This topic

Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

somhairle — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:25:40 GMT

I have been having real problems with my BTinternet email recently.

I use either Thunderbird or Mail on an iMac running MacOS12.3. I am constantly being asked to enter my email password by my email apps. Twice I have received messages from BTinternet telling me that they have locked my account because of suspicious activity. I have then had incredible difficulty changing my password and regaining access to BTinternet. Not owning or using a mobile phone makes things very, very difficult for me.

I occasionally use a VPN and BTinternet most definitely does not like it when I do and always asks me to enter my email password when using my mail app.

For years, online services have ignored the fact that I use a desktop and I am constantly told by various sites that I have logged in from a different machine, using a different browser, in a different location. None of this is true and these emails - which includes these details - confirms this.

Can anyone tell me what is going on, or have service providers simply given up on computers and Apple is happy to force me into upgrading my machine or buying an iPhone>

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

Kimberlin — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:20:35 GMT

@somhairle This is not in any way meant to come across as sarcasm so please don’t construe it that way, but there is an alternative email provision world out there other than BT Mail. I use a Swiss email provider (which I pay for) through a dedicated mail App on a desktop PC, laptop and a iPhone 17 all with zero problems and that includes through a VPN. That also includes a zero spam experience, something it seems that BT Mail appears to have persistent problems with if you believe the multiple threads of users complaining about it on this forum.

Perhaps it’s worth exploring alternatives, or, you can persist with BT’s offering and put up with the issues.

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

gg30340 — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:43:57 GMT

If you are using wifi it could be that if you have MAC Randomisation turned on on your iMac, try turning it off.

See link.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/security/secb9cb3140c/web#:~:text=Apple platforms use a randomized,with a Wi-Fi network.

This can cause BT security systems to think your BTMail account is being accessed from multiple devices/locations. This can also happen when using a VPN.

The email system is encryped so a VPN is not really needed although it should work however try turning it off when using your BTMail to see if it helps.

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

somhairle — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:22:46 GMT

Kimberlin. I do recognise there are many providers who provide paid for services now. However, I remember not too many years ago that you could obtain any number of email accounts free that would operate with your email app. Providers managed for years without the need to charge and my feeling ow is that they are simply getting greedy.

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

somhairle — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:25:05 GMT

gg30340. Thanks for the info. I had a look at what you were describing. However, Apple did not introduce this until after they stopped supporting my machine and OS. So it does not apply to me. However, it does not mean that this does not actually happen to me when using WiFi but I simply have no way to disable it.

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

Kimberlin — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:49:54 GMT

@somhairle I suspect most free email providers don’t have any real interest in providing genuinely secure email services. Many of them probably get their funds from advertising and selling customer data.

Whilst you may not necessarily agree with subscription service email providers, my personal experience is that they do take customer data protection seriously and most likely do provide a more superior service. I could never personally take any ISP email delivery seriously, but that’s a personal opinion. I pay for my email service, which incidentally costs me less money than BT charge for their offering to those that choose to pay for BT’s email service.

You only have to scrutinise this forum and the almost countless threads complaining about BT’s email service to realise that perhaps it’s time BT just hung up it’s hat on email and just got on with just providing broadband and telephony services. I do of course realise BT no longer offer new customers email accounts and quite frankly, that’s probably a good thing.

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

gg30340 — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 12:43:34 GMT

@Kimberlin

As you frequently post the same message I am interested to hear how you have arrived at your conclusions.

Which free email providers do you suspect do not take any real interest in providing a secure email service and which ones are selling customers data?

Which subscription services provide a superior service and how is that quantified and what does that superior service entail and if as you state they take customer data protection seriously by implication which of the free services does not and what evidence do you have regarding that?

As regards scrutinising the forum, which is undoubtedly where users post because they have a problem as against the millions of BT customers who do not have a problem it is hardly a scientific measure of any service let alone an email service.

In stead of always spouting what a wonderful email service you have, which comes across as you being superior for not selecting an ISPs email service, perhaps you should try assisting the person who is seeking help about their BTMail email service, that is if you have any knowledge how to help them rather than always just telling them to pay for a "superior" email service.

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

Kimberlin — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:17:52 GMT

@gg30340 I genuinely have absolutely no interest in anything you post 😉

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

gg30340 — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 16:23:18 GMT

Snap!

I thought you would be unable to justify your post.

Re: Constantly Being Asked to Enter BTinternet Password

Ritu_D — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:34:02 GMT

We've moved a few posts from this thread, as they veered off-topic. Please keep posts respectful and constructive.

Reminder of the BT Community User Guidelines.

Thanks

Ritu