Work email on Exchange or Microsoft 365
- Open Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts → Add Account.
- Tap Microsoft Exchange.
- Enter your email address and a description (for example “Work”), then tap Next.
- Tap Sign In to let the iPhone find your account automatically, and enter your password — on Microsoft 365 this opens Microsoft’s sign-in page, including any multi-factor prompt.
- If it cannot find your account, go back and tap Configure Manually instead. Enter your password and, when asked, the server name your email provider gives you.
- Choose what to sync — Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders and Notes — and tap Save.
Other business email (IMAP)
- Open Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts → Add Account.
- Tap Other → Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, email address, password and a description, then tap Next.
- If the iPhone cannot find the settings, choose IMAP and enter the incoming and outgoing server details from your provider.
- Tap Save.
Choose IMAP over POP if you are given the choice: IMAP keeps your phone and computer in step, while POP downloads mail to one device. Neither syncs calendars or contacts — that needs Exchange, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
The Outlook app instead
Microsoft’s free Outlook app from the App Store works with Microsoft 365, Exchange, Gmail and most other accounts. Some businesses require it, because it lets IT protect company data on personal phones — if adding your account to the built-in Mail app fails with a message about your organisation’s policies, that is usually why. Otherwise, use whichever you prefer.
Common problems
- Keeps asking for the password: the password has changed, or your organisation needs multi-factor sign-in. Delete the account from the iPhone and add it again using Sign In.
- Calendar or contacts missing: open the account in Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts and check Calendars and Contacts are switched on.
- Shared mailbox not showing: the iPhone Mail app does not show shared mailboxes the way Outlook does. See shared mailboxes on Mac, iPhone and Android.
- “Cannot verify server identity”: the server’s certificate does not match its name. Do not accept it blindly — check with your email provider first.