Email Settings GuideQuick answer: for hMailServer the mail server is your own host, usually mail.yourdomain.com. IMAP is port 993 with SSL/TLS. SMTP is port 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS). POP3 is port 995 with SSL. Sign in with your full email address and your hMailServer account password. If a secure port refuses the connection, the admin has not added it yet, since hMailServer ships with only the plain ports 143, 110 and 25.
What Changed Recently#
hMailServer is stable and barely changes, but a few points shape how you connect a client. Here is the current status.
Latest update
Development is paused at version 5.6.8. That 2021 build is the last official stable one. Work stopped in 2022 with only critical fixes since. Community forks carry the project forward, but the IMAP, POP and SMTP behaviour on this page is the same on all of them.
Earlier change
Secure ports are opt in. A fresh install listens only on 25, 110 and 143. The SSL ports 993, 995 and 465 start working only after an admin adds them with a certificate.
Earlier change
No app passwords or two factor. The core server has neither, so you always sign in with the account password an admin set. There is also no built in webmail.
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. Know your mail host
hMailServer has no fixed address. Your mail host is the name of the Windows machine it runs on, usually something like mail.yourdomain.com. The username is your full email address.
Where: ask whoever set up the server or check its DNS name
2. The secure port must exist
A new hMailServer listens only on 25, 110 and 143. If SSL on 993, 995 or 465 refuses to connect, the port has not been added yet.
Where: Add the secure ports below →
About hMailServer#
hMailServer is a free, open-source email server for Windows, built by Martin Knafve in 2002 and widely used for small offices and home setups.
Two things set hMailServer apart from other mail servers. It has no web console and no webmail of its own, so an admin manages it from the hMailServer Administrator, a Windows desktop program on the server. You read mail in a normal client or a webmail such as Roundcube added separately. It also ships with only the plain ports 25, 110 and 143. The secure ports 993, 995 and 465 begin working only once an admin adds them with a certificate.
| Service Name | hMailServer |
| Made By | Martin Knafve, open source (AGPLv3) |
| Type | Free self-hosted Windows mail server |
| Server Host | Your own domain, like mail.yourdomain.com |
| Webmail | None built in, add Roundcube |
| Protocols | IMAP, POP3, SMTP (no ActiveSync) |
| App Password | Not used, account password only |
| Max Message Size | Set by admin |
993, 995, 465 and 587 work the same everywhere. Your host is the name of the machine the server runs on.
hMailServer Access Login#
hMailServer has no web pages of its own. Here is where each thing actually lives:
Webmail
None built in, use a client or added Roundcube
Administration
hMailServer Administrator, a desktop app
Change Password
Set by your admin in the Administrator
Add the Secure Ports#
A fresh hMailServer answers only on the plain ports, so SSL fails until an admin adds the secure ones. This is an admin task done in the Administrator, so skip it if 993 and 465 already connect for you.
- Open the hMailServer Administrator on the server and sign in with the main password.
- Add your certificate under Settings, Advanced, SSL certificates. Point it at your certificate file and private key.
- Add the ports under Settings, Advanced, TCP/IP ports. Create IMAP
993, POP3995and SMTP465, each set to SSL with that certificate. - Open the ports in the firewall on the server and on your router for outside access. A closed firewall blocks the new ports even after they exist.
- Restart hMailServer when it asks. Leave port
25in place so other servers can still deliver mail to you.
hMailServer IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming protocol most people should use. Mail stays on the server, so every device sees the same inbox.
| IMAP Server | Your hMailServer host, like mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port | 993 (SSL) or 143 (STARTTLS) | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS or STARTTLS | |
| Username | Your full email address on your domain | |
| Password | Your hMailServer account password | |
| Authentication | Required |
hMailServer POP3 Settings#
POP3 downloads mail to 1 device. Choose it only for a single computer that keeps its own copy. Not sure? See the comparison below.
| POP3 Server | Your hMailServer host, like mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your hMailServer account password |
hMailServer SMTP Settings#
587 (the submission port) or 465 with SSL. On most hMailServer setups port 25 is left for server to server mail with client login switched off, so a mail app sending on 25 gets rejected. Turn on authentication for outgoing mail.
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | Your hMailServer host, like mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port (SSL) | 465 | |
| Port (STARTTLS) | 587 | |
| Encryption | SSL or STARTTLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Same account password as incoming | |
| Authentication | Required. Check "My outgoing server requires authentication" in Outlook. |
Check hMailServer IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check hMailServer IMAP settings. Each port here is verified and copies with one tap. Since hMailServer runs on your own domain, the host belongs to you, so the checker below points known consumer domains to their own guides. For your hMailServer domain, use the host from the tables with the ports above.
