I lost my iphone, update new one and new email password but cannot receive, or send emails

Hi christine read,

I’m sorry to hear about the trouble after losing your phone. Not being able to send or receive emails after updating your password can be stressful, especially when it has been ongoing for a while.

I reviewed the Q&A Assist response, and the guidance there is generally accurate for Outlook.com accounts. It correctly focuses on first confirming that the account works on the web and then re‑authenticating the account on the phone. If you have not yet had a chance to try those steps, please start there, as they help confirm whether the issue is account‑side or device‑side.

I would like to add a few important points that may help narrow this down further:

1, Verify web access carefully

After changing your password, please confirm that you can both send and receive emails successfully at Outlook.com using a web browser. If sending or receiving does not work on the web, the issue is with the account itself (for example, storage limits or a temporary security block), and the phone will not sync correctly until that is resolved.

Also, if the mailbox is over the storage limit or was recently flagged for unusual sign‑in activity, sending and receiving can be temporarily restricted. These conditions are visible only when signed in on the web and must be resolved there before mobile sync resumes. Reference: Storage limits in Outlook.com - Microsoft Support and What is the Recent activity page? - Microsoft Support

2, Make sure the phone is using the new password

When an email password is changed, mobile apps do not always update automatically. Even if sign‑in looks successful, the app may still be trying to use the old credentials in the background. Removing the email account from the phone and adding it back using the new password forces a full refresh of the connection. Reference: Set up the Outlook app for iOS - Microsoft Support

3, Check whether the account is Outlook.com or a non‑Microsoft email

If the email address is not an Outlook.com address (for example, Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, or an ISP email) but is accessed through the Outlook app, the password must first be updated on the email provider’s website. Outlook will only sync once the provider accepts the new password.

As fellow users on this public forum, contributors do not have access to mailbox data or internal systems, so troubleshooting focuses on verifying account status and ensuring devices are properly reconnected.

I hope this additional context helps you pinpoint where the issue is occurring and get email working again on your new phone.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.    

Follow these steps in order, focusing first on the Outlook.com account itself, then the iPhone setup.

1. Check Outlook.com account status

• Sign in to Outlook.com in a web browser.
• Confirm that new messages appear there.
• If nothing arrives or sending fails:
  • Check that the Microsoft cloud storage is not full. If storage is full, email cannot be sent or received and incoming messages are bounced and lost. Use the mailbox storage page linked from Outlook.com help to see what is taking space and free some up.
  • If there were recent password or security changes, make sure the account is not temporarily blocked and follow the steps to unblock it if needed.

2. Confirm the new password works on the web

• Still in the browser, sign out and sign back in with the new password to ensure it is correct and fully updated.
• If sign-in fails, use the Microsoft account sign-in helper and password reset options to fix the account first. Email on the phone will not work until web sign-in works reliably.

3. Let Outlook prompt for the new password on iPhone If using the Outlook app for iOS:

• When the password was changed, the app should detect a sync error and prompt for the latest password.
• Open Outlook for iOS and check for any banner or dialog asking to re-enter the password. Enter the same password that works on the web.

4. Remove and re-add the account in Outlook for iOS If Outlook is still not sending/receiving after confirming the password:

• In Outlook for iOS, go to Settings > Accounts.
• Select the Outlook.com (or other) email account and remove/delete it from the app.
• Add it again:
  • Settings > Accounts > Add Account > Email Account.
  • Enter the email address and follow the prompts to sign in with the new password.

5. If using IMAP/POP instead of the default Outlook.com connection If the account was set up as IMAP/POP in Outlook for iOS:

• Remove the existing account from Outlook for iOS.
• Re-add it using manual IMAP setup:
  1. Settings > Accounts > Add Account > Email Account.
  2. Enter the email address and tap Add Account.
  3. On Select your email provider, choose IMAP.
  4. Enter the new password and turn on Use Advanced Settings.
  5. Enter the incoming and outgoing server settings from the email provider, then tap Sign In.

6. If password was changed for a non-Microsoft provider

• Change the password at the provider’s website first (for example Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, or an IMAP provider).
• After that, Outlook for iOS should prompt for the new password; if it does not, remove and re-add the account as above.

7. If one device still will not sync

• For Outlook.com accounts, if only the iPhone is not syncing but web and other devices work, removing the device partnership from the mailbox can help. Use the Outlook.com guidance on fixing email sync issues by removing a device from the mailbox, then set up the account again on the iPhone.

If, after these steps, Outlook.com on the web still cannot send or receive, the issue is with the account itself (storage, block, or sign-in) and must be resolved there before any phone will work.

References:

• Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com
• I can't send or receive messages in Outlook
• Set up the Outlook app for iOS
• Updating your email account password.