You can access your Plesk email through webmail, but for a better experience — offline access, notifications, better performance — most people use a dedicated email client like Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, or the mail app on their phone. This guide covers setting up your Plesk email account in any email client using IMAP and SMTP.

Step 1: find your mail server settings

  1. Log in to your Plesk control panel.
  2. Go to Websites & Domains.
  3. Find your domain and click Mail.
  4. Click the email account you want to set up.
  5. Note the settings displayed — you will need these for your email client:
    • IMAP server: your domain name (e.g., mail.yourdomain.com) or the server IP
    • IMAP port: 993 (SSL/TLS) or 143 (STARTTLS)
    • SMTP server: same as IMAP server
    • SMTP port: 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS)

Step 2: add the account in your email client

The exact steps vary by client, but the information you need to enter is the same:

  • Email address: your full email address (e.g., [email protected])
  • Password: the password for that email account
  • Account type: IMAP (recommended — keeps mail synced across devices)
  • Incoming mail server (IMAP): your domain name or server IP
  • IMAP port: 993 with SSL/TLS
  • Outgoing mail server (SMTP): your domain name or server IP
  • SMTP port: 465 with SSL/TLS (or 587 with STARTTLS)
  • Require authentication: yes — use the same email address and password as the incoming server

Microsoft Outlook

  1. Open Outlook and go to File > Add Account.
  2. Enter your email address and click Connect.
  3. Outlook may auto-detect settings. If prompted, enter the manual settings above.

Mozilla Thunderbird

  1. Open Thunderbird and go to Account Settings > Account Actions > Add Mail Account.
  2. Enter your name, email address, and password, then click Continue.
  3. Thunderbird will detect settings. If not, click Manual config and enter the settings above.

Apple Mail (macOS/iOS)

  1. Go to Settings (or System Settings) > Mail > Accounts > Add Account.
  2. Select Other (or "Add Mail Account") and enter your email address and password.
  3. If prompted for manual settings, enter the server details above.

Step 3: test the setup

  1. Send a test email to another address (your personal Gmail, for example).
  2. Reply to that email from the other address and check if it arrives in your Plesk email client.
  3. If both directions work, your setup is complete.

IMAP vs POP3 — which should you use?

  • IMAP (recommended) — emails stay on the server and sync across all your devices. Read a message on your phone and it shows as read on your computer too.
  • POP3 — downloads emails to your device and removes them from the server. Only use this if you want to store mail locally and have limited server storage. Not recommended for most users.

Important notes

  • Always use SSL/TLS encryption. Unencrypted connections (ports 143, 25, 110) are not secure and may be blocked by your hosting provider.
  • If your email client cannot connect, double-check that you are using the correct password — this is the email account password, not your Plesk panel login password.
  • Some internet service providers (ISPs) block outgoing SMTP on port 25. Use port 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS) instead.
  • If you have enabled DKIM signing in Plesk, your outgoing emails will be signed automatically — no extra configuration needed in your email client.
  • For mobile devices, search your app store for the official email app or use Gmail app with IMAP access.

Troubleshooting

  • "Cannot connect to server"? Verify the server hostname — try the server IP address if your domain is not yet pointing to the hosting.
  • "Authentication failed"? Make sure you are using the email account password, not the Plesk login password. Reset the email password in Plesk if needed.
  • Can receive but not send? Check that SMTP authentication is enabled in your email client. Also verify you are using port 465 or 587, not port 25.
  • Connection times out? Your firewall or ISP may be blocking the ports. Try a different network (e.g., mobile hotspot) to test.
  • Emails going to spam? Make sure DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records are configured for your domain in Plesk.
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