Outlook 2019, 2021 and Microsoft 365: set up email

Set up an email account in Outlook 2019, 2021 or Microsoft 365 Outlook (classic) via IMAPInternet Message Access Protocol: the standard for retrieving email that keeps messages on the server and syncs them across multiple devices.. The setup flow has been identical since Outlook 2016. The only thing that matters is to not let Outlook decide on its own: the Autodiscover mechanism looks for Exchange servers and fails with cryptic messages for pure IMAP accounts.

Which Outlook?

This guide applies to the classic Outlook desktop app (Outlook 2019, 2021 and Microsoft 365 Outlook “classic”). The “new Outlook” with the web backend has a different setup flow and is documented separately.

Prerequisites

• The email account has been created in the panel.
• Server details are at hand: you need the hostname, ports and the mailbox password.

Step by step

1. Open Outlook. With a new profile, the account wizard starts automatically. Otherwise, open it via File → Add Account.
2. Enter your email address. Click Advanced options and enable Let me set up my account manually. Don’t forget this checkbox. Without it, Outlook gets stuck in the Exchange Autodiscover loop.
3. Click Connect.
4. Select IMAP as the account type.
5. Enter the server details:
   • Incoming mail: server mail.<yourdomain>, port 993, encryption SSL/TLS
   • Outgoing mail: server mail.<yourdomain>, port 587, encryption STARTTLS
6. Click Next. Outlook asks for the password. Enter the mailbox password (not your customer center password).
7. Outlook checks the connection and reports Account successfully added. Confirm with Done.

When you first open the mailbox, Outlook downloads the most recent messages. Depending on the mailbox size, this initial sync can take a few minutes.

Troubleshooting

Autodiscover loop with a cryptic error message

Most common cause: the Let me set up my account manually checkbox was not checked. Outlook then searches endlessly for an Exchange server.

Solution: Cancel the account wizard, start over and check the box in step 2 this time.

“The server is not responding” despite correct details

Local security software often blocks the IMAP port. Kaspersky and older Norton versions in particular scan mail traffic and break TLS connections.

Solution: Temporarily disable the security software’s mail scanner and check whether signing in works. If it does, add Outlook to the exceptions.

Related articles

• Find IMAP, POP3 and SMTP details: the server details in detail.
• Create an email account: if it hasn’t been created in the panel yet.
• Apple Mail (macOS): set up email: same logic, different client.

Still stuck?

If Outlook doesn’t connect despite correct details: open a ticket in the customer center. Helpful for diagnosis: Outlook version, a screenshot of the error message and the server hostname you used.