This guide explains how to enable encryption for an existing email account. You will update both the incoming mail settings used to receive messages and the outgoing SMTP settings used to send messages.

Keep your existing account type: POP3 stays POP3 and IMAP stays IMAP. POP3S, IMAPS and SMTPS simply mean these services use an encrypted connection. Most email apps still display POP3, IMAP and SMTP as the account types.

These instructions apply to hosted mailboxes using mail.<mydomain>. They do not apply to accounts connected directly to Microsoft 365, Exchange, Gmail or iCloud using those providers' own settings.

Before you start

• Have your existing email address and mailbox password available.
• Make a note of the current settings and back up locally stored messages, particularly for POP3 accounts.
• Edit your existing account. Do not delete the account or change from POP3 to IMAP as part of this update.
• Your hosting provider must have enabled secure email services and installed a valid certificate for your mail server name.

Settings to use

Replace <mydomain> with your own domain, without the angle brackets. For example, if your address is jane@example.com.au, use mail.example.com.au for both incoming and outgoing mail. Do not include https://.

Use only the incoming row that matches your existing account type. Update outgoing SMTP for either type of account.

• Username: your full email address, unless your provider supplied a different username.
• Password: your existing mailbox password, or an app password if your provider requires one.
• Outgoing authentication: enabled, using your mailbox username and password.

Some apps call the security setting SSL, SSL/TLS or Use SSL. For the ports above, select that option rather than STARTTLS. Leave your existing authentication method unchanged unless instructed otherwise. SSL/TLS connection security and settings such as Outlook's Secure Password Authentication are separate options.

Choose your email app

• Classic Outlook for Windows
• New Outlook for Windows
• Apple Mail on Mac
• Mozilla Thunderbird on desktop
• Apple Mail on iPhone or iPad
• Gmail app on Android
• Samsung Email on Android

Menu labels can vary by app version. If a setting is missing or locked, contact our team before removing the account.

Classic Outlook for Windows

These instructions are for the desktop Outlook app with a File menu.

1. Open Outlook and select File.
2. Select your mailbox from the account dropdown, then select Account Settings > Server Settings.
3. Expand Incoming mail. Set the server to mail.<mydomain>.
4. For IMAP, select SSL/TLS and enter port 993. For POP3, enable the encrypted connection or SSL option and enter port 995.
5. Expand Outgoing mail. Set the server to mail.<mydomain>, select SSL/TLS and enter port 465.
6. Enable My outgoing (SMTP) server requires authentication and select Use same settings as my incoming mail server.
7. Check the port numbers again after changing encryption, then select Next > Done.

If Server Settings is unavailable: open Windows Control Panel > Mail (Microsoft Outlook) > Email Accounts. Select your mailbox and click Change. Update both server names, then open More Settings. Configure authentication on the Outgoing Server tab, and encryption and ports on the Advanced tab. Click OK, run Test Account Settings, then finish the wizard.

New Outlook for Windows

1. Open Settings using the cog icon.
2. Open Accounts > Your accounts or Accounts > Email accounts, depending on your version.
3. Find your mailbox and select Manage.
4. If your version offers editable incoming and outgoing server settings, apply the server names, SSL/TLS settings and ports listed above, then save.

New Outlook does not provide the same settings screens as classic Outlook, and editing options depend on the account and version. If server or encryption settings are unavailable, contact support. If classic Outlook is installed and already has this mailbox configured, you can update that app using the previous section; this does not update the account configuration in new Outlook.

Apple Mail on Mac

1. Open Mail > Settings. On older macOS versions, choose Mail > Preferences.
2. Select Accounts, choose your mailbox and open Server Settings.
3. Under Incoming Mail Server, set Host Name to mail.<mydomain>.
4. Untick Automatically manage connection settings to display the manual settings.
5. Tick Use TLS/SSL. Enter port 993 for IMAP or 995 for POP3.
6. Under Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP), set Host Name to mail.<mydomain>.
7. Untick the outgoing server's Automatically manage connection settings, tick Use TLS/SSL and enter port 465.
8. Check that outgoing authentication is configured with your mailbox username and password, then click Save.

If outgoing settings are not displayed, open the outgoing Account dropdown and choose Edit SMTP Server List. Select the server used by this mailbox and update its settings there.

