Email Settings GuideQuick answer: Freenet email runs on Freenet settings. Every protocol connects to mx.freenet.de. IMAP is on 993, POP3 on 995 and SMTP on 465, each secured with SSL. Your username is the full address and the mailbox password you set in Freenet settings lets you in. Your exact values also sit under your Freenet mail settings in Freenet settings. Can't send? Unlock SMTP.
What Changed Recently#
A host changes how you sign in more often than it changes the server names. Here is the current status for Freenet and what it means for your setup.
Worth knowing
Use the full freenet.de address. Freenet turns down a bare mailbox name. Put you@freenet.de on both incoming and outgoing.
Worth knowing
One server for every protocol. mx.freenet.de answers for IMAP, POP3 and SMTP. Only the ports differ.
Worth knowing
Client access starts switched off. Turn it on in Freenet settings before you set up an app. Otherwise the sign-in is refused.
Before You Begin#
Handle these two basics before anything else. Skip them and your email app will reject the connection even when every server value is correct.
1. Create the mailbox
Add the address under your mail settings in Freenet settings and set its password. That password is the one your apps use.
Where: Freenet settings then your mail settings
2. Open your Freenet mail settings
Click the client access switch next to the address, then your Freenet mail settings to read the server name and secure ports.
Where: Find your settings →
About Freenet Email#
Freenet is a long-running German provider. Freenet Mail is its free email service. A mailbox reads in a browser at mail.freenet.de. It also works in Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird.
The neat part is the server. One name, mx.freenet.de, answers for every protocol. You point IMAP at it on 993, POP3 on 995 and SMTP on 465, all the same host. Before an app can connect, switch on client access in the settings, since Freenet keeps it off by default. The username is your full freenet.de address.
| Service Name | Freenet Mail, free webmail |
| Run By | Freenet, Germany |
| Address Domain | freenet.de |
| One Server | mx.freenet.de, for all protocols |
| Incoming | IMAP 993 or POP3 995, SSL |
| Outgoing | SMTP 465 SSL (587 STARTTLS) |
| Before You Start | Switch on client access |
| Webmail | mail.freenet.de |
Freenet Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:
Webmail
Freenet Webmail
Freenet Support
Find Your Settings#
IMAP is ready the moment a mailbox exists, so nothing needs switching on. To read the exact values for one address, Freenet lists them inside Freenet settings.
- Log in to Freenet settings from your Freenet client area.
- Open your mail settings in the Email section.
- Click the client access switch beside your address, then your Freenet mail settings.
- Pick your app or read the manual settings for the server name and secure ports.
Freenet IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming choice Freenet points most people to. Mail stays put on the server, so a laptop and a phone read one shared inbox. Pull the exact server name from your Freenet mail settings in Freenet settings.
| IMAP Server | mx.freenet.de | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @freenet.de | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
Freenet 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 | mx.freenet.de | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
Freenet SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | mx.freenet.de | |
| Port (SSL) | 465 | |
| Port (STARTTLS) | 587 | |
| Encryption | SSL or STARTTLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Same as incoming mail | |
| Authentication | Required. Switch on outgoing server authentication in the client. |
465 with SSL. Many home connections block port 25. Freenet also supports 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. Confirm outgoing authentication is on.
Check Freenet IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check Freenet IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses Freenet 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 Freenet webmail, which confirms your address and password work, then confirm an freenet.de password exists. If both pass, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers Freenet. 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.
Username and Password#
Both come from the mailbox itself. The username is the whole email address and the password is the one you chose when you built the address in Freenet settings. A standard Freenet mailbox uses no freenet.de password.
Username is the full address
Type you@freenet.de in full, with the part after the at sign. Freenet turns down a bare mailbox name.
Put that same address on both incoming and outgoing.
Password is the mailbox one
This is the webmail password you set under your mail settings in Freenet settings, not your Freenet client area login. Reset it there if an app keeps refusing it.
The two factor prompt in the Freenet client area guards billing, not the mailbox connection.
Set Up Freenet in Email Clients#
The servers and ports are always the same. Only the menus differ. Jump to your app:
Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- In Outlook select Add Account, then turn on manual setup under Advanced options.
- Choose IMAP and set incoming to
mx.freenet.deon 993 with SSL. - Set outgoing to the same server on 465 with SSL.
- Enter the full address and mailbox password when Outlook prompts you.
- Send a test message to yourself to prove both paths.
Apple Mail (macOS)
- In Mail select Add Account, then pick Other Mail Account.
- Give your name, Freenet address and password, then continue.
- Enter mx.freenet.de with SSL on incoming and outgoing.
- Keep the SSL ports so nothing sends in plain text.
- Save and wait for the mailbox to load.
iPhone and iPad
- In Settings open Mail, then tap Mail Accounts and Add Account.
- Tap Other then Add Mail Account and fill your details.
- Keep IMAP chosen and put mx.freenet.de in both server boxes.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since Freenet expects SSL.
