Set up cPanel email in Outlook for Windows (new Outlook and classic)

Windows now ships with two Outlook apps: the new Outlook (the free app that replaced Mail and Calendar) and classic Outlook from Microsoft 365 or Office. Both work with cPanel email over IMAP, but the screens differ. This guide covers both, with the exact values to type.

Before you start

• Full email address and password.
• The server hostname from cPanel → Email → Email Accounts → Connect Devices. Using it avoids certificate warnings. See email server settings.

New Outlook for Windows

1. Open Outlook, click Settings (gear) → Accounts → Email accounts → Add account.
2. Enter your email address and click Continue.
3. If Outlook does not detect the settings, choose IMAP as provider.
4. Click Show more and fill in:
   • IMAP incoming server: server hostname, port 993, secure connection SSL/TLS
   • SMTP username: full email address; SMTP password: mailbox password
   • SMTP outgoing server: server hostname, port 465, secure connection SSL/TLS
5. Click Continue. Outlook may mention that it syncs the mailbox through Microsoft's cloud; accept to finish.

Classic Outlook (Microsoft 365 / Office)

1. Open File → Add Account.
2. Enter the email address, click Advanced options, tick Let me set up my account manually and click Connect.
3. Choose IMAP.
4. Incoming mail: server hostname, port 993, encryption SSL/TLS.
5. Outgoing mail: server hostname, port 465, encryption SSL/TLS (or 587 with STARTTLS).
6. Leave Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) unticked.
7. Click Next, enter the password and click Connect, then Done.

If you open File → Account Settings → Server Settings later, make sure the outgoing server uses the same credentials as incoming (My outgoing server requires authentication).

Folders and deleted items

• In classic Outlook, right-click the account → IMAP Folders → Query → subscribe to all folders so webmail folders appear.
• If deleted mail stays visible with a strike-through, choose Folder → Purge, or set Outlook to move deleted items to the server's Trash.
• Map Sent items: in Account Settings → More Settings (classic) choose the server's Sent folder.

Troubleshooting

• Repeated password prompts: wrong password or full address not used as username. Re-enter in Account Settings; several failed attempts can block your IP, see login problems.
• "The server you are connected to is using a security certificate that cannot be verified": replace mail.yourdomain.com with the server hostname.
• Can receive, cannot send (error 0x800CCC0F or 0x80042109): wrong SMTP port or authentication off; use 465 SSL/TLS with your login.
• Outlook freezes on large mailboxes: reduce Download email for the past to 1 year in classic Outlook's account settings.

Next steps

• Set up Thunderbird instead
• Set up iPhone
• All email client settings