Sometimes, users of the Mail app on iPhone and iPad may attempt to open an email only to be met with an error message in the subject line that reads “This message has not been downloaded from the server.” Unfortunately, the Mail app itself does not offer a clear option to download the message from the server, so it's up to the user to find a way to access and read the email.

If you come across this “message not downloaded from server” error in the Mail app on your iPhone or iPad, follow the steps below to resolve and troubleshoot the issue so you can view the email properly.

1: Ensure you are connected to the internet

It’s obvious but important—your iPhone or iPad must have an active internet connection to retrieve emails.

Verify that you're connected to either Wi-Fi or cellular data (you can test this by visiting a website).

2: Close and reopen the Mail app on iPhone or iPad

Simply closing and reopening the Mail app can sometimes fix the ‘message not downloaded’ problem.

On newer iPhone and iPad models without a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to open the app switcher, find the Mail app, then swipe up on its preview to close it. Reopen the Mail app and try accessing the email again.

3: Restart your iPhone or iPad

Restarting your device often resolves the “message not downloaded” error in Mail. It’s actually the first solution I try whenever I encounter this issue regularly on my iPhone.

For iPhone & iPad with Face ID: Press the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button, then hold the Power/Lock button until the ? Apple logo appears on screen to restart the device.

For older iPhone & iPad models with a Home button: Hold both the Home button and Power button until the ? Apple logo appears.

Once restarted, relaunch the Mail app and return to the email that previously showed the download error. The message should now load correctly, letting you read the email.

For example, here’s what a successfully loaded email looks like after restarting, which previously failed to load:

And here’s an example of the message showing the “This message has not been downloaded from the server” error:

Why does the “This message has not been downloaded from the server” error occur?

There could be several reasons behind this issue, including how the email service is configured, background processes, temporary communication issues between the device and server, short server downtimes, or minor problems with your internet connection.

Some services appear more likely to trigger this error than others. For instance, using the Mail app with Outlook or Hotmail tends to result in the “message not downloaded” error more frequently compared to Gmail.

Occasionally, this error may also appear alongside another one stating “Cannot Get Mail,” and fixing one might cause the other to show instead. When this happens, it’s typically related to Mail account authentication issues or internet connectivity problems. These errors can also coincide with having an email stuck in the outbox, which usually signals a deeper issue with the connection or account authentication.

If you've experienced this error and found any of these solutions helpful, or if you’ve discovered a different fix, feel free to share your experience in the comments.

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