Fix This Message has not been Downloaded from the Server on iPhone

If you are seeing the message ‘This message has not been downloaded from the server’ in your iPhone Mail app, you’re not alone. Many Apple users are facing this issue recently.

There could be several reasons behind this error on your iPhone’s mail server. If it’s related to updates, Apple will likely fix it in next update. However, if the cause is something else, this guide offers a range of solutions and workarounds to help you access your important emails.

Important : Check that your Apple device has the latest update, as older updates might cause issues due to bugs.

What Causes “This Message Has Not Been Downloaded From The Server” Error

• Trouble Connecting: Low data bandwidth or inconsistent connectivity can prevent proper message fetching.
• Sync Issues: Sometimes, your device and the server don’t sync properly, preventing email content from downloading.
• Large Attachments: Emails with big attachments may take a long time to download or might not download at all due to attachment size limits.
• Corrupt Mail App Installation: If the mail app installation is corrupted, it may struggle to communicate with the server, resulting in download errors.
• Misconfigured Server Settings: Wrong server settings can cause problems with downloading emails.
• Server Restrictions: Your Exchange server might block certain types of emails from being downloaded to mobile devices
• Outdated Device OS: An outdated iOS version can cause app malfunctions, including difficulty in downloading messages.

First, I will show you workarounds and quick solutions. If you need to urgently access an important email, you can do that. Later, I will discuss a more permanent solution to resolve the issue.

1) Forward Message to Yourself

By Forwarding the email message which is showing you “This Message Has Not Been Downloaded From The Server” Error you will be able to see the email content.

For this Press and Hold on the email which have error and then tap on forward and when you start forwarding it it will say the iPhone will want to download the rest of the message the email content will then appear below, and you can view it.

2) Reply to Your Mail

Similar to forward method here we will tap on reply instead of forward and it will show you the email content.

3) Use Airplane Mode

By Turning On and OFF your airplane mode can clear any network or connectivity problem and can be helpful in the “This Message Has Not Been Downloaded From The Server” Error.

For this Swipe down from the top-right edge and click on airplane icon leave it for 10 sec and then again click on it to turn it off and then check the mail.

4) Turn Off Wi-Fi and Use Cellular Data

Sometimes there may be an issue with your Wi-Fi connection. To troubleshoot, follow these steps:

1. Turn off Wi-Fi on your device.
2. Use cellular data instead.
3. If the issue is resolved, consider resetting your Wi-Fi router to ensure smooth Wi-Fi usage.

5) Clear Unimportant Emails

If you have a large number of emails in your inbox (say, 2000 or more), consider clearing out the unimportant ones. This can help resolve issues.

For example, if you receive numerous emails from platforms like Quora or other websites that are not important to you, follow these steps:

• Search: First, search for these specific emails. You’ll see all the relevant results.
• Select All: Gently tap in the upper left corner of your email client to select all the displayed emails.
• Delete: Swipe down to select all the emails and then tap on the delete option.

By doing this, you will free up space in your mailbox, allowing you to receive new emails without any issues.

Now, let’s discuss additional steps. If you follow these steps in order and configure your iPhone accordingly, you can prevent the mail issue from occurring again.

1)Force Close the Mail App

To resolve the issue with your mail app:

1. Open the mail app and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to see a preview of your mail app.
2. Drag the app’s preview card all the way up to close it.
3. Open your mail app again and swipe down in the inbox to refresh it.
4. This will update your mail app inbox, allowing you to view the mail with the error message.

Next you have to clear the mail app cache.

2)Clear the Mail App Cache

To clear the mail app cache:

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage scroll down and find the Mail application and tap on it.

Click on ‘Offload App.’ This action clears up the cache data as if you deleted and reinstalled the app. Don’t worry, it won’t delete your mails.

After offloading, tap on Reinstall. Once it’s done reinstalling, check your mail again. It should work fine if the cache was the cause of your issue.

3)Delete Account and Re Add in Mail

This Step is the most important and will surely fix your issue for this you have to delete your email id which is having issue in mail app and again re add it but also make sure you know the password of your mail id you are deleting because you will need it again for re signing on mail app.

For this go to Settings after that scroll down until you find Mail tap on it then click on account and there you will see all the accounts you have in your mail app.

So let say I have problem with the Gmail account I will tap on it and then tap on delete.

After that I will click on add email account and again add the Gmail ,outlook or any other account I have issue with and sign in.

This will surely resolve the issue for you.

4)Fetch and Push Option

iPhone have two option push and fetch to choose between for your email account.

In push option you get the email immediately in real time while in fetch option the iPhone periodically checks for new emails at specified intervals this option help conserve the battery power but you will receive the email with a slight delay.

If you facing the “This message has not been downloaded from the server on iPhone” then disable the push option it will automatically enable the fetch option and select the “automatically” option what it will do is instead of server pushing the new real time data to client (mail app) your mail app will ask server for new data.

For this go to Settings scroll down tap on Mail > Accounts > Fetch new data.

After that you have to disable the Push and select the automatically as shown in the Image above.

5)Mail preview line to 5

Select the mail preview to 5 line instead of 2 line default as it allows the client (mail app) to download much of the content from the mail server (Gmail, iCloud, outlook).

For this Go to settings > Mail > Preview > Select 5 Lines

6)Reset Network Settings

Network resetting is recommended step in solving the issue with the mail app as having any issue with connectivity and network will disrupt the normal communication of mail app with the server.

So for this Setting > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings

7)Force Restart iPhone

Sometime a Software glitch can cause the email issue and force restarting your iPhone will be able to resolve it.

To perform a force restart on your iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Press and release the volume up button.
2. Quickly press and release the volume down button.
3. Next, press and hold the side button until the screen goes completely black.
4. Once the Apple logo appears, release the side button.
5. Your phone will shut down completely and then reload the software.
6. This method can resolve software-related issues that may be affecting features like location sharing.

After your iPhone restarts, check if the issue with location sharing has been resolved.

8)Download Specific Email Provider App

If none of the workaround or solution fixed your issue then I will recommend to install Email specific App let suppose you are using Microsoft Outlook then download its app from App store or if you are using Gmail then download Gmail app from App store and there will be no issue but the only downside of this is you will have to mange your mail separately.

Conclusion

In this modern era, we have various types of communication software and apps. However, email remains one of the most largest modes of communication.

If you use email for work and find yourself unable to receive important messages, it can be incredibly frustrating. Losing customers or business opportunities due to email issues is a real concern.

The workaround I have outlined in this article is specifically for urgent emails you need to view promptly.

while the steps provided address a permanent solution for email issues on iPhones. After reading this guide, I hope you will be able to resolve any email-related problems effectively.