Email Settings GuideQuick answer: Bluehost mailboxes run on cPanel, so the server is your own domain. Use mail.yourdomain.com for IMAP on port 993 with SSL. SMTP is mail.yourdomain.com on port 465 or 587. POP3 is mail.yourdomain.com on port 995. Sign in with your full email address and the mailbox password you set in cPanel. For a secure connection with no warning, read the exact server name from Connect Devices.
What Changed Recently#
Hosts change email rules more often than server names. Here is where Bluehost stands now and what it means for your setup.
Latest update
Bluehost is steering new users to paid email. Newer plans push Professional Email or Google Workspace rather than free cPanel mailboxes. Existing cPanel mailboxes still use the settings on this page.
Earlier change
Connect Devices is the reliable source. Bluehost shows the exact SSL server name for each mailbox under cPanel Email Accounts, then Connect Devices. Use that name to avoid certificate warnings.
Earlier change
SSL is standard. Bluehost issues free Let's Encrypt certificates, so the secure ports 993, 995 and 465 work once a certificate is active for your domain.
Before You Begin#
Do these 2 things first. If you skip them, your email app will reject the connection even when every server value is correct.
1. Create the mailbox in cPanel
An email app cannot connect until the address exists. Add it under Email Accounts first, then set its password.
Where: Bluehost account, Email and Office, Email Accounts
2. Use the mailbox password
Your Bluehost account login does not work in a mail app. Use the password you set for the mailbox itself.
Where: Mailbox password below →
About Bluehost Mail#
Bluehost is one of the best known web hosting companies, founded in 2003 and owned by Newfold Digital. Email comes with most hosting plans on your own domain through cPanel.
Because Bluehost runs mail through cPanel, your server is your domain rather than a fixed Bluehost hostname. That is the one thing that trips people up. Newer plans also nudge users toward paid Professional Email or Google Workspace, though existing cPanel mailboxes keep the same settings.
| Service Name | Bluehost Email |
| Owned By | Newfold Digital |
| Company Founded | 2003 |
| Email Type | Custom domains through cPanel, such as you@yourdomain.com |
| Webmail | Bluehost account or webmail.yourdomain.com |
| Mail System | cPanel with Roundcube or Horde webmail |
| Protocols Supported | IMAP, POP3, SMTP |
| App Password Needed | No, use the mailbox password |
| Mailbox Storage | Set by your plan quota in cPanel |
Bluehost Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. Bluehost offers Roundcube or Horde. You pick one after choosing Check Email. The official sign in pages are:
Find Your Exact Server Name#
On Bluehost the server is your own domain, so mail.yourdomain.com works for most setups. For a secure connection with no certificate warning, Bluehost shows the exact hostname that matches its SSL certificate. Read it once from Connect Devices.
- Sign in to your Bluehost account and open the Email and Office area, then cPanel Email Accounts.
- Find your mailbox in the list and choose Connect Devices.
- Read the Secure SSL/TLS Settings. The server name shown there is usually in the form
boxNNN.bluehost.com, where the number is specific to your account. It matches the certificate, so it connects without a warning. - Use that server name in your mail app for both incoming and outgoing mail.
Two ways to write the server: mail.yourdomain.com is the friendly name and works once your domain points to Bluehost. The boxNNN.bluehost.com hostname under Connect Devices is the exact match for the SSL certificate. Either connects, though the box name avoids certificate warnings.
Bluehost IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming protocol most people should use. It keeps your mail on the server so every device shows the same inbox. The server is your own domain because Bluehost runs mail through cPanel.
| IMAP Server | mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @yourdomain.com | |
| Password | Your mailbox password (set in cPanel) | |
| Authentication | Required |
Bluehost POP3 Settings#
POP3 downloads mail to 1 device. Pick it only if you want a local copy on a single computer. Not sure? See the comparison below.
| POP3 Server | mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password (set in cPanel) |
Bluehost SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port (SSL) | 465 | |
| Port (STARTTLS) | 587 | |
| Encryption | SSL or STARTTLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Same as incoming mail | |
| Authentication | Required. Check "My outgoing server requires authentication" in Outlook. |
mail.yourdomain.com for the exact hostname shown under Connect Devices. Bluehost issues free Let's Encrypt certificates, so check one is active for your domain.
