Set up email at your domain on your computer and phone
Create a mailbox on your hosting account and connect Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird or your phone over encrypted IMAP and SMTP, use webmail and fix problems.
- Beginner
- 15 min read
- Updated
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Every HyperDC web hosting plan includes email at your own domain. You create the mailboxes in your control panel, then use them in webmail or in the mail apps on your computer and phone. This guide covers both cPanel and Plesk.
Before you start
- Your domain's mail points to the hosting account (MX records). If the domain uses the nameservers from your hosting welcome email, this is already set; with other DNS, see domain DNS and email forwarding.
- You can sign in to your control panel; see log in to your control panel.
Step 1: Create the mailbox
cPanel
- Open Email Accounts and select Create.
- Enter the address (for example
info@example.com), a strong password and, if you want, a storage limit. - Select Create.
Plesk
- Open Mail and select Create Email Address.
- Enter the address and a strong password, and set the mailbox size if needed.
- Select OK.
Verify: the address appears in the list of email accounts.
Step 2: Look up the server settings
cPanel
Next to the account, select Connect Devices. The page Set Up Mail Client lists the settings under Secure SSL/TLS Settings (Recommended): the user name (the full address), the incoming and outgoing server names and the ports. It also offers automatic configuration files for some apps, such as macOS Mail and iOS.
Plesk
Open Mail and the setup information for the address. Use your full email address as the user name. If your welcome email lists other server names, use those.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| User name | the full email address, for example info@example.com |
| Incoming (IMAP) | port 993, SSL/TLS |
| Incoming (POP3), if you must | port 995, SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | port 465, SSL/TLS (or 587 with STARTTLS) |
| Outgoing authentication | on, with the same user name and password |
Step 3: Add the account to your app
In any mail app, add a new account, choose to set it up manually (often called advanced, IMAP or other account), and enter the values from step 2:
- Outlook: add an account, enter the address, choose the advanced or IMAP setup and fill in the incoming and outgoing servers and ports.
- Apple Mail (Mac, iPhone, iPad): add an account of the type Other (Other Mail Account), enter the address and password, then the incoming and outgoing servers. On cPanel, the configuration profile from Connect Devices does this for you.
- Thunderbird: add a mail account; if the automatic detection does not find the right servers, select Configure manually and enter them.
- Android: in your mail app, add an account of the type IMAP (sometimes under Other) and enter the settings.
Verify: send a message to yourself from the app and reply to it from webmail. Both arrive.
Step 4: Use webmail
cPanel
Open Email Accounts and select Check Email next to the account, or open webmail from Connect Devices.
Plesk
Open webmail.example.com in your browser and sign in with the full address and password, or open it from Mail in Plesk.
Troubleshooting
The app says the password is wrong. Use the full email address as the user name. Reset the mailbox password in the panel and try again. After several failed attempts, the server may block your IP address for a while; open a ticket with your IP address if it does not clear.
Receiving works, sending does not. Outgoing authentication is off, or the app uses port 25, which many internet providers block. Use 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS) with authentication.
Mail does not arrive at all. The domain's MX records point elsewhere, or the mailbox is full. Check the MX records and the mailbox quota.
Your messages land in the recipient's spam folder. Check SPF, DKIM and DMARC; see email deliverability.
Next steps
- More about the panels: web hosting with cPanel or web hosting with Plesk.
- Better delivery: email deliverability.
Frequently asked questions
IMAP or POP3?
IMAP. It keeps your mail on the server, so every device shows the same folders. POP3 downloads messages to one device and can remove them from the server.
Which ports do I use?
With encryption: IMAP 993, POP3 995 and SMTP 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS). Always turn on authentication for outgoing mail with the same address and password.
My app warns about the certificate. Is that safe to accept?
Do not accept it permanently. Use the exact server name the panel shows for secure settings; it matches a valid certificate. If the warning stays, open a ticket with the server name you use.
How much mail can a mailbox hold?
As much as its quota allows, within your plan's disk space. Set or raise the quota for each mailbox in your panel.