By Achilles Hill | Last Updated
If your iPhone is displaying the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ error, you’re not alone. This common issue usually occurs when your device fails to verify the server's security certificate, which is needed for secure connections in apps like Mail, Safari, or third-party applications. While this error can be frustrating, the good news is that it’s often easy to fix. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most effective methods to resolve the issue and restore your iPhone's ability to connect to servers securely.
There are many factors that can trigger this error. The common reasons are listed below:
Now that we know the possible cause, you can try the below solutions to fix the Cannot Verify Server Identity error.
Restarting your iPhone is a common and widespread troubleshooting trick, just press and hold the volume up and side buttons until you see "slide to power off", then move the slider until your iPhone turns off. Then press and hold the side button to turn the iPhone back on.
SSL certificates are time-sensitive, meaning they need to be validated based on your iPhone’s date and time settings. You need to ensure the iPhone’s date and time settings are correct so that the SSL verification can perform smoothly.
To check the Date and Time settings: tap Settings> General > Date & Time. After that, toggle on the option—Set Automatically. Now, the date & time will be automatically adjusted based on your location, which may resolve the error.
Some server identity issues will only be resolved if you delete your email account. You can delete the current e-mail and re-add it. Don't worry, you just unlink the e-mail account. All your e-mails and other data will remain intact.
Step 1: Move to Settings > Mail > Accounts.
Step 2: Select your e-mail account, on the next screen, select the Delete Account option.
Step 3: Navigate to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account > select your e-mail service provider. Enter your email address and password to sign in. Move the switch next to Mail to the ON position, then click Save. If desired, you can also enable Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Notes.
Misconfigured network settings may cause connection problems between your iPhone and the server. Some users have reported that resetting the network settings helped them to solve this error. So, it is worth to try this solution.
Step 1: Move to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Step 2: Tap Reset > Reset Network Settings > Enter your passcode and confirm to Reset Network Settings. Your iPhone will be restarted and you should re-add your network manually. Now check if you cannot verify the server identity error on iPhone is resolved.
In most cases, an outdated version of the software on your iPhone may cause this error. Outdated versions can create several problems over time, and “cannot verify server identity” error is one of them. Therefore, we can try to handle this situation by updating the iOS to the latest available version of the iPhone to get rid of this error.
Moreover, updating your iPhone to the latest version can fix various iPhone issues and include various features to make your iPhone more stable and secure.
Simply move to Settings > General > Software Update, on the next page, check if there is a software update available. If so, click the Download and Install option and wait until the device installs the latest updated software on your iPhone.
Conflicts in network settings may cause problems with email syncing. The best course of action is to update the iOS carrier settings.
Update the carrier settings by going to Settings > General > About. Follow the on-screen instructions to update the carrier settings.
Note: Carrier updates are automatically displayed when opening About. This feature was introduced in iOS 14.3.
If you are certain the server you’re connecting to is trustworthy, you can manually approve its SSL certificate. However, this is only recommended if you are confident that the server is safe, such as your company email server.
How to do that? When the error message appears, tap the Details option. After that, tap the Trust option to bypass the verification process of this specific server.
iSunshare iOS Repair Geniusis the powerful iOS system error repair tool which can easily fix common iOS issues, such as cannot verify server identity. It can help to get your iPhone out of the stuck issues in simple clicks.
Step 1: Run the software and choose iOS Repair > Standard Mode to continue.
Step 2: You can check which common issues can be solved here. After that, hit the Start button to proceed.
Step 3: Ensure your iPhone is well-connected to the computer. And you can hit the Next button to load the iPhone details.
Step 4: Minutes later, your iPhone is successfully identified by the software. You can check all information about your iPhone. Then hit the Download button to get the firmware package online.
Step 5: The firmware is downloaded and verified successfully. Now click the Repair button to start repairing. At last, your will get the prompt that the iPhone has been repaired successfully.
Tips: If the Standard Mode does not help to solve the error, you can choose the Advanced Mode to erase all the data on your iPhone.
1. What does the “Cannot Verify Server Identity” Error mean?
When you see this error message on the iPhone, your iPhone fails to verify the authenticity of a server’s SSL certificate. And your mail app cannot work as usual.
2. Can I continue using my Email after seeing the “Cannot Verify Server Identity” error?
You can usually continue using your email by accepting the certificate if you trust the server. However, this is not recommended for unknown or suspicious servers.
3. What should I do if my iPhone cannot verify the identity of a website?
For websites, the error is often related to an outdated SSL certificate or incorrect browser setting. Try clearing your browser’s cache or using a different browser to check if the issue persists.
The 'Cannot Verify Server Identity' error on your iPhone can be caused by several issues, from incorrect settings to server-side problems. By following the solutions outlined above, you should be able to resolve the issue and restore secure connections to email servers, websites, and other services on your iPhone. If the problem persists, you can try to factory reset the iPhone.