Does my email address use these settings?
Runs in your browser only. Your address is never sent anywhere or stored.
Need to check the account works before adding it to an app? Ask your admin to confirm it exists in the hMailServer Administrator and that the secure ports are added. Once both are true, any email app connects with the details from the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers hMailServer. 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.
Your Password and Sign In#
hMailServer keeps this simple. There is one password per account, set by an admin in the Administrator. It works in every mail app. There are no app passwords and no two factor to deal with.
| Where you sign in | Account password | App password |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird | ✓ Works | ✗ None exists |
| Phone mail apps (manual IMAP setup) | ✓ Works | ✗ None exists |
| A webmail your admin installed | ✓ Works | ✗ None exists |
| POP or IMAP over SSL | ✓ Works | Not used |
How Your Password Is Set
- An admin opens the Administrator and finds your account under Domains, then Accounts.
- The password lives on the account. The admin sets or resets it there, since hMailServer has no self-service reset page.
- Use that exact password in your mail app, as both the incoming and outgoing password.
- Changed it recently? Update the saved password in every device that checks the mailbox.
- A webmail like Roundcube can add a password change page, but the core server does not.
Set Up hMailServer in Email Clients#
Point your client at your hMailServer host for both incoming and outgoing, with IMAP 993 and SMTP 465 or 587. Because hMailServer has no ActiveSync, phones set it up as a plain IMAP account, not as Exchange.
Jump to your app:
Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- Open Outlook → File → Add Account (in new Outlook, Settings → Accounts → Add account).
- Enter your hMailServer address, open Advanced options and check "Let me set up my account manually".
- Choose IMAP and set your host to
993with SSL incoming and the same host to465with SSL outgoing. - Enter your account password. Switch on "outgoing server requires authentication".
- Send a test message to yourself. A certificate prompt on a self-signed setup is normal.
Apple Mail (macOS)
- Open Mail → Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Other Mail Account.
- Enter your name, hMailServer address and account password, then continue.
- When detection fails, set your hMailServer host as both incoming and outgoing.
- Use IMAP 993 SSL and SMTP 465 SSL, with your full address as the username.
- Accept the certificate if it prompts, then finish.
iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts → Add Account → Other, then Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, hMailServer address and account password, then tap Next.
- Keep IMAP selected. There is no Exchange option because hMailServer has no ActiveSync.
- Set your host for incoming and outgoing,
993and465with SSL. - Tap Save and let iOS check the account.
Android
- Open your mail app (Gmail app, Samsung Email or another) → Add account.
- Choose Other or IMAP. Skip Exchange, since hMailServer does not offer it.
- Enter your address and account password, then choose Manual setup.
- Enter the servers: your hMailServer host 993 SSL incoming, the same host 465 SSL outgoing.
- Finish setup and swipe down to load your inbox.
Thunderbird
- Open Thunderbird → Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, hMailServer address and account password, then select Continue.
- Choose Configure manually, since Thunderbird cannot guess a self-hosted address.
- Point both servers at your host, IMAP 993 SSL and SMTP 465 SSL, with your full address.
- Select Done. Accept the certificate on first connect if it asks.
hMailServer Server Features#
The ports connect your apps. These features control how mail behaves on the server. An admin sets each one in the hMailServer Administrator, since there is no webmail to hold them.
Signature
hMailServer has no signature of its own. Add yours in the mail client, because there is no webmail to store one on the server.
Vacation Auto Reply
Accounts, then Auto-reply in the Administrator. The reply goes out from the server even with your computer off. You set the dates it runs.
Server Rules
Rules in the Administrator, set for the whole server or one account. They act on mail as it arrives, before any client sees it. App only rules wait for that app to open.