465 with SSL or 587, then turn on SMTP authentication. Bluehost also accepts port 26 as an alternative when a network blocks the usual ports.
Check Bluehost IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check Bluehost IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses Bluehost servers? Type it below and find out instantly.
Does my email address use these settings?
Runs in your browser only. Your address is never sent anywhere or stored.
Want to verify the account itself before configuring an app? Sign in at Bluehost webmail, which confirms your address and password work. If that passes, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers Bluehost. For every other address, work email on a company domain included, we run a free online lookup database: imapsettings.com.
imapsettings.com
Complete email settings database, by Univik
Enter any email address and get the incoming and outgoing server settings for that domain in 1 step:
Your address is used only to find the settings for that domain. Nothing is stored or shared.
Bluehost Mailbox Password#
Bluehost does not use app passwords. Each mailbox has its own password that you set when you create the address in cPanel. That mailbox password is what your email app needs, not your Bluehost account login.
| Where you sign in | Which password |
|---|---|
| Email apps such as Outlook or Apple Mail | The mailbox password set in cPanel |
| Bluehost webmail in a browser | The same mailbox password |
| The Bluehost account dashboard | Your Bluehost account login, which does not work in a mail app |
Reset a Mailbox Password
- Sign in to your Bluehost account and open the Email and Office area, then cPanel Email Accounts.
- Find the mailbox and choose Manage.
- Enter a new password under Security, then save.
- Update the same password in every mail app that uses this mailbox.
Set Up Bluehost in Email Clients#
The servers and ports are always the same. Only the menus differ. Jump to your app:
Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- Open Outlook and choose File, Add Account. The new Outlook hides this under Settings, Accounts, Add account.
- Type your Bluehost address, expand Advanced options and enable the manual setup checkbox.
- Pick IMAP and enter
mail.yourdomain.comport993SSL for incoming withmail.yourdomain.comport465SSL for outgoing. - Enter your mailbox password when Outlook asks. Your Bluehost account login does not work here.
- Finish, then email yourself to confirm sending and receiving.
Apple Mail (macOS)
- Open Mail and go to Settings, Accounts, Add Account.
- Bluehost is not listed by name, so choose Other Mail Account.
- Fill your name, address and mailbox password, then continue.
- If Mail requests servers, enter the IMAP and SMTP values shown above.
- Tick Mail in the app list and finish.
iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings and tap Apps, Mail, Mail Accounts, Add Account.
- Bluehost is not offered by name, so tap Other then Add Mail Account.
- Enter your details with your mailbox password, then tap Next.
- Keep IMAP selected and enter both hosts if iOS asks.
- Tap Save and let iOS check the account.
Android
- Open your phone mail app such as Gmail or Samsung Email and choose Add account.
- Pick Other when the list has no Bluehost entry. In the Gmail app choose Personal (IMAP).
- Enter your address and mailbox password. If it does not set itself up, choose Manual setup.
- Fill the servers:
mail.yourdomain.com993 SSL incoming withmail.yourdomain.com465 SSL outgoing. - Finish and pull down to refresh the inbox.
Thunderbird
- Open Thunderbird and use Account Settings, Account Actions, Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, address and mailbox password, then select Continue.
- Auto detection is unreliable for custom domains, so choose Configure manually.
- Type the table values with IMAP selected and SSL on both servers.
- Select Done. Folders sync on first open.
Bluehost Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. These controls decide how Bluehost webmail itself behaves. Find them in Roundcube webmail under Settings, with a few extras in cPanel.
Signature
Open Settings then Identities in Roundcube. Signatures set here appear in webmail only. Apps like Outlook keep their own signature settings.
Vacation Auto Reply
Open Autoresponders in cPanel Email. Set start and end dates so it turns off by itself. The reply works even when your computer is off because the server sends it.
Filters and Folders
Open Settings then Filters in Roundcube. Rules made here run on the server, so they sort mail before your phone or Outlook ever sees it. Client side rules only run while that app is open.
