iOS Push Notifications (Beta)

BETA FEATURE

This feature is currently in beta testing. While many users report success, you may encounter limitations or bugs. We welcome your feedback to help improve this feature.

Background

Apple's iOS platform has historically limited how third-party email providers like MXroute can deliver push notifications for new emails. MXroute has developed a workaround solution using Microsoft Exchange protocol to enable near real-time notifications on iOS devices.

Solution Overview

Our beta push notification system:

• Uses a custom Z-Push backend specifically designed for MXroute
• Delivers notifications within approximately one minute of email receipt
• Works with email hosted on MXroute servers, including email forwarded to your MXroute account
• Utilizes the Microsoft Exchange protocol (rather than IMAP)
• Focuses exclusively on email functionality (no calendar/contacts/notes)

Requirements

Before setting up push notifications:

• Your iOS device must be running iOS 11 or later
• Your MXroute email account must be properly configured
• Your domain's MX records must point to MXroute servers

Setup Instructions

Follow these steps to configure push notifications on your iOS device, or watch our video tutorial on YouTube:

Step 1: Begin Account Setup

1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device
2. Search for "Mail accounts" or scroll down and tap Mail → Accounts
3. Tap Add Account

Step 2: Select Exchange

1. From the list of account types, select Microsoft Exchange
   • Do not select "Outlook" or any other option
   • If you don't see Exchange as an option, your iOS version may be too old

Step 3: Enter Initial Account Details

1. Enter your full email address in the Email field
2. Tap Next
3. When prompted to sign in to your Exchange account, select Configure Manually

Step 4: Complete Configuration

1. Enter your MXroute account password
2. For the Server field, enter: push.mxroute.com
3. For the Domain field (if shown), leave it blank
4. For the Username field, enter your full email address again
5. Tap Next

Step 5: Select Services

1. Make sure Mail is switched ON
2. Turn OFF all other services (Contacts, Calendars, Notes, Reminders)
   • MXroute does not support these services
   • Enabling them may cause errors or unexpected behavior
3. Tap Save to complete the setup

What to Expect

After setup is complete:

• Your initial inbox synchronization may take 5-10 minutes
• New emails should generate push notifications within about a minute of arrival
• Your existing iOS mail folders will be preserved
• The Mail app will now show your account as an "Exchange" account

Known Limitations

This beta solution has some known limitations:

• Initial Sync Time: The first sync may take 5-10 minutes to complete
• DKIM Signature Note: Emails sent through this system are currently not signed with DKIM (this doesn't affect delivery, only authentication)
• Limited Protocol Support: This solution uses Exchange ActiveSync rather than IMAP
• No Calendar/Contacts: These services are not supported with our push notification solution

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues:

Push Notifications Not Working

1. Verify notification settings:

   • Go to Settings → Notifications → Mail
   • Ensure notifications are enabled for your account

2. Check account connectivity:

   • Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → your Exchange account
   • Verify the server is showing as connected

3. Try removing and re-adding the account:

   • Back up any important emails stored only on your device
   • Remove the Exchange account
   • Re-add following the steps above

Emails Not Appearing

If emails aren't appearing in your inbox:

1. Check if they appear when using webmail or another email client
2. Ensure your domain's MX records point to MXroute servers
3. Verify the email isn't being filtered as spam

Alternative Options

If the push notification solution doesn't work for your needs, you can:

1. Use the standard iOS Mail setup with IMAP (without push notifications)
2. Use a third-party email app that supports IMAP IDLE (like Spark or Edison Mail)
3. Set your Mail app to fetch new messages at regular intervals