Outlook won't accept my Apple Account password
Create an app-specific password at account.apple.com and use it for both incoming and outgoing mail.
iCloud Mail Email: Settings, Sign-In & Fixes
Apple runs iCloud Mail, including old @me.com and @mac.com addresses. Outside Apple devices you need an app-specific password, and the incoming username is just the part before the @.
Covers @icloud.com, @me.com, @mac.com. Run by Apple. Checked against iCloud Mail's own help pages, November 2026.
iCloud Mail email server settings
| Server | Address | Port | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | imap.mail.me.com | 993 | SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | smtp.mail.me.com | 587 | SSL/TLS (try STARTTLS if SSL gives an error) |
- Username: Incoming: just the part before the @ (for example johnappleseed); try the full address if that fails. Outgoing: your full address.
- Password: Non-Apple mail apps such as Outlook and Thunderbird need an app-specific password, created on the Apple Account website. Two-factor authentication must be on.
- Use IMAP if you read mail on more than one device; POP downloads mail to one device only.
Official page: iCloud Mail email settings
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Common iCloud Mail email problems
I'm trying to set up iCloud Mail with POP
iCloud Mail does not offer POP. Use IMAP instead.
My IMAP login fails with my full email address
For incoming mail, Apple says to type only the part before the @. Outgoing mail uses the full address.
I have an old @me.com or @mac.com address
These are the same iCloud mailbox, so the same servers and app-specific password work.
Problems that look the same on every provider
Can't sign in, or the password stopped working
- Sign in on the provider's own webmail page first. If that works, the problem is your mail app, not the account.
- If webmail rejects the password, use the provider's "Forgot password" page. Never use a reset link from an email you did not ask for.
- Many providers now need a separate app password (or their own sign-in screen) for Outlook, Apple Mail and phone apps. Your normal password will not work there.
Not receiving emails
- Check Spam, Junk and any filters or "blocked senders" in webmail.
- Check whether the mailbox is full; most providers stop accepting mail at the storage limit.
- If your app shows nothing new but webmail does, remove and re-add the account in the app using IMAP.
Can't send, or emails are stuck in the Outbox
- Check the outgoing (SMTP) server, port and security on this page against your app; old guides often list ports that no longer work.
- Turn on "My outgoing server requires authentication" and use the same username and password as incoming.
- Large attachments are a common cause. Remove the attachment and try again.
Contacts are getting spam from my address
- Change the password from webmail, then sign out of all other sessions if the provider offers it.
- Check forwarding rules, filters and the reply-to address in settings; attackers often add a hidden forward.
- Turn on two-step verification, and update the password anywhere else you used the same one.
Setting it up on a new phone or computer
- Use IMAP rather than POP so mail stays in sync across your phone, computer and webmail.
- Enter your full email address as the username unless the provider says otherwise.
- If the app offers the provider by name (Yahoo, Google, Outlook), choose that instead of "Other".
Sources: Apple: iCloud Mail server settings for other email apps · Apple: app-specific passwords · Apple: if you forgot your Apple Account password. Providers change settings from time to time; their own page is the final word.
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