> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.freakhosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Set Up Email Clients and Devices

> Connect your FREAKHOSTING email to Outlook, Thunderbird, iPhone, Android, and macOS using the correct IMAP, SMTP, and POP server settings for each mail client.

## Connect Your Email to Any Device

Once you have created an email account in the FREAKHOSTING Web Hosting Control Panel, you can connect it to any desktop or mobile email application. This guide provides the server settings you need and step-by-step instructions for the most popular email clients.

If you have not yet created an email account, start with the [How to Create and Manage Email Accounts](/portals/web-panel/how-to-create-and-manage-email-accounts) guide first.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Difficulty" icon="gauge-low">
    Beginner
  </Card>

  <Card title="Time" icon="clock">
    5 Minutes
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Finding Your Email Client Settings

Every email account in the control panel has a dedicated **Email client settings** section that gives you exactly what you need. Here is how to find it:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your email account">
    Log in at [web.freakhosting.com](https://web.freakhosting.com), navigate to the **Emails** tab, and click on the email account you want to configure.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the Email client settings sidebar">
    In the left sidebar of the email account page, click **Email client settings**. You will see the message: *"An email client can be manually configured using the settings below."*
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the settings">
    The panel displays a table with every setting you need. Each server address has a **copy icon** next to it -- click it to copy the value straight to your clipboard. No need to type anything by hand.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Here is what the settings table looks like:

| Protocol | Server                | Port  | Security | Username             |
| -------- | --------------------- | ----- | -------- | -------------------- |
| **IMAP** | `mail.yourdomain.com` | `993` | SSL/TLS  | `you@yourdomain.com` |
| **SMTP** | `mail.yourdomain.com` | `465` | SSL/TLS  | `you@yourdomain.com` |
| **SMTP** | `mail.yourdomain.com` | `587` | STARTTLS | `you@yourdomain.com` |
| **POP**  | `mail.yourdomain.com` | `995` | SSL/TLS  | `you@yourdomain.com` |

<Tip>
  The **copy buttons** in the control panel are your best friend here. Instead of manually typing `mail.yourdomain.com` into your email app (and risking a typo), just click the copy icon next to the server address and paste it directly into your email client. One less thing to go wrong.
</Tip>

**The server is always `mail.` followed by your domain.** For example, if your domain is `acmecorp.com`, your mail server is `mail.acmecorp.com`. If your domain is `5m.gg`, your mail server is `mail.5m.gg`.

<Important>
  Your **username** is always your **full email address** (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`), and your **password** is the one you set when creating the email account.
</Important>

***

## Which Protocol Should I Use?

Not sure what IMAP, POP, or SMTP mean? Here is a quick decision guide to help you pick the right settings in under 30 seconds.

### IMAP vs. POP -- Receiving Email

Think of it this way:

* **IMAP is like streaming a movie on Netflix.** Your emails live on the server and you access them from any device. Read something on your phone? It shows as read on your laptop too. Delete it on your tablet? Gone everywhere. Everything stays in sync.
* **POP is like downloading a movie to your hard drive.** Emails get pulled down to one device and (usually) removed from the server. Great if you only use one computer, but your phone will not see those messages.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="IMAP -- Recommended for Most Users" icon="cloud">
    **IMAP** (Internet Message Access Protocol) keeps your email **synchronized** across all your devices. When you read, delete, or organize an email on your phone, those changes appear on your computer and vice versa. Your emails remain stored on the server.

    **Choose IMAP if you:**

    * Check email on multiple devices (phone, laptop, tablet)
    * Want your inbox to look the same everywhere
    * Prefer emails stored safely on the server
    * Want the modern, standard email experience

    **Settings:** Server `mail.yourdomain.com`, Port `993`, Security `SSL/TLS`
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="POP -- For Single-Device Use" icon="download">
    **POP** (Post Office Protocol) **downloads** emails from the server to your device and typically removes them from the server afterward. This means your emails exist only on the device where you downloaded them.

