Apple mail cannot verify certificate

The frustrating "Cannot verify certificate" error in Apple Mail!

This error typically occurs when Apple Mail is unable to verify the digital certificate of an email server, which is used to encrypt and decrypt emails. Here are some possible causes and solutions to help you resolve the issue:

Causes:

  1. Certificate expiration: The email server's certificate may have expired, which prevents Apple Mail from verifying it.
  2. Certificate mismatch: The certificate may not match the expected domain name or IP address of the email server.
  3. Certificate not trusted: The certificate may not be trusted by Apple Mail due to a missing or invalid root certificate.
  4. Email server configuration: The email server may be misconfigured, causing Apple Mail to fail to verify the certificate.

Solutions:

  1. Check the email server's certificate: Contact your email provider or system administrator to check the certificate's expiration date and ensure it's valid.
  2. Update the certificate: If the certificate has expired, ask your email provider or system administrator to update it.
  3. Verify the certificate's domain name: Ensure that the certificate's domain name matches the expected domain name of the email server.
  4. Check for missing or invalid root certificates: Make sure that Apple Mail has the necessary root certificates installed. You can check for updates in System Preferences > Internet Accounts > Advanced > Certificates.
  5. Disable certificate verification: As a temporary workaround, you can disable certificate verification in Apple Mail. To do this:
    • Go to Mail > Preferences > Accounts > [Your Account] > Advanced.
    • Uncheck the box next to "Verify the identity of the sender's email server".
    • Click "OK" to save the changes.
  6. Reset Apple Mail's settings: If none of the above solutions work, try resetting Apple Mail's settings:
    • Go to Mail > Preferences > Accounts > [Your Account] > Advanced.
    • Click the "Reset" button at the bottom of the window.
    • Click "OK" to save the changes.
  7. Contact your email provider or system administrator: If none of the above solutions work, contact your email provider or system administrator for further assistance. They may need to update their email server's configuration or provide additional guidance.

I hope these solutions help you resolve the "Cannot verify certificate" error in Apple Mail!