Set up cPanel email in Apple Mail on macOS

Apple Mail on macOS connects to cPanel email over IMAP and keeps folders, flags and sent items in sync with webmail and your phone. You can install a profile generated by cPanel, or add the account manually in a few steps.

Before you start

• The full email address and password.
• The server hostname from cPanel → Email → Email Accounts → Connect Devices. See email server settings.

Option A: automatic profile

1. In cPanel, open Email Accounts → Connect Devices next to the account (or in webmail, the account menu → Configure Mail Client).
2. Click iOS for iPhone/iPad/iPod and macOS Mail.app for IMAP over SSL/TLS and download the .mobileconfig file.
3. Double-click the file, then open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Profiles (or General → Device Management), select it and click Install.
4. Enter the mailbox password when asked.

Option B: manual setup

1. Open Mail → Settings (or Mail → Add Account) and choose Other Mail Account…, then Continue.
2. Enter the name, full email address and password, and click Sign In.
3. Mail says "Unable to verify account name or password" and shows more fields. Fill in:
   • Account Type: IMAP
   • Incoming Mail Server: server hostname
   • Outgoing Mail Server: server hostname
   • User Name: full email address
4. Click Sign In, then choose which apps to use (Mail, Notes) and click Done.

Check ports and folders

1. Open Mail → Settings → Accounts and select the account.
2. Click Server Settings. Untick Automatically manage connection settings under Incoming and set Port 993, Use TLS/SSL ticked, Authentication Password.
3. Do the same under Outgoing: Port 465 with TLS/SSL (or 587), Authentication Password, with the full address and password.
4. Click Save.
5. Open Mailbox Behaviors and choose the server mailboxes for Drafts, Sent, Junk and Trash. Alternatively, select a folder in the sidebar and use Mailbox → Use This Mailbox For.

Troubleshooting

• Account shows offline (lightning icon): use Window → Connection Doctor. A red dot shows whether IMAP or SMTP fails and why.
• "The identity of the server cannot be verified": the host name does not match the certificate. Use the server hostname.
• Constant password prompts: the password changed, or the Keychain holds an old one. Update it in Server Settings, and remove old entries in Keychain Access.
• Duplicated Sent folders: map Sent to the server folder and delete the local one once empty.

Next steps

• Set up iPhone and iPad
• Outlook and Thunderbird settings
• Fix login and blocked IP problems