    **Choose POP if you:**

    * Only check email on one device
    * Want to free up server mailbox space
    * Prefer to store emails locally on your computer
    * Need offline access to all your messages

    **Settings:** Server `mail.yourdomain.com`, Port `995`, Security `SSL/TLS`
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Info>
  For the vast majority of users, **IMAP on port 993 with SSL/TLS** is the best choice. It keeps everything in sync and provides a modern email experience. When in doubt, go with IMAP.
</Info>

### Port 465 vs. 587 -- Sending Email (SMTP)

Both ports are for sending email, but they handle encryption differently:

| Port    | Security | How It Works                                                                                                   | When to Use It                                                                                                                                                           |
| ------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **465** | SSL/TLS  | Encrypted from the very first moment of connection. Your email app connects over a secure channel immediately. | **Use this first.** It is the modern standard and works with most current email clients.                                                                                 |
| **587** | STARTTLS | Starts as a plain connection, then upgrades to encryption before any data is sent.                             | **Use as a fallback** if port 465 does not work with your email client, or if your network blocks port 465. Some older clients and corporate firewalls prefer this port. |

Both are secure once the connection is established. The practical difference is that port 465 is encrypted the entire time, while port 587 upgrades to encryption after connecting. **Try port 465 first** -- if your email client has trouble connecting, switch to port 587 with STARTTLS.

***

## Setting Up Microsoft Outlook (Desktop)

These steps work for Outlook on Windows and Outlook for Mac (classic version). The exact wording may vary slightly between versions, but the fields are the same.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Outlook Account Settings">
    In Outlook, go to **File** > **Add Account**. If prompted, choose **Manual setup or additional server types** > **IMAP** (or **POP** if preferred).

    In newer versions of Outlook, you may need to click **Advanced options** and check **Let me set up my account manually** before clicking **Connect**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your Email Address">
    Type your full email address (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`) and click **Connect** or **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the Incoming Server Settings (IMAP)">
    When Outlook asks for manual configuration, fill in these exact fields:

    **Incoming Mail:**

    * **Server:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Port:** `993`
    * **Encryption method:** `SSL/TLS`
    * **Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA):** Leave **unchecked**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the Outgoing Server Settings (SMTP)">
    **Outgoing Mail:**

    * **Server:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Port:** `465`
    * **Encryption method:** `SSL/TLS`
    * **Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA):** Leave **unchecked**

    If port 465 does not connect, change the port to `587` and the encryption method to `STARTTLS`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your Credentials">
    * **Username:** Your full email address (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`)
    * **Password:** The password you set for this email account
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete Setup">
    Click **Next** or **Connect**. Outlook will test the connection and, once verified, your email account is ready to use. You should see a "Your account has been successfully configured" message.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Setting Up Mozilla Thunderbird

Thunderbird is a free, open-source email client and it does a great job of auto-detecting settings. But if auto-detection does not work, here is how to enter them manually.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add a New Account">
    Open Thunderbird and go to **Account Settings** > **Account Actions** > **Add Mail Account** (or use the setup prompt on first launch).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your Details">
    Fill in the three fields at the top:

    * **Your full name:** The display name recipients will see (e.g., "Jane Smith")
    * **Email address:** Your full email address (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`)
    * **Password:** Your email account password
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Server Settings Manually">
    Click **Configure manually** (the button at the bottom of the auto-detection screen) and fill in these exact fields:

    **Incoming (IMAP):**

    * **Protocol:** `IMAP`
    * **Server hostname:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Port:** `993`
    * **Connection security:** `SSL/TLS`
    * **Authentication method:** `Normal password`
    * **Username:** `hello@yourdomain.com`

    **Outgoing (SMTP):**

    * **Server hostname:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Port:** `465`
    * **Connection security:** `SSL/TLS`
    * **Authentication method:** `Normal password`
    * **Username:** `hello@yourdomain.com`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test and Finish">
    Click **Re-test** to verify the settings, then click **Done**. Your emails will begin syncing immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Setting Up iPhone / iPad (iOS Mail App)

The built-in Mail app on iOS works perfectly with FREAKHOSTING email. Here is the exact process.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings">
    On your iPhone or iPad, open the **Settings** app and tap **Mail** > **Accounts** (on older iOS versions, look for **Mail, Contacts, Calendars**).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a New Account">
    Tap **Add Account** > **Other** > **Add Mail Account**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your Information">
    Fill in these four fields exactly:

    * **Name:** Your display name (e.g., "Jane Smith")
    * **Email:** Your full email address (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`)
    * **Password:** Your email account password
    * **Description:** A label for this account (e.g., "Work Email" or "FREAKHOSTING")

    Tap **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select IMAP">
    At the top of the next screen, make sure the **IMAP** tab is selected (not POP).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Incoming Mail Server Details">
    Under **Incoming Mail Server**, fill in:

    * **Host Name:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Username:** `hello@yourdomain.com`
    * **Password:** Your email password
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Outgoing Mail Server Details">
    Under **Outgoing Mail Server**, fill in:

