Popular Mail Server Settings
Below are the most common settings for some of the most popular email providers. Always use a secure connection (SSL/TLS) when possible.
Outlook.com
IMAP
Server: outlook.office365.com
Port: 993
Security: SSL/TLS
POP
Server: outlook.office365.com
Port: 995
Security: SSL/TLS
SMTP
Server: smtp.office365.com
Port: 587
Security: STARTTLS
Yahoo! Mail
IMAP
Server: imap.mail.yahoo.com
Port: 993
Security: SSL/TLS
POP
Server: pop.mail.yahoo.com
Port: 995
Security: SSL/TLS
SMTP
Server: smtp.mail.yahoo.com
Port: 465 or 587
Security: SSL/TLS
Gmail
IMAP
Server: imap.gmail.com
Port: 993
Security: SSL/TLS
POP
Server: pop.gmail.com
Port: 995
Security: SSL/TLS
SMTP
Server: smtp.gmail.com
Port: 587
Security: TLS/STARTTLS
iCloud Mail
IMAP
Server: imap.mail.me.com
Port: 993
Security: SSL/TLS
POP: iCloud does not support POP.
SMTP
Server: smtp.mail.me.com
Port: 587
Security: TLS/STARTTLS
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): This is the modern, recommended protocol for most users. It lets you access and manage your emails directly on the mail server. This means any changes you make (reading, deleting, or moving a message) sync across all your devices, which is great if you use your email on a phone, tablet, and computer.
POP (Post Office Protocol): This protocol downloads emails from the server to a single device and then, by default, deletes them from the server. This can be problematic if you want to access your emails from multiple devices, as they'll only be available on the one that downloaded them. However, some clients can be configured to leave a copy on the server.
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): This is the universal protocol for sending emails. It works in conjunction with either IMAP or POP to handle all outgoing messages.