How To Update My Mailbox Password In Apple Mail

How to Update an Email Password in Apple Mail on macOS

Overview

Apple Mail may stop sending or receiving messages if the password saved on your Mac no longer matches the password for your mailbox. This can happen after you update your email password with your email provider or after Apple Mail prompts you to re-enter your login information.

This guide explains how to update the password for an existing email account in Apple Mail on macOS. By the end of this guide, you will know how to update the saved password, refresh the mailbox, and confirm Apple Mail can connect again.

These steps are based on Apple Mail version 16.0 on macOS. Your screen may look slightly different depending on your macOS version.

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Access to your Mac computer
Apple Mail installed
The email account already added to Apple Mail
Your correct, current Mailbox password

Updating the password in Apple Mail does not change the password with your email provider. The password must already be updated with your email provider before you complete these steps.

It is also recommended to keep macOS up to date. System updates can include security and compatibility updates that help Apple Mail connect to email servers correctly.

STEP ONE

Open the Mail app on your Mac.

STEP TWO

Click Mail in the top-left menu bar, then click Accounts from the drop-down menu.

This opens the account settings for the email accounts connected to your Mac.

STEP THREE

In the Accounts window, click the email account you want to update.

Make sure you select the correct mailbox before changing the password.

STEP FOUR

Click Details to view and edit the mailbox settings.

This opens the account details where your saved email password can be updated.

STEP FIVE

Enter the updated password in the Password field, then click OK to save the change.

Apple Mail will use this password the next time it connects to your mailbox.

FINAL STEP

In the top menu bar, click Mailbox, then click Synchronize.

This refreshes the mailbox and prompts Apple Mail to reconnect using the updated password. Once the mailbox syncs, confirm that new messages load correctly. You can also send a test email to confirm outgoing mail is working.

Helpful Notes

Updating the password in Apple Mail only updates the password saved on your Mac. It does not reset or change the mailbox password with your email provider.

If Apple Mail continues to ask for the password, confirm that the password works by logging in through webmail first.

If you can receive email but cannot send email, the outgoing mail server settings may also need to be updated.

If Apple Mail still does not connect after the password is updated, removing and re-adding the email account in Apple Mail may be required.

Removing an email account from Apple Mail does not delete the mailbox with your email provider. It only removes the account from Apple Mail on that Mac.

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