Add and manually configure a POP3, IMAP, or HTTP e-mail account

Perhaps you're experiencing mail problems and need to re-configure your mail account. This is a quick cheat sheet of the steps involved.

 

Note POP3, IMAP, and HTTP e-mail accounts can be added to the current Outlook profile at any time. In addition, you can add these accounts to any other profile by clicking the Mail icon in Control Panel in Windows.

1. Do one of the following:
   • To add an account to the profile that you are using now
     • On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.

The Account Settings command is missing

 

• To add an account to another existing profile

1. Close Outlook.
2. In Control Panel, open the Mail module.

Note The Mail icon in Control Panel will not appear unless you have Outlook installed and have accessed it at least once.

• The title bar of the Mail Setup dialog box contains the name of the current profile. To select a different existing profile, click Show Profiles, select the profile name, and then click Properties.

1. Click E-mail Accounts.

• To add an account to a new profile

1. Close Outlook.
2. In Control Panel, open the Mail module.

Note The Mail icon in Control Panel will not appear unless you have Outlook installed and have accessed it at least once.

1. Under Profiles, click Show Profiles.
2. Click Add.
3. In the New Profile dialog box, type a name for the profile, and then click OK.

This is the name that you will see when starting Outlook if you configure Outlook to prompt you for which profile to use.

1. Click E-mail Accounts.

1. Click New.
2. Click Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP, and then click Next.
3. In the Your Name box, type your name as you want it to appear to other people.
4. In the E-mail Address box, type the complete e-mail address assigned by your mail administrator or ISP. Make sure to include your user name, the @ symbol, and the domain name, for example, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
5. In the Password and Retype Password boxes, type the password that was either assigned to you or that you selected for your e-mail account.

Tip Your password might be case sensitive. Make sure that your CAPS LOCK key is not on.

1. Select the Manually configure server settings or additional server types check box.
2. Click Next.
3. Click Internet E-mail.
4. Click E-mail, and then click Next.

Based on your earlier input, some of the text fields in the dialog box may already have text in them. Verify that the entries are correct.

1. Under User Information, do the following:

1. In the Your Name box, type your full name the way that you want it to appear to other people.
2. In the E-mail Address box, type the complete e-mail address assigned by your mail administrator or ISP. Make sure to include the user name, the @ symbol, and the domain name, for example, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

1. Under Server Information, do the following:

1. In the Account Type list box, choose POP3, IMAP, or HTTP.

Tip Your ISP can tell you which protocol you must use to access your e-mail account, but POP3 is by far the most common. Microsoft Windows Live Mail accounts use HTTP. If you choose HTTP, you must also click a provider in the HTTP Server Provider list, and enter the location of the server in the Server URL box.

1. In the Incoming mail server box, type the full name of the server provided by your ISP or mail administrator. Often this is mail. followed by your domain name, for example, mail.contoso.com.
2. In the Outgoing mail server box, type the full name of the server provided by your ISP or mail administrator. Often this is mail. followed by your domain name, for example, mail.contoso.com.

1. Under Logon Information, do the following:

1. In the User Name box, type the user name provided by your ISP or mail administrator. This might be just the part of your e-mail address before the @ symbol, or it might be your complete e-mail address.
2. In the Password box, type the password provided by your ISP or mail administrator, or one that you created.
3. Select the Remember password check box.

Note You have the option to have Outlook remember your password by typing it in the Password box and selecting the Remember password check box. If you choose Outlook to remember your password, you won't have to type your password each time you access the account. However, this also makes the account vulnerable to anyone who has access to your computer. Use strong passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Weak passwords don't mix these elements. Strong password: Y6dh!et5. Weak password: House27. Passwords should be 8 or more characters in length. A pass phrase that uses 14 or more characters is better. For more information, see Help protect your personal information with strong passwords.It is critical that you remember your password. If you forget your password, Microsoft cannot retrieve it. Store the passwords that you write down in a secure place away from the information that they help protect.

1. Optionally, do any of the following:

• Click More Settings. On the General tab, under Mail Account, type a name that will help you identify the account, for example, My Home ISP E-mail.
• Click More Settings. On the Outgoing tab, select the My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication check box, if required by your account.
• For POP3 accounts, click More Settings. On the Advanced tab, under Server Port Numbers, under Incoming server (POP3), select the The server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) check box, if your ISP instructs you to use this setting.
• For IMAP accounts, click More Settings. On the Advanced tab, under Server Port Numbers, under Incoming server (IMAP), for the Use the following type of encrypted connection option, click None, SSL, TLS or Auto, if your ISP instructs you to use one of these settings.
• Click More Settings. On the Advanced tab, under Server Port Numbers, under Outgoing server (SMTP), for the Use the following type of encrypted connection option, click None, SSL, TLS or Auto, if your ISP instructs you to use one of these settings.
• If you are adding a POP3 or IMAP server account, click Test Account Settings to verify that your account is working. If there is missing or incorrect information, such as your password, you are prompted to supply it or correct it. Make sure that your computer is connected to the Internet.

1. Click Next.
2. Click Finish.