- Tap Save and let iOS run its check.
Android
- Open your mail app and tap Add account, then Other or IMAP.
- Put in your address and password. Switch to manual setup if it stalls.
- For incoming use mx.freenet.de on 993 over SSL.
- For outgoing use mx.freenet.de on 465 over SSL.
- Save and swipe down to fetch your mail.
Thunderbird
- In Thunderbird pick Account Actions, then Add Mail Account.
- Type your name, Freenet address and password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails, type mx.freenet.de in yourself.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
Freenet Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. The controls here shape how the mailbox acts on its own. They live in Freenet webmail at mail.freenet.de.freenet.de in any browser.
Signature
Add one in the webmail preferences. It rides on mail sent from webmail. A desktop app keeps a signature of its own.
Vacation Auto Reply
Set an autoresponder in Freenet settings and give it start and end dates. The Freenet server delivers it, so it fires even when your machine is off.
Filters and Folders
Create filters from the Freenet webmail filters in Freenet settings. A server side rule sorts a message ahead of any device fetching it. A rule set inside an app only works while that app is running.
Spam and Blocked Senders
Freenet runs SpamAssassin on incoming mail. Set the threshold and block unwanted senders in Freenet settings. Flagged mail lands in the junk folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the Freenet 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 |
Freenet Email at a Glance#
Every value for a freenet.de address in one place. One server covers all of them:
| Server, all protocols | mx.freenet.de |
| Incoming (IMAP) | Port 993, SSL |
| Incoming (POP3) | Port 995, SSL |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | Port 465 SSL (587 STARTTLS) |
| First step | Switch on client access in settings |
| Username | Full freenet.de address |
| Webmail | mail.freenet.de |
Troubleshooting Freenet Connections#
Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:
| Error you see | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Username or password rejected | Short username or wrong password | Use the full email address with the mailbox password from Freenet settings, not the client area login. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Switch outgoing to 465 with SSL. Freenet also accepts 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. |
| Authentication failed with the right password | Client access is still switched off | Sign in at mail.freenet.de, open the settings and switch on POP3, IMAP and SMTP access. Freenet keeps it off until you do, so the app is refused even with correct details. |
| Not sure which server to enter | All three boxes take the same name | Put mx.freenet.de in the incoming server box and the outgoing server box. Only the ports change, 993 or 995 for incoming and 465 or 587 for outgoing. |
| Cannot connect to server | Wrong port or encryption | Set 993 with SSL incoming and 465 with SSL outgoing. A firewall on your own machine can block it as well. |
| Repeated password prompt | Short username or a typo | Clear the saved login, then put in the full address with the mailbox password. |
| Messages stuck in Outbox | SMTP authentication is off | Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail. |
| Please activate the SMTP option | Your address is not unlocked for sending | Sign in at email.freenet.de, open the POP3 and IMAP settings, enter your mobile number and confirm the PIN Freenet texts you. That clears the address for SMTP sending. |
| Receive works but every send fails | Either the address is not unlocked or authentication is off | First check the SMTP activation on the POP3 and IMAP page. If it shows you are cleared, turn on authentication on the outgoing server with your full freenet.de address. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Copy from your Freenet mail settings. When a manual setup will not connect, the your Freenet mail settings page in Freenet settings prints the exact server name and ports for that mailbox. Pasting those in clears the guesswork behind most failed setups.
Test the login in webmail first. Sign in at webmx.freenet.de with the full address and mailbox password. If webmail works, the credentials are right and the issue sits in the app settings.
Unlocking Your Address for Sending #
Freenet adds one more step before you can send. Even with client access switched on, your address has to be unlocked for the outgoing server, a check Freenet calls SMTP activation. Until you do it, mail comes in but a send fails, often with the message "Please activate the SMTP option." It is a free, one-time step against spam.
You unlock it from the webmail. Sign in at email.freenet.de, open the settings and go to the POP3 and IMAP section. There you enter your mobile number and ask Freenet to send a PIN. A text arrives with the code. You type it back in and the address is cleared for sending.
You can tell it worked from the same screen. Once the address is unlocked, the POP3 and IMAP page shows a line that you are cleared for SMTP sending. If a send still fails after that, the cause is usually the sign-in itself, so check that the outgoing server has authentication turned on with your full freenet.de address.
| Point | What to know |
|---|---|
| The step | Unlock your address for outgoing SMTP |
| Why | Anti-spam, a free one-time activation |
| Where | email.freenet.de, Settings, POP3/IMAP/SMTP |
| How | Enter your mobile number and confirm a PIN by text |
| Error if skipped | "Please activate the SMTP option" on send |
| Confirmed | The page shows you are cleared for SMTP sending |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
Freenet mail speaks plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any Freenet account. Each folder stays on the server until the move finishes.
Take a copy first. Back up the mailbox before a move. A note that arrives mid switch can sit on either side. A copy keeps you safe.
