Fixing Connected Account Problems
Connected accounts usually just work, but now and then one stops syncing or asks you to reconnect. Almost every problem falls into a handful of buckets, and the fixes are quick. Here's how to read what TrekMail is telling you and get things flowing again.
"Reconnect needed" or an amber dot
If an account shows a small amber dot in the sidebar, or a banner asks you to reconnect, it means the saved password stopped working. Most often this is because you changed your password at the provider, or the app password was revoked. The fix: create a fresh app password (or check your current one), open Settings → Connected accounts, click the account, and enter the new password. TrekMail re-tests it and clears the warning as soon as it connects.
"Authentication failed" when adding an account
This is the number-one issue, and it's nearly always the password. For Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, and iCloud you must use an app password, not your normal login — the normal password is rejected on purpose. Make sure you copied the whole app password, and that two-step or two-factor verification is switched on at the provider (app passwords quietly stop working without it). If your browser auto-filled the username with a saved login from a different site, clear it and use the exact address of the account you're connecting.
Sending fails but receiving works (or vice versa)
Reading uses the IMAP server; sending uses the SMTP server — so if only one direction breaks, it's a server or port issue on that side. For a custom or self-hosted account, switch the SMTP port between 465 (SSL) and 587 (STARTTLS); some office, hotel, and mobile networks block one of them. Double-check that both server names are spelled correctly and match what your provider lists on its email-setup page.
"Could not reach the server" or a timeout
This means TrekMail couldn't contact the mail server at all. Confirm the server name has no typos, and that the provider actually offers IMAP — a few free or basic plans turn it off by default, and you may need to enable it in the provider's settings first. If you're connecting a server on your own network, make sure it's reachable from the public internet.
A "certificate changed" warning
If you connected a self-hosted server and chose to trust its certificate, TrekMail remembers that exact certificate. A warning that it changed usually means the server was reissued a new certificate — normal during maintenance — but it can also signal a problem. If you or your admin just renewed the certificate, edit the account and trust the new one. If you weren't expecting a change, check with whoever runs the server before continuing.
Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 asks you to reconnect
Microsoft accounts connect with a secure Microsoft sign-in rather than a password, and that access is refreshed automatically. If an Outlook, Hotmail, or Microsoft 365 account shows Reconnect needed, it usually means you changed your Microsoft password, revoked access, or the account sat unused long enough that Microsoft ended the session. Open Settings → Connected accounts, click the account, and choose Reconnect with Microsoft to sign in again — the account keeps all its settings. See Add your Outlook.com account for the full flow.
"Needs admin approval" for a Microsoft 365 work account
Personal Outlook.com and Hotmail accounts connect on their own. A Microsoft 365 work or school mailbox is governed by your organization: if the Microsoft sign-in screen says an administrator must approve access, or IMAP is turned off for your mailbox, TrekMail can't connect until your IT admin allows it. Send them the approval request from that screen, or ask them to enable it, then try again.
Still stuck?
If none of the above helps, open a support ticket and tell us the provider and the exact message you're seeing. We'll take it from there.