Mozilla Thunderbird on desktop

1. Open the application menu and select Account Settings. You can also right-click your mailbox name in the folder list and choose Settings.
2. Under your mailbox in the left panel, select Server Settings.
3. Set Server Name to mail.<mydomain> and Connection security to SSL/TLS.
4. Set Port to 993 for IMAP or 995 for POP3.
5. At the bottom of the left panel, select Outgoing Server (SMTP).
6. Select the SMTP entry used by this mailbox and click Edit.
7. Set Server Name to mail.<mydomain>, Connection security to SSL/TLS and Port to 465. Check that the username is your mailbox username and authentication is enabled.
8. Click OK. Select the mailbox's main account settings page and check that Outgoing Server (SMTP) uses the entry you just updated.

Apple Mail on iPhone or iPad

These steps apply to Apple's built-in Mail app. Gmail and Outlook have their own settings inside their apps.

1. Open the device's Settings app.
2. Go to Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts. On older versions, go to Mail > Accounts.
3. Select your mailbox. Tap Account or your email address again if needed to open the server details.
4. Under Incoming Mail Server, set Host Name to mail.<mydomain>.
5. Tap Advanced. Under Incoming Settings, turn Use SSL on.
6. Set Server Port to 993 for IMAP or 995 for POP3, then go back to the account details.
7. Under Outgoing Mail Server, tap SMTP, then select the server under Primary Server.
8. Make sure Server is on. Set Host Name to mail.<mydomain> and enter your mailbox username and password, even if those fields are labelled optional.
9. Turn Use SSL on and set Server Port to 465. For a standard password-based mailbox, Authentication should be Password, unless your provider specifies otherwise.
10. Tap Done, return to the account screen and tap Done again if shown. Allow the device to verify the settings.

Leave POP3 options such as deleting messages from the server unchanged.

Gmail app on Android

Use these steps for a hosted domain mailbox added to the Gmail app as a POP3 or IMAP account, rather than a Google account.

1. Open Gmail, tap the three-line menu and select Settings.
2. Tap the email account you want to update.
3. Scroll to Server settings and tap Incoming settings.
4. Set the server to mail.<mydomain>, select SSL/TLS for Security type, and set the port to 993 for IMAP or 995 for POP3.
5. Check the username and password, then tap Done or Next to save and verify.
6. Return to the account settings and tap Outgoing settings.
7. Set SMTP server to mail.<mydomain>, Security type to SSL/TLS and Port to 465.
8. Enable Require sign-in. Enter your mailbox username and password, then tap Done or Next.

Do not choose an option that accepts all certificates.

Samsung Email on Android

1. Open the Samsung Email app.
2. Tap the three-line menu, then the Settings cog.
3. Select your mailbox, scroll down and tap Server settings.
4. Under Incoming server, set the IMAP or POP3 server to mail.<mydomain>.
5. Select SSL or SSL/TLS for Security type. Set Port to 993 for IMAP or 995 for POP3.
6. Under Outgoing server, set SMTP server to mail.<mydomain>.
7. Select SSL or SSL/TLS and set Port to 465.
8. Enable Require authentication to send emails and check your mailbox username and password.
9. Tap Done to save and verify the settings.

If the security type cannot be changed, contact support before removing the account. Do not select an option that accepts all certificates.

Test your email

1. Send a message from the updated mailbox to an external email address.
2. Reply from that external address and confirm the reply arrives.
3. Check that no connection errors or certificate warnings appear.
4. Repeat the update on every computer, phone and tablet using this mailbox.

Troubleshooting

• Can receive but cannot send: recheck the outgoing SMTP server, port 465, SSL/TLS and outgoing authentication. Incoming and outgoing settings are separate.
• Cannot connect: check the hostname, encryption and port together. For this configuration, use SSL/TLS with 995, 993 or 465. Ask support to confirm the service is available if the details are correct.
• Certificate warning: do not bypass the warning or disable certificate checking. Check the hostname and contact support if the certificate is untrusted, expired or does not match.
• Password rejected: check your existing mailbox credentials. Enabling SSL/TLS does not change your password.
• Already using port 587 with STARTTLS: that can also provide a secure connection. This guide standardises outgoing mail on port 465 with SSL/TLS; follow your hosting provider's instructions if they require port 587 instead.

If you need help, provide your email app name, device type and the exact error message. Never send your password.

Further help

• Microsoft: Update account settings in classic Outlook
• Microsoft: Account management in new and classic Outlook
• Apple: Server settings in Mail on Mac
• Apple: Mail settings on iPhone
• Thunderbird: Manual account configuration
• Google: Check server settings in Gmail on Android
• Samsung: Troubleshoot email connections
• IETF: Secure ports for POP3, IMAP and SMTP submission

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