Carrying mail across? The Univik Email Migration Tool moves each folder over an IMAP link. Give it the Freenet server name and mailbox password on this side and the other account opposite.
Rather hand it off? Our Email Migration Services team runs the whole move and verifies each folder arrived.
Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#
The same IMAP settings above let you download your complete Freenet 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 Freenet from the source list. If it isn't listed by name, choose IMAP.
- Give the complete email address with your mailbox password. The login name is always the whole email address.
- When the backup tool wants server details, hand it mx.freenet.de on port 993 with SSL for Freenet. Take those values straight from the IMAP table above, with port
993over SSL. - 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 Freenet mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from Freenet 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 the hostnames and passwords feel like busywork, you can let the tool handle it. 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 Freenet server, so every device shows the same inbox. Use mx.freenet.de on port 993 with SSL.
POP3
Post Office Protocol version 3. Downloads mail to one device and can clear the server. Use mx.freenet.de on port 995 with SSL if you prefer POP.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail through mx.freenet.de on port 465 with SSL. It needs a sign-in with your address and password.
SSL and STARTTLS
Two ways to encrypt the link. SSL is on from the first byte, on 993, 995 and 465. STARTTLS upgrades a plain link, on 587 for outgoing mail.
mx.freenet.de
The one Freenet mail server. It answers for IMAP, POP3 and SMTP alike, so the same name goes in every server box.
Client Access
The switch in Freenet settings that lets outside apps in. It starts off, so you turn it on before any app can connect.
ASMTP
Authenticated SMTP. Freenet needs a sign-in on the outgoing server, so the older SMTP-after-POP method is not supported.
Freenet Password
The password for your mailbox. Apps use it to sign in, the same one that opens mail.freenet.de in a browser.
Freenet Webmail
The browser view of your mail at mail.freenet.de. Handy for a quick check and for switching client access on.
Full Email Address
Your username for the server is the whole freenet.de address. The same value works for incoming and outgoing.
freenet.de
The Freenet mail domain. A Freenet mailbox carries an address like you@freenet.de, which is also your username.
Mail basic
The free Freenet mailbox tier, with 1 GB of storage. Paid packages add more space and other extras.
SMTP Activation
Freenet's one-time unlock of your address for sending. You confirm a PIN texted to your mobile to switch it on.
Please Activate the SMTP Option
The send error when the address is not yet unlocked. It clears once you finish the SMTP activation.
Mobile PIN
The code Freenet texts you during activation. Entering it proves the mobile number and clears the address to send.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to Freenet 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 the Freenet guides and a sign in with a real mailbox using the full address. We re verify after any provider announcement and at least once a quarter.
Found something that no longer matches what Freenet 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
One server, mx.freenet.de, covers everything. For incoming use IMAP on port 993 or POP3 on 995 with SSL. For outgoing use SMTP on 465 with SSL. Port 587 with STARTTLS also works. The username is your full freenet.de address. First, switch on client access.
Client access is off by default. Freenet blocks outside apps until you switch on POP3, IMAP and SMTP access in the settings. Turn it on, then set up the app with mx.freenet.de. This is the most common reason a correct password is still refused.
IMAP suits most people. It keeps mail on the Freenet server, so every device shows the same inbox. Both run on mx.freenet.de, IMAP on 993 and POP3 on 995. Freenet itself suggests IMAP over POP3.
Yes. The server name and ports are identical everywhere. You enter mx.freenet.de for incoming and outgoing. The switch to allow client access is set once in Freenet, then it applies to every device.
It is mx.freenet.de for all three. The same name goes in the incoming box and the outgoing box, so only the port changes. IMAP is 993, POP3 is 995 and SMTP is 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS.
Yes. Freenet supports IMAP, POP3 and SMTP over encrypted connections, which is what these apps use. Keep SSL on for incoming and use SSL on 465 for outgoing. Port 587 with STARTTLS is the outgoing alternative.
Add the account over IMAP so the folders sync, then let the app finish downloading. In Thunderbird or Outlook you can then export a folder to a local file. POP3 with a copy left on the server pulls everything down too.
Sign in at mail.freenet.de, open the settings with the gear icon and find the POP3 and IMAP setup. Tick the box to allow POP3, IMAP and SMTP access, then save. Only after this can an app connect.
At mail.freenet.de. Sign in with your full address and password to check mail in a browser. It is also where you switch on client access for apps, under the settings gear.
Your address is not yet unlocked for the outgoing server. Freenet asks for a one-time SMTP activation as an anti-spam step, so a send fails with "Please activate the SMTP option" until you do it. Sign in at email.freenet.de, open the POP3 and IMAP settings, enter your mobile number and confirm the PIN Freenet texts you. The address is then cleared to send. The section above has the detail.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: Freenet Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: mx.freenet.de, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: mx.freenet.de, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: mx.freenet.de, port 465 or 587
- Username is always your full email address
- Freenet mailbox on the Freenet servers
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address