How to Set Up Your Email in Microsoft Outlook (IMAP)

Quick answer: To set up your email in Microsoft Outlook, add a new account using IMAP, and enter your full email address as the username, your mailbox password, and your provider's incoming (IMAP) and outgoing (SMTP) server names with the correct ports and SSL/TLS enabled. IMAP keeps mail synced across all your devices.

Steps

Open Outlook and go to File > Add Account. Enter your email address, and when prompted choose IMAP (use Advanced setup or "Let me set up my account manually" if Outlook does not offer it). Enter the incoming and outgoing servers and ports below, set encryption to SSL/TLS, and confirm that outgoing mail requires authentication. Finish and send a test message.

Typical server settings

Incoming (IMAP):  mail.yourdomain.com   port 993   SSL/TLS
Outgoing (SMTP):  mail.yourdomain.com   port 465   SSL/TLS  (or 587 STARTTLS)
Username:         your full email address (you@yourdomain.com)
Password:         your mailbox password
Authentication:   required for outgoing mail

Use the exact server names your host provides - the examples above are the common pattern.

Frequently asked questions

IMAP or POP - which should I choose?
IMAP, so your mail stays in sync across Outlook and your other devices. POP downloads and often removes mail from the server.

Outlook says the password is wrong.
Use your full email address as the username and re-enter the mailbox password. Confirm outgoing authentication is enabled.

Mailboxes hosted on SoftSys managed VPS come with clear per-account settings, and our team will help you connect any client.