How To Fix Cannot Verify Server Identity Error on iPhone | For Email and Google

The ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ error is a quite common occurrence in the Browser and Mail apps but fortunately, there are some simple fixes to the problem. This error message can get quite irritating, especially when you are trying to send an important email or browse something through Safari.

We will learn why ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ keeps popping up. Then, we are going to look at easy ways to fix ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ on your iPhone.

Why Does the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ Error Message Keep Appearing?

The ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ error message usually occurs due to an untrusted server. To understand more about this, we must learn a bit about SSL certificates.

While the main cause of this error message is erroneous server settings, there are some other ‘Usual Suspects’. Faulty Email Settings, wrong Date & Time, Network Settings, or an iOS bug can also cause this pop-up.

What Is an SSL Certificate?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It is a digital certificate that authenticates a website’s identity to allow the establishment of an encrypted connection. An SSL certificate is a security protocol that helps create an encrypted link between a web browser and a web server.

Businesses and companies have SSL certificates added to their websites to protect their customer information and enable secure transactions.

SSL certificates that have been signed incorrectly, inconsistencies between a domain name and SSL certificate, and expired certificates get flagged in the strict verification processes of your iPhone that cause the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ error message on your iPhone or iPad.

How To Fix the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ Error

We have compiled a list of solutions to the issue. We suggest you to troubleshoot in the order they appear.

Check Date & Time Settings

If your iPhone is set to the wrong Date & Time, this error can occur. We will now see how to check and reset Date & Time Settings.

Clear Website Data

Sometimes some of the website data stored on Safari might get corrupted. In that case, you will need to clear the website data to fix the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ error message issue.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to Safari. Now select it.

2. Scroll down and tap on the Clear History and Website Data option.

3. You will now be able to choose the time frame for which you want your history and data deleted from the Clear Timeframe section.

4. Turn on the Close All Tabs toggle if you wish to get rid of all your open tabs too.

5. Select the Clear History option to fix the issue.

If the problem persists, please continue to the next solution.

Reboot Your iPhone To Fix the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ Issues

Sometimes rebooting your iPhone can fix the issue. Especially if it is caused by any inconsistencies in the SSL certificates of any website. Rebooting will help fix inconsistencies and temporary glitches.

1. Press and Hold the Power and Volume Down buttons simultaneously until the screen with the slider to turn off your iPhone appears. Then swipe the slider to turn off your iPhone.

OR

2. Open Settings and go to General.

3. Scroll down and select Shut Down.

4. Now turn on your iPhone by holding down the Power button.

Remove your Google Account and Add It Again

If there are any issues regarding your Google Account, you can remove the account and add it again to fix the Cannot Verify Server Identity errors. Let us see how to do it.

1. Open Settings on your iPhone and go to Mail.

2. Then select Accounts.

3. Now select the account that you wish to remove.

4. Select Delete Account.

5. Now follow the same steps to go to Accounts and then select Add Account. Here you can log in to your Google Account again.

Doing this will resolve the error if your email address was causing the issue. Sometimes even if the issue is on account of your email provider, removing and entering your account again can solve it.

Updating iOS Can Solve the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ Issue

Sometimes pending software updates can stir up all kinds of issues on your iPhone. So, let us go and check for software updates.

1. Open Settings on your iPhone and go to General.

2. Now select Software Update.

3. Then follow the on-screen instructions to update the iOS on your iPhone.

Reset Network Settings

At times, inconsistencies in carrier settings can lead to the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ issue popping up on your iPhone. Reset your Network Settings through the following steps.

1. Open the Settings app and select General.

2. Then scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.

3. Select Reset.

4. Now tap on Reset Network Settings.

Uninstall and Reinstall the App That’s Causing Issue

If everything else fails, make sure you go to App Store and uninstall the app. Then reinstall it. Check if the issue has been resolved. You can even try Factory Reset to solve this error.

If none of the solutions work, it is time for you to contact Apple Support.

You can also contact the email provider of your email accounts for assistance.

Were You Able To Solve the ‘Cannot Verify Server Identity’ Issue?

Hopefully, your issue has been resolved by now. Please let us know in the comments which solution did the trick for you. If you have any more questions please feel free to contact us. To stay up to date with the latest news of iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices and software, subscribe to our newsletter and ensure that you don’t miss any updates.

FAQs