Spam and Blocked Senders
Open Spam Filters in cPanel. Add addresses or whole domains to the block list. Blocked senders are stopped before they reach your inbox.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the Bluehost server | Downloaded to 1 device |
| Multiple devices | ✅ Everything stays in sync | ❌ Each device sees different mail |
| Sent and deleted mail | ✅ Synced everywhere | ⚠️ Stays only on that device |
| Offline reading | ⚠️ Cached mail only | ✅ Full local copy |
| Server storage used | Yes, counts against your quota | Can be freed after download |
| Best for | Phone + computer, everyday use | Single PC, local archives |
Bluehost Sending and Storage Limits#
Shared hosting caps how much mail you can send so one account cannot flood the server. Know the rough numbers before you bulk forward or migrate a mailbox:
| Outgoing mail | Capped on shared hosting, often a few hundred messages an hour |
| Recipients per message | Limited by the server to curb bulk sending |
| Attachment size | Around 50 MB in Roundcube webmail |
| Mailbox storage | Set by your plan quota in cPanel |
| Where limits vary | By plan and server, so higher tiers raise the caps |
| What happens at the limit | Outgoing mail is deferred or rejected until the window resets |
Troubleshooting Bluehost Connections#
Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:
| Error you see | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate name does not match | Server name differs from the SSL certificate | Use the exact hostname from Connect Devices in place of mail.yourdomain.com. Check that a Let's Encrypt certificate is active for your domain. |
| Can receive but cannot send | Your provider blocked outgoing port 25 | Set the outgoing port to 465 with SSL or 587 and turn SMTP authentication on. Bluehost also accepts port 26 when a network blocks the usual ports. |
| Username or password not accepted | Using the Bluehost account login | Use the mailbox password set in cPanel, not your account password. Reset it under Email Accounts if unsure. |
| Cannot connect to server | Wrong port or encryption | Check IMAP 993 SSL and SMTP 465 or 587. Antivirus and VPN apps can also block these ports. |
| Password keeps being asked | Wrong password saved for the mailbox | Delete the saved password and enter the mailbox password again. Confirm it in cPanel Email Accounts. |
| Messages stuck in Outbox | SMTP authentication is off | Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Match the server name to the SSL certificate. Readers cleared certificate warnings by copying the exact hostname from Connect Devices instead of typing mail.yourdomain.com. The two reach the same mailbox, but only one matches the certificate.
Point the domain at Bluehost first. Mail settings do not resolve until the domain uses Bluehost name servers. Once DNS pointed correctly, the mail.yourdomain.com server started answering.
Coming from Another Host?#
Moving your domain to Bluehost keeps your address, but the servers change to mail.yourdomain.com once the domain points at Bluehost. Set the mailbox up again with the values on this page.
Keep a copy first. Back up the old mailbox before you switch name servers. Mail sent during a DNS change can land on either host, so a backup avoids losing anything.
Taking your mail to a new account? The Univik Email Migration Tool copies every folder from the old account to the new one. Enter the IMAP settings from this page for the Bluehost side and your old provider's settings for the other.
Rather not do it yourself? Our Email Migration Services team handles the whole move and checks every folder landed.
Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#
The same IMAP settings above let you download your complete Bluehost mailbox to your computer. Univik Email Backup saves everything as PST, MBOX, EML or PDF files you keep forever, even if the account closes.
- Download Univik Email Backup and install it on Windows.
- Select Bluehost from the source list. If it isn't listed by name, choose IMAP.
- Sign in with your full email address and your mailbox password. Your Bluehost account login does not work here.
- If the tool asks for server details, use
mail.yourdomain.comwith port993and SSL from the IMAP table above. - Pick a saving format and folder, then start the backup. Large mailboxes download in the background.
Univik Tools That Use These Settings#
Many people land here while migrating or archiving a mailbox. All 3 tools use the same IMAP settings from this page:
Email Backup
Download your complete Bluehost mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from Bluehost straight into Gmail, Microsoft 365 or any other account. No manual export needed.
Email Migration Tool →
Email Converter Tool
Already have MBOX, EML or OST files from an old export? Convert them to PST, PDF or any format your new app opens.
