My iPhone 17 Outlook will not connect with the server, and I cannot get my emails to sync with my computer.

Hi Pam Lees,

I understand that your Outlook emails are not syncing in the iPhone Mail app, and the account password is not being accepted there even though you can access the mailbox on your computer.

The Q&A Assist answer above is relevant, especially if you want to use the Outlook for iOS app instead of the iPhone’s built-in Mail app. May I confirm whether you have already had a chance to try those steps? I would also like to add one important point based on the current service information.

There is currently a known issue affecting iOS and iPadOS users who access Outlook.com or Hotmail accounts from the default Apple Mail app. The listed symptoms include password prompts, account authentication messages, and “Cannot Get Mail, The connection to the server failed.” You can review this article and follow the steps there for each affected device: iOS & iPadOS users may experience issues accessing their Outlook and Hotmail accounts from the iOS/iPadOS default Mail app - Microsoft Support 

After completing the article steps, please also monitor the Outlook.com service portal or service status page for further updates about this service degradation. The service notice indicates that Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, and the Outlook app are still working as expected, so using the Outlook for iOS app can be a useful workaround while the default iOS Mail app is affected.

Note: the image provided is a real-time screenshot from the Outlook.com Service Health Status at https://status.cloud.microsoft/.

Please also note that this is a user-to-user forum, so contributors cannot check your account or the service status from your mailbox directly. If the issue continues after following the article, please let me know whether you are using the built-in iPhone Mail app or the Outlook for iOS app, and whether the same password works when signing in at Outlook.com.

About the 30-day notice, that usually relates to a Microsoft account security info change. When security verification methods are removed and replaced, the new security info may stay pending for 30 days as a protection measure. During that period, some security-related changes may be restricted, but the account can still remain active for normal use. What does “Security info change is still pending” mean? - Microsoft Support 

I hope this helps.

Follow these steps on the iPhone to get Outlook mail syncing again:

1. Use the Outlook app instead of Apple Mail (recommended)
   • Install/open Outlook for iOS from the App Store.
   • In Outlook, go to Settings > Accounts > Add Account.
   • Add the Outlook/Microsoft account by choosing the Outlook.com/Microsoft 365 option and signing in.
   • If prompted to set up as IMAP or POP, cancel and instead choose the Outlook.com/Microsoft 365 option. IMAP/POP will only sync email and will not sync calendar or contacts.
2. If Outlook for iOS is already set up but not syncing
   • In the Outlook app, go to Settings.
   • Tap the account that is not syncing.
   • Tap Reset Account and wait for it to resync.
   • If it still does not sync:
     • Go back to Settings.
     • Tap the account > Delete Account > Delete From This Device.
     • Add the account again in Outlook for iOS.
3. If asked to configure IMAP/POP manually
   • Be aware that IMAP and POP cannot sync calendar or contacts, only email.
   • For full sync (mail, calendar, contacts), the account must use Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync or the Outlook.com/Microsoft 365 option.
4. If the password is not accepted on iPhone but works on computer
   • On the iPhone, open Safari and sign in to the same account at Outlook.com or account.microsoft.com.
   • If sign-in fails there, reset the password from that page and then use the new password in Outlook for iOS.
   • If sign-in works in Safari but not in the mail app, remove the account from the iPhone mail app and re-add it using the Outlook.com/Microsoft 365 option, or use the Outlook app as described above.

These steps avoid relying on the alternate email change (which is pending for 30 days) and instead use a fresh sign-in and correct protocol (Exchange ActiveSync/Outlook.com) to restore sync on the phone.

References:

• Can't sync calendar and contacts with my phone or tablet
• Set up the Outlook app for iOS