Getting email set up on a new phone is one of those things that should be simple but often trips people up—especially if you have more than one email address, or if your email is from BT, Sky, TalkTalk, or another provider that doesn’t have its own app.
Here’s how to do it, for both iPhone and Android.
What you’ll need before you start
Before you do anything, make sure you have:
- Your email address (the full address, including the part after the @)
- Your email password—not your phone password, but the password you use to log into your email account
If you’ve forgotten your email password, most providers let you reset it on their website. It’s worth doing this on a laptop or another device before you start setting up the phone.
Setting up Gmail on iPhone
- Open Settings on your iPhone
- Scroll down and tap Mail
- Tap Accounts → Add Account
- Tap Google
- Enter your Gmail address and tap Next
- Enter your password and tap Next
- Choose what you want to sync (Mail, Contacts, Calendars) and tap Save
Your Gmail inbox will now appear in the iPhone Mail app, and also in the Gmail app if you download it from the App Store.
Setting up Outlook, Hotmail, or Live on iPhone
Follow the same steps as Gmail, but at step 4, tap Microsoft Exchange if it’s a work account, or Outlook.com for personal Hotmail, Live, or Outlook addresses.
You can also download the Microsoft Outlook app from the App Store, which is often easier—just open it, tap Add Account, and follow the prompts.
Setting up BT, Sky, TalkTalk, or Virgin email on iPhone
These providers use standard email settings (called IMAP), which means they work with Apple’s built-in Mail app, but you may need to enter the settings manually.
- Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account
- Tap Other at the bottom of the list
- Tap Add Mail Account
- Fill in your name, email address, password, and a description (e.g. “BT email”)
- Tap Next—your iPhone will try to configure the settings automatically
In most cases this works. If it doesn’t, you’ll need the incoming and outgoing mail server settings for your provider—these can be found on your provider’s website (search for “[provider name] IMAP settings”).
Setting up email on Android
The process is very similar on Android phones, though the menus look slightly different depending on the brand.
- Open the Gmail app (it comes pre-installed on most Android phones)
- Tap your profile photo in the top right → Add another account
- Choose your email type (Google, Outlook, or Other for BT/Sky etc.)
- Follow the on-screen prompts
If you’re adding a BT, Sky, or TalkTalk address, choose Other and enter your email and password—Android will try to configure the rest automatically.
If your email won’t connect
The most common reasons email won’t connect on a new phone:
- Wrong password—double-check by logging in on a laptop first
- Account verification needed—some accounts (particularly Gmail) require you to verify a new sign-in from a trusted device or via a code sent to your phone or another email
- Two-step verification—if your email account has two-factor authentication turned on, you may need to generate an “app password” through your account settings and use that instead of your regular password
If you’re struggling to get email working on a new phone, or if you’ve just switched from iPhone to Android (or vice versa) and want help getting everything set up properly, I visit homes across Falkirk and Central Scotland.
Find out more about phone setup help, or call 07944 156 453. No fix, no fee, 7 days a week.
Falkirk Tech Help—friendly in-home tech support across Falkirk and Central Scotland.