Email Converter Tool →Prefer to hand the whole migration to experts?
If server settings feel like too much, you don't have to learn them. Univik's migration team handles the complete project: planning, transfer, verification and a report showing every folder made it. Since 2013, for single mailboxes up to full company moves.
Email Settings Glossary#
IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol. Reads mail that stays on the server, so all your devices see the same inbox, folders and read status.
POP3
Post Office Protocol version 3. Downloads mail to 1 device and can remove it from the server. Older method, still useful for local archives.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail. Every account needs it next to IMAP or POP3, which only receive.
SSL / TLS / STARTTLS
Encryption for the connection. SSL/TLS encrypts from the start (ports 993, 995, 465). STARTTLS upgrades a plain connection (port 587).
Mailbox Password
The password for one email address, set in cPanel when you create it. Bluehost has no app passwords, so this is what your mail app uses.
cPanel
The control panel behind Bluehost email. You create mailboxes, set passwords and read the exact server names here.
Connect Devices
The cPanel page that lists the exact SSL server names for a mailbox. Use those names to connect without a certificate warning.
Roundcube
The webmail app Bluehost uses in a browser. Signatures, filters and identities live in its Settings.
SSL Certificate
Proof that a server name is genuine. Bluehost issues free Let's Encrypt certificates through AutoSSL, so the secure ports work once one is active for your domain.
Horde
The second webmail app Bluehost offers next to Roundcube. It has more productivity features for organising mail. You pick one after choosing Check Email.
SMTP Ports
The outgoing ports Bluehost accepts. Use 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS. Port 26 is a fallback when a network blocks port 25.
Deliverability
How reliably your mail reaches the inbox rather than spam. SPF, DKIM and DMARC records for your domain prove your mail is genuine. Bluehost sets up the basics in DNS.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to Bluehost over IMAP and SMTP every day for thousands of users, so a changed server, port or login rule shows up in our connection logs before most guides notice it.
Every value on this page is confirmed with three checks: a live IMAP and SMTP connection from Univik Email Backup, a comparison against Bluehost and cPanel documentation and a check of the Connect Devices server names. We re verify after any provider announcement and at least once a quarter.
Found something that no longer matches what Bluehost shows you? Tell us and we will retest and update the page, with the change logged in what changed recently.
Help & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Use mail.yourdomain.com on port 993 with SSL. Sign in with your full email address and the mailbox password you set in cPanel. For a connection with no certificate warning, use the exact hostname from Connect Devices. The complete table is in the IMAP settings section.
The most common cause is using your Bluehost account login. A mailbox has its own password set in cPanel. That is what the app needs. Reset it under Email Accounts if you are unsure.
IMAP for almost everyone. It keeps your phone, computer and webmail in sync. POP downloads mail to a single computer and can remove it from the server. Full comparison here.
Yes. The server, ports and encryption do not change between iPhone, Android and Windows. Only the menu names differ, which the setup guides cover.
No. Bluehost does not use app passwords. Sign in with the mailbox password you set in cPanel. If it stops working, reset that password under Email Accounts.
Yes. Bluehost uses encrypted IMAP and SMTP on the SSL ports, so your login and mail travel protected. Keep your mailbox password strong and change it if a device is lost.
An email client with IMAP downloads mail as it syncs, but a dedicated backup tool is faster and saves standard files you can open anywhere. See how to back up your Bluehost mailbox. If you already exported files in another format, an email converter changes them to PST, PDF or whatever your new app opens.
A working setup usually breaks when the domain, the SSL certificate or the mailbox password changed. Check what changed recently. Confirm the domain still points at Bluehost and that a certificate is active.
An email migration tool copies mail straight from one account to the other over IMAP. You need the Bluehost IMAP settings and your mailbox password for this side, plus the same details for the destination. Every folder and date stays intact.
If setting this up feels risky or you have many accounts to move, our managed email migration service does the entire job for you.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: Bluehost Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: mail.yourdomain.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: mail.yourdomain.com, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: mail.yourdomain.com, port 465 or 587
- Username is always your full email address
- Uses your cPanel mailbox password
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Sending is capped on shared hosting
- Username is always the full email address