Passwords not syncing across devices

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Level 1

21 points

Passwords not syncing across devices

I have 5 email accounts that I use - 1 is an apple account, and the others are gmail.

I access all accounts onm y Mac just fine using the mail app. BUT, when I try to access them on my iPad or iPhone, the passwords that I use on the MAc are not being accepted.

I've gone into Keychain to make sure I am using the correct PW.

One account is accesible on the other devices - the apple (me.com) account. The others keep telling me wrong Pw. BIT IT'S NOT WRONG! How can I access my email on my apple devices - I need access while tavelling.

iPad Air 2, iPadOS 15

Posted on Aug 25, 2025 04:36 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

153,472 points

Aug 25, 2025 05:54 AM in response to LIPhotoman

The "password is incorrect" message is misleading because it will appear for any inability to authenticate. Those reasons can be many due to the nature of various email account provider required settings.

The fix it to remove the affected email account(s) from each of the affected devices, and then add them again.

Read Add and remove email accounts on iPhone - Apple Support. Remove first, then add.

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Answer 2

LIPhotoman Author

Level 1

21 points

Aug 25, 2025 06:20 AM in response to John Galt

Thanks. IF I do that, will I lose all the emails that are in those accounts? I would expect not.

BTW - I am having the same issue with Facebook - I am notable to log in on the New iPad using the PW that works elsewhere.

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Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

153,472 points

Aug 25, 2025 07:21 AM in response to LIPhotoman

I happen to know you will not lose email messages in your iCloud Mail or Google email accounts.

If you were using some other email service the answer would be "it depends". Apple used to include the following Important note in an older version of a similar Support document for the Mac:

Important: If you’re unsure whether messages you want to keep are still on the mail server, move or copy them to a mailbox stored on your Mac (the mailbox appears in the On My Mac section in the Mail sidebar) before you remove the account in Mail.

It remains good advice.

Can't help with Facebook.

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Answer 4

LIPhotoman Author

Level 1

21 points

Aug 26, 2025 03:02 PM in response to John Galt

Well, that's weird. Removed the email accounts, added them back - but unable to complete because it still is not accepting the email passwords. These are the PW's that are showing on my computer's Keychain, and they work on computer but not on phone or iPad. Frustrating!

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Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

153,472 points

Aug 26, 2025 04:21 PM in response to LIPhotoman

In that case I would suggest signing out of iCloud on the two affected devices, and signing in again. It's the iCloud equivalent of "turn it off and on again".

Read beforehand: Sign out of iCloud on your devices - Apple Support

Although it's nearly certain that you are using the correct credentials, confirm that you can sign in to iCloud.com Mail with Safari on your Mac to access your email messages. Do the same with Google Mail, assuming they have a webmail interface.

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