iPhone Mail app can't receive email (IMAP AUTHENTICATIONFAILED) for two days — sending still works

Since Sunday evening, my husband's Xfinity email has stopped receiving on his iPhone (Mail app), while sending still works fine, and everything works normally on his laptop via the Xfinity webmail.

On the iPhone, he gets this repeating error:

"Password incorrect. Enter password for IMAP." — Comcast

(Normally the email app on his phone would not require a password.) After he enters the correct password for his email, it then shows:

"Cannot get mail. The mail server 'IMAP.comcast.net' is not responding. Verify that you have entered the correct account info in Mail settings.
Server code: AUTHENTICATIONFAILED
Server message: authentication failed"

(He is offered the choice of "Cancel" or "ok.")

Details:

Webmail on a laptop works perfectly — new mail is arriving normally
Sending from the iPhone Mail app still works
Only IMAP (receiving) on the iPhone is affected
Third Party Access Security is enabled in account settings
No security alerts shown on the account
Restarting the phone, toggling Airplane Mode, and toggling the Mail account off/on did not help

Can Comcast/Xfinity help? Would prefer not to reset the password if this is a server-side glitch. Thanks.

Responses

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XfinityThomasA

Official Employee

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3.7K Messages

3 hours ago

English53 - Thank you for choosing Xfinity and reaching out to us for help accessing your Xfinity Email on your iPhone. We appreciate you providing the IMAP error message, as that helps us better understand what's happening.
We recommend using IMAP for your Comcast.net email account. Unlike POP, which downloads emails to a single device and can remove them from the server, IMAP keeps your messages stored on the server, making it much easier to access and manage your email across multiple devices.
With IMAP, any changes you make on one device, such as reading, deleting, or moving emails on your iPhone, will automatically sync across your other devices, including tablets and computers. This provides a more seamless and consistent email experience.
POP can sometimes create issues when you check email from more than one device, which is why IMAP is generally the preferred option for Comcast.net email accounts.
You can learn more about updating your email settings and transitioning from POP to IMAP in the helpful article below.

The difference between Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) and Post Office Protocol (POP) — Xfinity Email help

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English53

Contributor

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57 Messages

2 hours ago

Has something changed on Comcast's part to make this happen? Why would my husband need to change port settings that worked fine a week ago?

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English53

Contributor

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57 Messages

I have read the article you linked, and it pertains to outgoing mail. He can send email from his phone without difficulty. However, his inbox is not populating with incoming emails (and, of course, he is getting the error message I quoted).

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2 hours ago

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XfinityThomasA

Official Employee

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3.7K Messages

English53 - I understand how frustrating it can be when your email suddenly stops working across multiple iPhones and iPads, especially when no settings have been changed. I'd be happy to help. It's important to know that Xfinity Email does not use a separate IMAP password. Your email account always uses your Xfinity ID password for authentication. Even if you haven't changed your password, Apple Mail can occasionally stop syncing properly if the secure connection between the device and the email server expires or becomes invalid.

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Official Employees are from multiple teams within Xfinity: CARE, Product, Leadership.
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2 hours ago

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English53

Contributor

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57 Messages

Thank you. But it seems as if the suggestions in the link you provided are about outgoing mail, not incoming. There's no problem here with outgoing mail.

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1 hour ago

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XfinityVictor

Official Employee

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2.4K Messages

English53 OK, I would like to look into your account. Can you please send us a direct message with your full name and complete service address to "Xfinity Support". To do so, click on the direct messaging icon located at the top right of this forums page.

Here's the detailed steps to direct message us:
How to Send Us a Direct Message:
To send us a direct message:
1. Click "Sign In" (If necessary)
2. Click the "Direct Messaging" Icon.
3. Click the "Start New Conversation" (pencil and paper) icon.
4. In the “To:” line, type "Xfinity Support".
5. As you type, a drop-down list will appear. Select "Xfinity Support" from that list.
6. An "Xfinity Support" graphic will replace the "To:" line.
7. Type your message in the text area near the bottom of the window.
8. Press Enter to send it.

For an example of how to send us a Direct Message, check out this link.
How to: Direct messaging within the forum | Xfinity Community Forum

I am an Official Xfinity Employee.
Official Employees are from multiple teams within Xfinity: CARE, Product, Leadership.
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1 hour ago

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English53

Contributor

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57 Messages

Thanks. I asked this question on behalf of my husband, who is traveling, hoping I would be able to find a simple solution he could apply while he was away. (I have been monitoring his email on his laptop here at home.) It sounds as if he should be the one to contact you, since it is his account. When he returns home, I will pass on the instructions you have just sent.

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52 minutes ago

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English53

iPhone Mail app can't receive email (IMAP AUTHENTICATIONFAILED) for two days — sending still works

XfinityThomasA

English53

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XfinityThomasA

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XfinityVictor

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