4 Fixes for “This Message Has Not Been Downloaded From the Server” on iPhone

Quick Tips

• In most cases, restarting the Mail app or your iPhone can resolve the error.
• Ensure that the Mail app’s fetch and preview settings are correctly configured.
• If you’re tired of dealing with these issues, consider switching to a more reliable Mail app alternative for your iPhone.

Try These Basic Fixes

• Free up storage space: A common reason the Mail app may not download emails is due to a lack of free storage space. To avoid this, ensure your iPhone has at least 2GB of free storage.
• Install iOS updates: Apple regularly releases updates for all built-in apps on your iPhone, including the Mail app, through iOS updates. Since these updates often contain bug fixes and various improvements, it’s best to install them.

Fix 1: Configure the Mail App to Fetch Emails Automatically

You should configure the Fetch New Data setting for the Mail app to ensure it is not turned off. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Launch Settings on your iPhone > go to Mail > select Accounts.

Step 2: Tap the Fetch New Data option.

Step 3: Enable the toggle for Push. Tap your email account > select Fetch from the following menu.

Fix 2: Change Mail Preview Settings

If the Mail app still won’t load emails on your iPhone, try modifying message preview settings. You can increase the number of lines the Mail app shows for a message preview and see if that solves the problem.

Step 1: Open Settings on your iPhone > scroll down to select Mail.

Step 2: Under Message List, tap Preview > select 5 Lines from the following menu.

Fix 3: Remove and Re-Add Your Account

Removing and re-adding your account in the Mail app can help fix any issues caused by misconfigured settings. You can try doing this to see if it fixes the “This message has not been downloaded from the server” error on your iPhone.

Step 1: Open Settings > navigate to Mail > Accounts. Then, select the problematic account from the list.

Step 2: Tap Delete Account > select Delete Account again to confirm.

Step 3: Return to the Accounts page > tap the Add Account option > sign back into your account.

Fix 4: Reset Network Settings

Misconfigured network settings can also trigger the “This message has not been downloaded from the server” error. Instead of verifying each network setting individually, it’s easier to reset them all and start over.

Step 1: Open Settings > tap General > select Transfer or Reset iPhone.

Step 2: Tap the Reset option at the bottom and choose Reset Network Settings.

After resetting the network settings on your iPhone, try loading the Mail app one more time. If not, your only option is to reset your iPhone.