Gmail has been my favourite email service since day 1 after Yahoo Mail! popular thwarted. So, I use Gmail on both my iPhone and Android devices. I also sync my Gmail on both devices to receive email updates [in real time]. So, if Gmail is not working on your iPhone or Android here is a guide for you. In this article, I will consider different ways to fix your Gmail not working on iPhone whereas, the same approach can be implemented on your Android to fix the Gmail app not working or not receiving notifications.
Gmail Not Working on iPhone & Android
The following steps will explain different methods that you can use to fix the Gmail app not working on your iPhone and Android device. We will channel our energy to Gmail not working on iPhone 12 Pro Max [a device we own] and the same steps can be applied to the iPhone 13. So, if Gmail isn’t working on your iPhone 13 or iPhone 14 you can try the following troubleshooting tips.
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Clear your iPhone Log
This is the first thing I will do if my Gmail isn’t working. To do this you need to follow the steps below.
- Press the “Volume Up” button.
- Press the “Volume Down” button.
- Press and hold the “Power” button until you are prompted to shut down your iPhone.
- Click on the “Cancel” tab.
- Unlock your “iPhone.”
This will clear your iPhone logs. Now, you can open the Gmail app and see whether it works. If it doesn’t you can try the next tip.
Restart your iPhone
If any app hangs or fails to work on your iPhone you should consider restarting your iPhone. So, if the Gmail app isn’t working on your iPhone or it’s hanging then you should consider restarting the device.
- Press and hold your iPhone “Power” button and “Volume Up/Down” for about 5 seconds.
- Once it vibrates let go of the buttons.
- Slide the “Slide to Power Off” to shut down your iPhone.
- Wait for about 30 seconds and press the “Power” button until the “Apple Logo” comes up to turn on your iPhone.
Wait for your iPhone to load and once it loads try to open the Gmail app and see if it will work. If the app isn’t working yet then try the next troubleshooting tip.
Remove the Gmail Account
You should consider removing the Gmail account from your iPhone and re-adding it again. But before you re-added it ensure to restart your iPhone to clear all the account data and cache.
- Go to your “iPhone” settings.
- Scroll down and click on “Mail.”
- Tap “Accounts.”
- Select “Gmail.”
- Click on “Delete Account.”
- Select “Delete from My iPhone.”
Once the Gmail account is deleted you then need to restart your iPhone. Once restarted add the Google account again to your iPhone and see if it syncs and works as expected.
Enable IMAP in Gmail
Here is another option to consider when you are trying to fix the Gmail not working on your iPhone. You want to enable IMAP in Gmail on your iPhone in other to receive messages from your Gmail to your iPhone. Since IMAP is responsible for the delivery of email notifications it must be enabled.
- Go to mail.google.com on your browser and sign in to your Gmail account that isn’t working.
- Select the “Settings” gear icon on the navigation.
- Select “See All Settings.”
- Select “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” in the navigation.
- Scroll down to “IMAP Access” and choose “Enable IMAP.”
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and choose “Save Change.”
Once IMAP is enabled it will sync across all platforms that the account is added to and this should also reflect on your iPhone.
Update the Gmail App on your iPhone
If you are using an outdated Gmail app on your iPhone the app might start malfunctioning. So, it’s important to keep updating all apps on your device each time there is a new update available. If, however, you cannot you cannot update your iPhone apps manually you can set it to automatic update and here are the steps to take.
- Launch the “Apps Store” app on your “iPhone.”
- Tap on the “Search” icon and search for “Gmail.”
- Tap “Gmail -Email by Google” from the results.
- Tap “Update” to download and install the latest update.
To update your iPhone apps automatically you then need to take the following steps.
- Go to your “iPhone” settings.”
- Scroll down and select “Apps Store.”
- Go to “App Updates” and turn on the radio button.
- Turn on the radio button on “Apps Download” under “Automatic Downloads.”
- Scroll to “Mobile Data” and click on “App Downloads.”
- Tap “Always Allow.”
- Enable “Automatic Download.”
Henceforth your iPhone apps will download and install itself once there is an update available.
Update your iPhone OS
You don’t have to do this periodically because you have to do it always. So, if none of the above troubleshooting tips on how to fix Gmail not working on iPhone works then you should check whether there is an update waiting for you to download and install.
- Go to your “iPhone” settings.
- Scroll down and click on “General.”
- Tap “Software Update.”
- Wait for your “iPhone” to search for an available update.
- If there is an update available you need to click on “Download and Install.”
Once the new update has been downloaded and installed then you can check to see whether your Gmail notifications are working or not.