How to Set Up Email on Your Phone and Outlook (IMAP/SMTP)

To set up domain email on a phone or computer, add it as an IMAP account with your full email address as the username, the incoming server (IMAP, port 993, SSL/TLS) and the outgoing server (SMTP, port 465 with SSL/TLS, or 587 with STARTTLS), with SMTP authentication turned on. Your hosting control panel shows the exact server names for your mailbox.

IMAP keeps messages on the server, so your phone, laptop and webmail all show the same mail.

Step 1: Get your settings

In cPanel → Email Accounts, click Connect Devices next to the mailbox. Note:

Setting	Typical value
Username	Your full email address, e.g. [email protected]
Password	The mailbox password
Incoming server (IMAP)	Shown in cPanel, often mail.example.com or the server hostname
IMAP port	993 (SSL/TLS)
Outgoing server (SMTP)	Usually the same as incoming
SMTP port	465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS)
SMTP authentication	Required, same username and password

If cPanel recommends the server hostname rather than mail.yourdomain.com, use it: it matches the server's SSL certificate and avoids security warnings.

Outlook (Windows and Mac)

1. Open Outlook and choose Add account.
2. Enter your email address. If Outlook offers advanced or manual setup, choose it and select IMAP.
3. Enter the incoming server, port 993 and SSL/TLS encryption.
4. Enter the outgoing server, port 465 with SSL/TLS (or 587 with STARTTLS).
5. Enter your password and finish.

Outlook's screens change between versions; look for "IMAP" and "advanced setup" options.

iPhone and iPad (Mail app)

1. Go to Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts → Add Account (menu names vary by iOS version).
2. Choose Other → Add Mail Account.
3. Enter your name, email address, password and a description, then Next.
4. Choose IMAP.
5. Under Incoming Mail Server and Outgoing Mail Server, enter the host name, your full email address and password.
6. Tap Next; iOS verifies the settings and enables SSL automatically when supported.

Android (Gmail app)

1. Open Gmail, tap your profile picture → Add another account.
2. Choose Other, enter your email address, then Manual setup.
3. Choose Personal (IMAP).
4. Enter your password, then the incoming server, port 993 and security type SSL/TLS.
5. Enter the outgoing server, port 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS), with sign-in required.
6. Finish and choose sync options.

Other Android mail apps use similar steps.

Test it

• Send a message from the new account to an outside address and reply to it.
• Check that sent messages appear in the Sent folder on other devices too.

Fixing common problems

Problem	Fix
"Cannot verify server identity" or certificate warning	Use the server hostname from cPanel instead of mail.yourdomain.com
Can receive but cannot send	Check SMTP port and encryption; turn on SMTP authentication
Authentication failed	Use the full email address as username; reset the password in cPanel
Sent messages not on other devices	Use IMAP, not POP3; check the app saves sent mail to the server's Sent folder
Messages disappearing from the server	The account is set up as POP3 with "delete from server"
Mailbox full errors	Raise the quota in cPanel or archive old mail
Port 465/587 blocked on some networks	Try the other port, or another network

Worked example: "Can receive but cannot send" on Android

A staff member set up [email protected] in the Gmail app. Incoming mail works, but outgoing messages fail with an authentication error. The checks, in order:

1. Outgoing server name: it was set to smtp.example.com, which does not exist. Changing it to the same host as incoming mail (the one shown in cPanel's Connect Devices) fixes name resolution.
2. Port and security: port 465 with SSL/TLS (or 587 with STARTTLS). A mismatch, such as 587 with SSL/TLS, causes connection errors.
3. Sign-in required: the "Require sign-in" option was off. Turning it on and entering the full email address and password fixes authentication.
4. Test: sending to an outside address now works, and the message appears in the Sent folder on the laptop too, because it is an IMAP account.

If sending still fails only on one network (for example office Wi-Fi), that network may block outgoing mail ports; try mobile data to confirm.

Moving from POP3 to IMAP without losing mail

If an old device used POP3 and downloaded (and deleted) messages from the server:

1. Leave the old POP3 account in place for now; it holds messages that are no longer on the server.
2. Add the mailbox again as IMAP.
3. In the email program, drag the old messages from the POP3 folders into the IMAP account's folders; they upload to the server and appear on all devices.
4. Remove the POP3 account when the copy is complete.

Check your mailbox quota first, because uploading years of mail can fill it. Quotas are set when you create a business email account; routing problems are covered in MX records explained.

Keep it secure

• Use a strong password; store it in a password manager.
• Remove the account from lost or old devices, and change the password if a device is lost.
• Prefer apps that support modern encryption; never use unencrypted ports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use IMAP or POP3?

IMAP for almost everyone: it keeps mail synchronised across devices. POP3 downloads mail to one device.

Why does my phone ask me to accept a certificate?

The server name you entered does not match the server's certificate. Use the hostname cPanel recommends.

Related reading

Create the mailbox first with how to create a business email account, and improve delivery with SPF, DKIM and DMARC explained. Email accounts are included with the ServerNeed shared hosting plans.

For how your domain ties email and website together, see domain names explained.

Sources

• cPanel documentation: Set Up Mail Client