How to Find Your Incoming Mail Server: IMAP & POP3 Settings (2024)

Written byNicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: August 12, 2024Fact Checked

Find Your Incoming Mail Server Easily

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1. Check your email provider's website. If you want to use an email app (like the iPhone Mail app, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, or Postbox) to check a web-based email service (like Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo), you usually don't need to enter an incoming mail server manually, as most email apps can add this info automatically once you sign in. But for other email accounts, like the one provided to you by your ISP, work, or school, you'll usually need to enter the incoming mail server, outgoing mail server, and port number(s). You can find which incoming mail server to use in your email provider's "Help" or "Support" area, or check our handy chart for common mail server addresses:

   Service	Incoming	Outgoing
   AOL Mail[1]	imap.aol.com (IMAP) or pop.aol.com (POP3) port: 993 (IMAP) or 995 (POP3)	smtp.aol.com port: 465
   Bluehost[2]	example.com (your domain) port: 993 (IMAP) or 995 (POP3)	example.com (your domain) port: 465
   Charter.net (Spectrum)[3]	mobile.charter.net port: 993	mobile.charter.net port: 587
   Comcast.net (Xfinity)[4]	imap.comcast.net (IMAP) or pop3.comcast.net (POP3) port: 993 (IMAP) or 995 (POP3)	smtp.comcast.net port: 587
   Gmail[5]	imap.gmail.com (IMAP) or pop.gmail.com (POP3) port: 993 (IMAP) or 995 (POP3)	smtp.gmail.com port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)
   GoDaddy[6]	imap.secureserver.net port: 993	smtpout.secureserver.net port: 465
   iCloud[7]	imap.mail.me.com port: 993	smtp.mail.me.com port: 587
   Outlook.com and Hotmail.com [8]	outlook.office365.com port: 993	smtp-mail.outlook.com port: 587
   Yahoo Mail[9]	imap.mail.yahoo.com port: 993	smtp.mail.yahoo.com port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)

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1. Your email provider may offer both POP3 and IMAP incoming mail servers. If you check email on multiple devices (like a smartphone and a computer), use IMAP. If you only check email on one device, you can use POP3, though it's no longer supported by all services and email apps.

   • If you want to read Gmail messages in a mail client using POP3, you'll need to enable POP3 in Gmail manually in Settings > See all settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP.^[10]
   • To read Outlook.com messages in another client using POP3, enable POP3 in Settings > Mail > Sync email.^[11]

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1. 1

   New Outlook. If you're using New Outlook for Windows:

   • Open Outlook and click the View tab.
   • Click View settings.
   • Go to Accounts > Email accounts.
   • To change or view the incoming mail server for an existing account, click Manage next to your account.
   • To add a new account and incoming mail server, click + Add Account, enter your email address, and click Continue. Then, if prompted, enter your mail server information manually.
2. 2

   Classic Outlook (Windows). If you're using the original Outlook program, use these steps to locate and modify your incoming mail server:

   • To view or change your existing mail server:
     • Click the File menu.
     • Select your email account from the drop-down menu at the top.
     • Go to Account Settings > Server Settings to view or change your incoming and outgoing mail servers.
   • To add a new account and mail server:
     • Click the File menu and select Add Account.
     • Enter your email address, click Connect, and follow the on-screen instructions.
     • If this doesn't automatically add your mail server, you'll be prompted to add your server info manually.
3. 3

   Outlook for Mac.

   • Click the Outlook menu and select Settings.
   • Click Accounts.
   • To view or change your current mail server, select your account and click Advanced.
   • To add a new account, click +, select New Account…, and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. 4

   Outlook.com. It is no longer possible to add another email address to Outlook.com.

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1. 1

   View or change the incoming mail server for an existing account. If you want to see or edit the incoming mail server an account is already using:

   • Open the Mail app, click the Mail menu, then select Settings.
   • Click Accounts.
   • Select the account you want to view or edit, and find the incoming mail server address next to "Host Name."
   • To view or edit the outgoing (SMTP) mail server, click Edit SMTP Server List.^[12]
2. 2

   Add a new account and incoming mail server. To add a new account and mail server:

   • Open the Mail app, click the Mail menu, and select Add Account.
   • If your email provider is listed, select it, and follow the on-screen instructions to log in and automatically add your incoming and outgoing mail servers.
   • If not listed, select Other Mail Account… and click Continue.
   • Enter your incoming and outgoing (SMTP) mail server information, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

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See Also
4 Ways to Access Email: An Easy How-to Guide

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If you want to send and receive email from non-Gmail accounts through the Gmail mobile or desktop app, use this method.^[13]

1. 1

   Gmail mobile app (Android, iPhone, & iPad).

   • Tap your profile photo or initial and select Add another account.
   • If you're using iCloud Mail, Outlook, Hotmail, or Live.com, select the appropriate option and follow the on-screen instructions to add your mail server information automatically.
   • To enter the incoming and outgoing mail servers manually, select Other, then follow the on-screen instructions.
2. 2

   Gmail on the web.

   • Click the gear at the top-right corner of Gmail and select See all settings.
   • Click the Accounts and Import tab.
   • Next to "Check mail from other accounts," click Add a mail account.
   • Enter the email address you want to add and click Next.
   • Follow the on-screen instructions.

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1. 1

   Open the Settings app and tap Mail. If you want to add an incoming mail server to the iPhone Mail app, change the address, or see which incoming mail server you're using currently, you can do so through Settings.

2. 2

   Change or view your mail server (optional). To edit or view the incoming mail server for an account you've already added, tap the account, then tap Account Settings. You can view and change your mail server details here.

3. 3

   Tap Add Account. A list of providers, and an "Other" option, will appear.

4. 4

   Select Other. First, if your email provider (such as Gmail or iCloud) is listed, you don't need to enter the incoming mail server manually—just select your provider, then follow the on-screen instructions to log in and automatically find the mail server info. If not, tap Other to continue.

5. 5

   Enter your email login details and tap Next. You'll need to enter your name, the email address you want to add to the Mail app, the password you use to log in to that account, and an optional description.^[14]

   • When you tap Next, your iPhone will try to find your incoming mail server and other details automatically.
6. 6

   Enter your mail server information if needed. If your incoming mail server, port, outgoing mail server, and other info can't be added automatically, enter the server address as prompted, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete setup.

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1. 1

   View or change existing mail server settings. To see or edit the incoming mail server for an account in Thunderbird:

   • Right-click your account in the left panel and select Settings.
   • Click Server Settings below your account name.
   • Find the incoming mail server next to "Server name."
2. 2

   Add a new account.

   • Click ☰ at the top of Thunderbird and select New Account.
   • Select Existing Email.
   • Enter your name, email address, and email password, and click Continue.
   • If Thunderbird can automatically add your mail server information, you'll be asked if you want to use IMAP or POP3. Select an option and click Done to finish.
   • If you want to enter your incoming and outgoing mail server information manually, click Configure manually.

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