Incorrect IMAP password

Hi Peter Geary and other users,

Thank you for reaching out, and I completely understand how frustrating this must be. especially when it suddenly starts happening on both your iPhone and iPad.

Based on your description, this does appear to be related to a recent Outlook service degradation affecting some iOS/iPadOS users, where the Mail app repeatedly prompts for the IMAP password even though nothing was changed on your side.

As a workaround, you can try re-entering your password on your device:

On your iPhone / iPad:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Mail > Accounts
3. Select your email account
4. Tap Account
5. Re-enter your Microsoft account password
6. Tap Done, then reopen the Mail app

If you don’t remember your password, you’ll need to reset it here: https://account.live.com/password/reset

If the issue continues after updating the password, you may also consider removing and re-adding the account, or using the Outlook app as an alternative while the issue is being resolved.

Once again, I’m sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you for your patience while this is being worked through.

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The IMAP password prompt means the mail app can no longer sign in to the email provider with the stored (now invalid) password. The concealed password in the settings cannot be revealed; it must be reset at the email provider, then updated in the app.

Follow these steps:

1. Reset the email account password at the provider
   • Go to the website for the IMAP email provider (for example, Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo, or the provider’s own site) in a browser.
   • Use the provider’s “forgot password” or account security page to set a new password.
   • If this is an iCloud, Outlook.com/Hotmail, Microsoft 365, Yahoo, Gmail, Exchange, or generic IMAP account, use the appropriate password-reset path described here:
     • iCloud: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201487
     • Outlook.com/Hotmail/Live: https://account.live.com/password/reset
     • Microsoft 365: https://passwordreset.microsoftonline.com/
     • Yahoo: the Yahoo security page linked from https://login.yahoo.com
     • Gmail: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/41078?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
     • Exchange: contact the IT admin.
     • Other IMAP: use the IMAP provider’s own reset link or contact them.
2. Update the password in Outlook/Mail on iPhone and iPad
   • After the password is changed at the provider, Outlook for iOS or the built‑in Mail app will detect a sync error and prompt for the new password.
   • When prompted, enter the new password.
   • If the app does not prompt or still fails, remove the IMAP account from the app and add it again using the new password.
3. If setting up IMAP manually in Outlook for iOS
   • In Outlook for iOS, go to Settings > Accounts > Add Account > Email Account.
   • Enter the email address and choose IMAP if asked to select a provider.
   • Turn on Use Advanced Settings and enter the IMAP server, port, and security settings from the email provider.
   • Enter the new password and tap Sign In.

Note: When an email account password is changed and that account is also used as a Microsoft account, sign-in may be required again in other Microsoft apps and sites.

References:

• Updating your email account password.
• Set up the Outlook app for iOS

mine also same. error message unable to to sign in . check your credentials and try again

I do not log onto virgin to Virgin media as I have no product with them

in any event they do not recognise the old ntlworld email

@Peter Geary said

Enter the password for the IMAP account
This is occurring on both outlook and also ntlworld

Your outlook.com account is not IMAP, so it must be about your NTLWorld Virgin Media Mail account.

Outlook just wants the password you currently use to logon to https://www.virginmedia.com/