    * **Host Name:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Username:** `hello@yourdomain.com`
    * **Password:** Your email password
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save and Verify">
    Tap **Next**. iOS will verify the settings (this may take 10-30 seconds). Once verification completes, tap **Save**. Your email will now appear in the Mail app.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  iOS automatically detects SSL/TLS settings for port 993 (IMAP) and port 465 (SMTP) in most cases. If you experience connection issues, go to **Settings** > **Mail** > **Accounts** > your account > **Account** > **Advanced** and confirm that **Use SSL** is toggled on and the correct ports are set (993 for IMAP, 465 for SMTP).
</Tip>

***

## Setting Up Android (Gmail App)

The Gmail app on Android can handle any email account, not just Gmail. Here is how to add your FREAKHOSTING email.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Gmail App">
    Open the **Gmail** app on your Android device. Tap your **profile icon** (top right corner) and select **Add another account**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Other">
    From the list of email providers, choose **Other** (do not select Google, Outlook, or Yahoo).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your Email Address">
    Type your full email address (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`) and tap **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Personal (IMAP)">
    When prompted to choose an account type, select **Personal (IMAP)**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your Password">
    Type the password for your email account and tap **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Incoming Server Settings">
    Fill in the incoming server fields:

    * **Username:** `hello@yourdomain.com` (should be pre-filled)
    * **Server:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Port:** `993`
    * **Security type:** `SSL/TLS`

    Tap **Next**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Outgoing Server Settings">
    Fill in the outgoing server fields:

    * **SMTP Server:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Port:** `465`
    * **Security type:** `SSL/TLS`
    * **Require sign-in:** Make sure this is **checked**
    * **Username:** `hello@yourdomain.com`
    * **Password:** Your email password

    Tap **Next** and complete the setup. You can set a display name and account name on the final screen.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Setting Up Apple Mail (macOS)

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Mail Settings">
    Open the **Mail** app on your Mac. Go to **Mail** > **Settings** (or **Preferences** on older macOS versions) > **Accounts** tab > click the **+** button at the bottom left to add a new account.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Other Mail Account">
    Choose **Other Mail Account** and click **Continue**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Your Details">
    Fill in:

    * **Name:** Your display name (e.g., "Jane Smith")
    * **Email Address:** Your full email address (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`)
    * **Password:** Your email account password

    Click **Sign In**. Apple Mail will attempt to auto-configure. If it fails, you will be prompted for manual settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Manual Settings If Prompted">
    If auto-configuration does not work, you will see additional fields:

    * **Account Type:** Select `IMAP`
    * **Incoming Mail Server:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Outgoing Mail Server:** `mail.yourdomain.com`

    Click **Sign In** to complete the setup. Apple Mail will automatically use the correct ports (993 for IMAP, 465 for SMTP) and enable SSL.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If Apple Mail connects but shows a certificate warning, make sure you entered `mail.yourdomain.com` as the server (not an IP address or just the bare domain). The SSL certificate is tied to the `mail.` subdomain.
</Tip>

***

## Using Gmail's "Send Mail As" Feature

Want to send email from your FREAKHOSTING domain address through the Gmail web interface? You can do that without leaving Gmail.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Gmail Settings">
    In Gmail (on the web), click the **gear icon** > **See all settings** > **Accounts and Import** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Your Email Address">
    Under **Send mail as**, click **Add another email address**. Enter your name and your FREAKHOSTING email address (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`). Uncheck **Treat as an alias** if you want replies to go to your domain mailbox. Click **Next Step**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter SMTP Settings">
    Fill in:

    * **SMTP Server:** `mail.yourdomain.com`
    * **Port:** `465`
    * **Security:** `SSL/TLS` (selected by default when you choose port 465)
    * **Username:** `hello@yourdomain.com`
    * **Password:** Your email account password

    Click **Add Account**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify Ownership">
    Gmail will send a verification code to your FREAKHOSTING email address. Check your inbox (via webmail or another client), find the code, and enter it back in Gmail. Done -- you can now send emails from your domain address directly through Gmail.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Quick Reference -- All Email Client Settings

For easy reference, here is a complete summary of every setting you need. Bookmark this section or take a screenshot.

