Set up email on iPhone, Android and Outlook: every setting explained

Setting up an email account works the same way on almost every device: you add the account manually as an IMAP account, enter the incoming and outgoing servers, use your full email address as the username, and choose SSL/TLS with port 993 for IMAP and port 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS) for SMTP. Below we explain every field and show the steps for iPhone, Android, Outlook and Thunderbird.

IMAP or POP3?

IMAP keeps your emails on the server and syncs folders and read status across all devices. POP3 downloads messages to one device and, depending on the setting, deletes them from the server. If you use a smartphone and a computer, choose IMAP. POP3 only makes sense if you deliberately want to keep your emails locally on a single computer.

The settings: what goes into which field

Your provider gives you the server names, usually in the welcome email. For web hosting mailboxes the server is often mail.yourdomain.ch; other providers use a central name such as mail.provider.ch. Use exactly the name your provider specifies. Otherwise the certificate will not match and your device will show a warning.

Port 25 is used for delivery between mail servers and is often blocked by internet providers on home connections. In your email program, always use 465 or 587.

Tip: Port and encryption go together: 465 with SSL/TLS, 587 with STARTTLS. A wrong combination, such as 465 with STARTTLS, is the most common reason why sending fails.

iPhone and iPad (Apple Mail)

From iOS 18 onwards, the Mail settings are under Apps. On older versions, tap Mail directly.

1. Open Settings, tap Apps and then Mail.
2. Choose Mail Accounts and then Add Account.
3. Do not choose iCloud, Google or Microsoft; choose Add Other Account and then Mail Account.
4. Enter your name, email address, password and a description, then tap Next.
5. Choose IMAP and enter the incoming and outgoing mail servers, each with your full email address as the username.
6. Tap Next. The iPhone checks the connection. Finally, tap Save.

If sending does not work, open the account, tap SMTP under the outgoing mail server and then the primary server. Turn on Use SSL, choose Password for authentication and enter port 465 or 587.

Android: Gmail app and Samsung Email

Gmail app

1. Open Gmail, tap your profile picture at the top right and choose Add another account.
2. Choose Other, enter your email address and tap Manual setup.
3. Choose Personal (IMAP) as the account type and enter your password.
4. Incoming server: server name, security type SSL/TLS, port 993.
5. Outgoing server: server name, sign-in required, SSL/TLS with port 465 or STARTTLS with port 587.
6. Choose a sync frequency and give the account a name.

During 2026, Google is phasing out fetching other accounts via POP (Check mail from other accounts) and Gmailify. IMAP accounts in the Gmail app continue to work. If you have so far had your domain address fetched into your Gmail account, set it up directly as an IMAP account now.

Samsung Email and other Android apps

In Samsung’s Email app, go to the settings, choose Add account and then Other. After entering your address and password, tap Manual setup, choose IMAP and enter the servers as above. The labels vary slightly from version to version, but the values stay the same.

Outlook for Windows and Mac

New Outlook for Windows

1. Open Settings via the gear icon, then Accounts and Email accounts.
2. Choose Add account and enter your email address.
3. If Outlook does not detect the settings automatically, choose IMAP and open the advanced settings.
4. Enter the incoming server, port 993 and SSL/TLS, as well as the outgoing server, port 465 or 587 and the matching encryption type, then continue.

According to Microsoft, the new Outlook syncs accounts from other providers through the Microsoft Cloud. Your emails are therefore also processed on Microsoft servers. If you do not want this, use classic Outlook or another program.

Classic Outlook (Microsoft 365, Outlook 2021 and 2024)

1. Choose File and then Add Account.
2. Enter your email address, open Advanced options and tick Let me set up my account manually.
3. Choose IMAP and enter the servers, ports and encryption.
4. Enter your password and complete the setup.

Outlook for Mac

In the Outlook menu, open Settings, choose Accounts and add a new account using the plus sign. After entering your address, choose IMAP if Outlook does not recognise the account itself, and enter the values from the table above.

Thunderbird

1. Open Account Settings from the menu and choose Add Mail Account under Account Actions. On first launch this dialogue appears automatically.
2. Enter your name, email address and password.
3. Thunderbird looks up the settings itself. Check that IMAP with port 993 and SSL/TLS and SMTP with 465 or 587 are suggested.
4. If something is wrong, click Configure manually, correct the values and click Done.

Many providers support automatic configuration (Autoconfig for Thunderbird, Autodiscover for Outlook). In that case your email address and password are enough, and the program fills in the rest.

Common errors and how to fix them

Tip: Log in to webmail first. If that works, the password and mailbox are fine, and the problem lies in the device settings.

Setting up securely

• Only use encrypted connections: 993, 995, 465, or 587 with STARTTLS. Avoid the unencrypted ports 143 and 110.
• Choose a long, unique password for each mailbox and store it in a password manager.
• Lock smartphones with a code or biometrics: whoever has the device also has the mailbox.
• If a device is lost, change the mailbox password immediately.
• When you change the password, update all devices; otherwise old devices with failed logins will get the account blocked.

The settings at HostOn

At HostOn, the server names are in your welcome email. For web hosting mailboxes: server mail.yourdomain.ch (with your own domain), IMAP port 993 with SSL/TLS, alternatively POP3 port 995, SMTP port 465 with SSL/TLS or 587 with STARTTLS; the username is your full email address. For the email plans Email Mailbox, Email Business and Email Team, the server is mail.hoston.ch, with the same ports. Outlook and Thunderbird set up these mailboxes automatically. Illustrated guides are available in the knowledge base in the client area.