Webmail fails: reset the password using the "forgotten password" link (Step 2).
- Webmail shows a security message: follow its prompts, which may include confirming your details or setting up extra security.
Only reset your password through your provider's official website, typed in yourself. Scammers send fake "your mailbox is full" or "verify your BT account" emails to steal passwords. See our guide to spotting scam calls, texts and emails.
Step 2: Reset the Password
Use the forgotten password option on your provider's sign-in page. You'll usually need access to your recovery mobile number or a security question. Once reset, sign in to webmail to confirm it works, and write the new password down somewhere safe or store it in a password manager.
Step 3: Check Whether You Need an App Password
Some email providers now require a special password for apps like iPhone Mail and Outlook, separate from the password you use on the website. Sky Yahoo Mail and Yahoo Mail are well-known examples. Check your provider's help pages for "app password" or "third-party email apps", and if one is required, generate it in your account's security settings and use it instead of your normal password in Step 4.
Step 4: Update or Re-add the Account on iPhone or iPad
First, try simply updating the password:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts (on older iOS versions, Settings > Mail > Accounts).
- Tap the email account, then the account name at the top.
- Update the password and tap Done.
If that doesn't work, remove it and add it again:
- In the same account screen, tap Delete Account. This removes it from the phone, not from the server. Emails stored online will come back.
- Restart the iPhone.
- Go back to Mail Accounts > Add Account > Other > Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, full email address, password (or app password) and a description.
- Choose IMAP when asked.
For BT Email, the commonly published IMAP settings are:
- Incoming mail server:
mail.btinternet.com, port993, SSL on. - Outgoing mail server:
mail.btinternet.com, port465, SSL on. - Username: your full BT email address.
For Sky, Yahoo and other providers, use the settings on your provider's own help page, as they occasionally change.
If you used POP rather than IMAP years ago, some older emails may only exist on one device. Before deleting the account from any device, check that your important emails are visible in webmail.
Step 5: Fix Outlook
Classic Outlook for Windows:
- Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
- Select the account and click Repair, or Change to update the password.
- If it still fails, use Remove, then New to add it again, choosing Advanced options > Let me set up my account manually and IMAP, with the settings above.
New Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Mac: open settings, go to Accounts, remove the account and add it again. Choose IMAP if offered.
Also check Windows Credential Manager (search for it in the Start menu) for old saved passwords for your email server, and remove them so Outlook prompts you afresh.
Step 6: If Emails Won't Send
If you can receive but not send, the outgoing server settings are usually the cause. Check that the outgoing server is set to use authentication with the same username and password as incoming mail, and that the port and SSL settings match your provider's help page.
When to Get Help
Email problems are one of the most common requests we help with, particularly for older relatives who rely on a long-standing BT or Sky address. Our computer and email support and tech help for seniors can get email working on every device, make sure nothing is lost and set up account recovery properly. This is usually quick to do through remote support anywhere in the UK. Senri Home engineers also visit across West and South West London seven days a week, 8am to 9pm. Book a visit or call or WhatsApp 07826 399715.
Related Reading
Common questions
Usually the password saved on the iPhone is out of date, or the account settings are old. Check you can sign in to BT Email in a browser, then update the password in the iPhone's Mail settings or remove and re-add the account.
The commonly published settings are mail.btinternet.com for both incoming and outgoing mail, using port 993 with SSL for incoming and port 465 with SSL for outgoing. Your username is your full BT email address.
Not if the account uses IMAP, because the emails are stored on the provider's server and reappear when you add the account again. Check your emails are visible in webmail before deleting, just to be sure.
It's a separate password your email provider generates for mail apps such as iPhone Mail or Outlook. Some providers, including Yahoo-based services, require one instead of your normal password for those apps.
Still stuck? We can fix it for you
Most problems like this can be fixed remotely today, anywhere in the UK, or with a home visit across West London. DBS checked, insured, 7 days a week until 9pm.
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