| Setting                       | Value                       |
| ----------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| **Incoming server (IMAP)**    | `mail.yourdomain.com`       |
| **IMAP port**                 | `993`                       |
| **IMAP security**             | `SSL/TLS`                   |
| **Incoming server (POP)**     | `mail.yourdomain.com`       |
| **POP port**                  | `995`                       |
| **POP security**              | `SSL/TLS`                   |
| **Outgoing server (SMTP)**    | `mail.yourdomain.com`       |
| **SMTP port (preferred)**     | `465`                       |
| **SMTP security (preferred)** | `SSL/TLS`                   |
| **SMTP port (fallback)**      | `587`                       |
| **SMTP security (fallback)**  | `STARTTLS`                  |
| **Username**                  | Your full email address     |
| **Password**                  | Your email account password |
| **Authentication**            | Normal password / Login     |

<Important>
  Always replace `yourdomain.com` with your **actual domain name**. For example, if your domain is `mybusiness.com`, your mail server is `mail.mybusiness.com` and your username might be `info@mybusiness.com`.
</Important>

***

## Troubleshooting Common Issues

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Connection timed out or refused">
    This usually means the wrong port or security setting. Double-check that you are using port **993** with **SSL/TLS** for IMAP and port **465** with **SSL/TLS** for SMTP. If port 465 is blocked by your network (common on some corporate or public Wi-Fi networks), try port **587** with **STARTTLS** for SMTP instead.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Authentication failed / wrong password">
    Make sure your username is your **full email address** (e.g., `hello@yourdomain.com`), not just the part before the @. Also confirm you are using the password set in the control panel -- if you are unsure, reset it at [web.freakhosting.com](https://web.freakhosting.com) under **Emails** > your account > **Reset** in the Mailbox section.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Certificate warning or 'untrusted server'">
    This happens when your email client does not recognize the mail server certificate. Verify you are using `mail.yourdomain.com` as the server (not an IP address, not just `yourdomain.com`). The SSL certificate is issued for the `mail.` subdomain specifically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Emails send but are not received (or land in spam)">
    This is usually a DNS issue, not an email client issue. Make sure your domain's MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly configured. Check the [DNS & Domain Management](/portals/web-panel/how-to-manage-dns-records-and-dnssec) guide for details.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What is the difference between SSL/TLS and STARTTLS?">
    **SSL/TLS** establishes an encrypted connection from the very start of the communication -- your data is protected from the first byte. **STARTTLS** starts as an unencrypted connection and then upgrades to encryption before any sensitive data is sent. Both are secure once the encrypted connection is established. SSL/TLS on port 465 is the more modern standard, while STARTTLS on port 587 is widely supported by older email clients.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I use the same email account on multiple devices?">
    Yes, as long as you use **IMAP** (not POP). IMAP keeps your emails synchronized across all devices. With POP, emails are downloaded to a single device and may be removed from the server, so your other devices will not see them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need to set up both incoming and outgoing servers?">
    Yes. The **incoming server** (IMAP or POP) handles receiving email, and the **outgoing server** (SMTP) handles sending email. They are both `mail.yourdomain.com` but use different ports. Without the outgoing server configured, you can read emails but cannot send them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I forgot my email password. How do I reset it?">
    Log in to the Web Hosting Control Panel at [web.freakhosting.com](https://web.freakhosting.com), go to the **Emails** tab, click on the email account, and use the **Reset** button in the Mailbox section. See the [email accounts guide](/portals/web-panel/how-to-create-and-manage-email-accounts) for details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My email client auto-detected the wrong settings. How do I fix it?">
    Some email clients try to auto-detect settings and get them wrong. Go into your account settings within the email client and manually update the server, port, and security values to match the settings in the Quick Reference table above. The most common mistake is using the wrong port or selecting the wrong encryption type.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related Guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create & Manage Email Accounts" icon="envelope" href="/portals/web-panel/how-to-create-and-manage-email-accounts">
    Create email accounts, manage mailbox settings, reset passwords, access webmail, and delete accounts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Spam, Forwarding & Auto-Reply" icon="shield-halved" href="/portals/web-panel/how-to-configure-email-spam-and-forwarding">
    Configure spam filters, set up email forwarding, catch-all, allow/block lists, and out-of-office auto-replies.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

<Note>
  ### Need Extra Help?

  If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

  * **Live Chat:** Quick assistance via our website.
  * **Support Ticket:** [Open a Ticket](https://freakhosting.com/clientarea/submitticket.php)
  * **Discord:** [Join our Community](https://discord.gg/freakhosting)
  * **Email:** [support@freakhosting.com](mailto:support@freakhosting.com)
</Note>

<Tip>
  ### Save on Your Hosting

  Ready to get a new server? Use code **KB20** at checkout for **20% off** your first month!
</Tip>

***

<div align="center">
  **Last Updated:** March 2026 | **Web Hosting Support:** Email client setup made simple.
</div>