Can't reply to message in Mail: "[recipient] was rejected by the server"

[Ubele]

I posted this earlier in the Mac Apps forum, but I just realized that my problem is on iOS Mail, not macOS Mail...

I created a WordPress-based website for my wife's business on our own domain (let's say, https://www.business.com), a contact email address (let's say, wife@business.com), and a page with a contact form using the Contact Form 7 plugin. Since I'll be handling the business and technical sides of her business, I'll be monitoring the inquiry emails that people send. I added wife@business.com to the Apple Mail accounts on her Mac, iPad, and iPhone, and my Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

When I send a message from the contact form on the website (entering my personal account -- let's say, me@gmail.com), it's sent to wife@business.com. All six devices receive it in Apple Mail. I did a test reply to the message on all six devices to me@gmail.com using wife@business.com as the sending address. It works fine on my Mac, iPad, and iPhone, and on my wife's Mac. On her iPad and iPhone, though, Mail gives the error, "Cannot send message. A copy has been placed in your Outbox. Me@gmail.com was rejected by the server." My wife and I each have an iPhone 6s Plus and a 2017 9.7" regular iPad. All are running the latest version of iOS. I configured all our devices, so there shouldn't be any differences in settings.

I searched the web, and the only advice I could find was to go into the wife@business.com email account, delete the password, and re-enter it. I tried that, and it didn't work. Any ideas? This is extremely puzzling.

(Obviously, those aren't the actual website or email addresses, but I'm unable to break the links. When I do and repost this message, the links get re-added.)

 

[BrianBaughn]

You're probably right that there are no "differences in settings" but for troubleshooting you're going to have to verify/compare every possible setting in "Accounts & Passwords" between working and non-working devices. Focus on outgoing settings first.

 

[Ubele]

You're probably right that there are no "differences in settings" but for troubleshooting you're going to have to verify/compare every possible setting in "Accounts & Passwords" between working and non-working devices. Focus on outgoing settings first.

Thanks, Brian. I just fixed the problem without figuring out what caused it. I deleted wife@business.com from my wife's iPad and tried to add it back. It told me that the account was already there, even though it appeared to be gone. So I rebooted her iPad and tried to add the account again. This time, it worked. I sent a test message from the website, and this time, I was able to reply to it from her iPad.

 

[MBAir2010]

this is a tough one, glad that worked, hopefully potential customers get through.

 

[Ubele]

this is a tough one, glad that worked, hopefully potential customers get through.

Thanks! You think I'd know by now to use the "delete and try again" approach right off the bat, after the "when in doubt, reboot" approach fails.