No sound for email notifications on iPhone 15 Pro after iOS 18.4 update

Was just able to resolve this issue on my iPhone 15 Pro running ios 18.4. Try this:

Delete and Reinstall the Mail App

1. Tap and hold the Mail app icon from your Home screen to reveal a Delete App option. Tap that to remove the app, then restart your iPhone.
2. After your iPhone starts up again, download Mail from the App Store.
3. You may also need to return to the Passwords & Accounts settings to turn Mail on for each of your email accounts again.
4. Go to Notifications and check to see that “Allow Notifications” is turned ON for all eMail accounts.
5. For safety make sure iCloud Backup is still active as well (for some reason it was turned off after updating to the latest ios a few days ago and I was unaware of this issue).

I had the same issue on my iPhone 15 Pro Max after installing the 18.4 update.

To fix the issue open Settings, tap on Notifications, tap on Mail, scroll to the bottom and tap on Customize Notifications, tap on the mail account with the issue (in my case it was iCloud), turn on Alerts. This will enable the audible alert.

Was just able to resolve this issue on my iPhone 15 Pro running ios 18.4. Try this:

Delete and Reinstall the Mail App

1. Tap and hold the Mail app icon from your Home screen to reveal a Delete App option. Tap that to remove the app, then restart your iPhone.
2. After your iPhone starts up again, download Mail from the App Store.
3. You may also need to return to the Passwords & Accounts settings to turn Mail on for each of your email accounts again.
4. Go to Notifications and check to see that “Allow Notifications” is turned ON for all eMail accounts.
5. For safety make sure iCloud Backup is still active as well (for some reason it was turned off after updating to the latest ios a few days ago and I was unaware of this issue).

I finally found something that worked for my iPhone 12 Pro!!! . —after all the other numerous different notification adjustments and tries… what finally worked for me was the following:

I completely deleted the mail app— then reinstalled it from App Store —

then- under settings-notifications -mail - customer notifications- I checked alerts for all my mail account ( as most were are off by default) and also checked to make sure the alerts were on - under vip /remind me/ primary inbox- ( as it was off by default on the primary nbox after the reinstall)

and after a few minutes- was hearing the alerts again! 😀

Temporary Solution: Restore VIP Notifications in the Mail App on iPhone (iOS 18.4.1)

Step 1 – Temporarily disable Mail for all accounts:

1. Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts

2. Select each account (iCloud, Gmail, Outlook, etc.)

3. Toggle off the Mail option for all accounts

Step 2 – Delete the Mail app:

1. Press and hold the Mail app icon on the home screen

2. Select “Remove App” and confirm

Step 3 – Reinstall the Mail app:

1. Open App Store

2. Search for “Apple Mail”

3. Download and reinstall the app

Step 4 – Re-enable Mail for your accounts:

1. Go back to Settings > Mail > Accounts

2. Select each account and toggle Mail back on

Step 5 – Adjust VIP notification sound:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications > Mail > VIP

2. Choose a different sound (e.g., “Crystal”)

3. Wait a few seconds, then switch back to your preferred sound

Done!

VIP notifications with sound should now work as expected again, including push delivery for iCloud Mail.

Was just able to resolve this issue on my iPhone 15 Pro running ios 18.4. Try this:

Delete and Reinstall the Mail App

1. Tap and hold the Mail app icon from your Home screen to reveal a Delete App option. Tap that to remove the app, then restart your iPhone.
2. After your iPhone starts up again, download Mail from the App Store.
3. You may also need to return to the Passwords & Accounts settings to turn Mail on for each of your email accounts again.
4. Go to Notifications and check to see that “Allow Notifications” is turned ON for all eMail accounts.
5. For safety make sure iCloud Backup is still active as well (for some reason it was turned off after updating to the latest ios a few days ago and I was unaware of this issue).

I had the same issue for more than one month, I've read Jtropic's post and tried removing Apple mail app from iPhone 16 pro once and reinstalled it. Then mail notification came again! In addition, my wife's iPhone 16e has also the same issues, and re-installing mail app in the same way made her mail alerts to come back too.

I guess that after iOS updates ,there're some settings information was untouched by operations via GUI and it did harm to the notification functions.

Temporary Solution: Restore VIP Notifications in the Mail App on iPhone (iOS 18.4.1)

Step 1 – Temporarily disable Mail for all accounts:

1. Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts

2. Select each account (iCloud, Gmail, Outlook, etc.)

3. Toggle off the Mail option for all accounts

Step 2 – Delete the Mail app:

1. Press and hold the Mail app icon on the home screen

2. Select “Remove App” and confirm

Step 3 – Reinstall the Mail app:

1. Open App Store

2. Search for “Apple Mail”

3. Download and reinstall the app

Step 4 – Re-enable Mail for your accounts:

1. Go back to Settings > Mail > Accounts

2. Select each account and toggle Mail back on

Step 5 – Adjust VIP notification sound:

1. Go to Settings > Notifications > Mail > VIP

2. Choose a different sound (e.g., “Crystal”)

3. Wait a few seconds, then switch back to your preferred sound

Done!

VIP notifications with sound should now work as expected again, including push delivery for iCloud Mail.

I’m not sure if anyone else said this already but have you checked in settings. Sounds & haptics. New mail was defaulted to none on my phone. Once I chose a sound, it was back.

Or how about settings. Mail. Notifications. Customize notifications. Under accounts, toggle on for alerts with the sound of your choice. I wonder if that would help?

you don’t need to delete all mail accounts, just temporarily switch off all mail accounts before you delete mail app and then switch them on again after re download the app. See instructions below, tested together with apple senior advice team.

I forgot to mention toggling Schedule Summary on and off. I tested the audible mail notification with and without having an Apple Watch on and so far the mail notification sound is working. However there are times it is delayed.

Yes, I spoke to them about 3 weeks ago and after checking all my settings the tech told me Apple was aware of the problem and was working on it but didn't have a date it would be fixed.

It took a while after I reinstalled the app. I think maybe it had something to do with folders sycning, etc. I did two tests and had no luck. Then had to get back to work, and noticed a bit later that I started to hear the sound for new mail coming from my pocket.

I have two iPhones. After deleting the app and reinstalling from the App store on the first iPhone, I don't even have the line Notifications anymore in the Mail App! Check the differences between both iPhones.

First iPhone:

Second iPhone:

Therefore, trying to get the custom notification back, the situation is worst than before I deleted the app!