Spam and Blocked Senders
Anti-spam in the Administrator. hMailServer scores mail with DNSBL, SPF and greylisting, then can hand off to SpamAssassin for deeper checks.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the hMailServer machine | 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 |
hMailServer Sending and Storage Limits#
On hMailServer the limits belong to your admin, not a fixed policy. These are the settings that decide what goes through, each set in the Administrator per account or per domain:
| Max message size | Set server wide or per domain |
| Mailbox maximum size | Set per account |
| Send limits | Optional, set in IP ranges and rules |
| Attachments | Counted inside the message size limit |
| Secure ports | Work only after an admin adds them |
| What happens at the limit | Oversized mail is refused, a full mailbox bounces new mail |
Troubleshooting hMailServer Connections#
Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:
| Error you see | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Could not connect over SSL | The secure port is not added yet | Ask an admin to add ports 993, 995 and 465 with a certificate. A fresh hMailServer has none of them. |
| Authentication failed | Wrong password or the account is missing | Have an admin confirm the account and reset the password in the Administrator, then retype it. |
| The certificate is not trusted | The server uses a self-signed certificate | Accept it once on your own server or install a free certificate like Let's Encrypt. On phones, point hMailServer at the full chain file so the intermediate certificate is sent. Without it, Android calls the certificate untrusted. |
| 550 relaying denied | Outgoing mail is not authenticating | Send on 587 or 465 with "outgoing server requires authentication" on. Port 25 is usually closed to client sending. |
| Messages stuck in Outbox | SMTP authentication is off | Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Two fixes that come up over and over in hMailServer setups, beyond the error table above.
If SSL will not connect, the port is probably missing. This is the classic hMailServer trap. A new install has only 25, 110 and 143, so 993, 995 and 465 do nothing until an admin adds them with a certificate. If they are added but still refuse, the firewall on the server or router is the next thing to check.
Stop hunting for a web login. hMailServer has no webmail and no web console. Management happens in the desktop Administrator on the server. You read mail in a client or a webmail your admin installed.
Moving Mail to or from hMailServer?#
Moving to or from another server? The Univik Email Migration Tool copies every folder over IMAP. Put one host on each side, each with a full address and its account password. Make sure the secure ports are added on the hMailServer end.
Leaving hMailServer for Microsoft 365 or Google? The same tool reads your hMailServer mailbox folder by folder with the settings on this page and writes it into the new account.
Coming to hMailServer from another provider? Enter your old account on one side and your hMailServer host on the other. Every folder and date stays intact.
Back up before any big change. Save the mailbox first so you hold a copy whatever happens during the move.
Rather not do it yourself? Our Email Migration Services team plans and runs the whole transfer for you and verifies every folder arrived.
Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#
The same IMAP settings above let you download your complete hMailServer mailbox to your computer. Univik Email Backup saves everything as PST, MBOX, EML or PDF files you keep forever, which is handy since a self-hosted server is only as safe as its own backups.
- Download Univik Email Backup and run it on your Windows PC.
- Select IMAP from the source list. hMailServer is not named, so IMAP is the option to pick.
- Sign in with your full email address and your hMailServer account password.
- If the tool asks for server details, use your hMailServer host with port
993and SSL from the IMAP table above. - Pick a saving format and folder, then begin. Big mailboxes copy in the background while you keep working.
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 hMailServer mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before moving servers or rebuilding a machine.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from hMailServer straight into Gmail, Microsoft 365 or another server. No manual export needed.
Email Migration Tool →
Email Converter Tool
Already have MBOX, EML or OST files from an old export? Turn them into PST, PDF or whatever your new app reads.
Email Converter Tool →Prefer to hand the whole migration to experts?
If server settings and app passwords 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. Pulls mail onto one device and can clear it off 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).
App Password
A one off code some mail servers issue instead of a password. hMailServer does not use them, so you sign in with your account password.
OAuth
Sign in through the provider's own window instead of typing a password into the app. The modern method most providers are moving to.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to self-hosted servers like hMailServer over IMAP and SMTP every day for thousands of users, so a port, certificate or login quirk shows in our connection logs before most guides catch it.
Every value here is confirmed with 3 checks: live IMAP and SMTP connections from Univik Email Backup, a comparison against the hMailServer documentation and forum, then a test sign in from a mail client. We re verify after any hMailServer update and at least once a quarter.
Found something that no longer matches your hMailServer setup? Tell us and we will retest and update the page, with the change logged in what changed recently.
Help & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
The mail server is your own hMailServer host, like mail.yourdomain.com. IMAP uses port 993 with SSL, SMTP uses 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS. Sign in with your full email address and your hMailServer account password. The secure ports work only once an admin has added them.
The usual cause is a secure port that was never added, so SSL cannot connect. After that, check you typed the mail host rather than a webmail address, then that the account and password are right in the Administrator.
IMAP for almost everyone, since it keeps your phone and computer matched and hMailServer has no ActiveSync to do that another way. POP3 fits a single computer where you want a local download. Full comparison here.
It is the name of the Windows machine hMailServer runs on, usually something like mail.yourdomain.com. Use that host for incoming and outgoing. There is no fixed address, since every hMailServer is a separate server.
No. hMailServer has no app passwords and no two factor. You sign in everywhere with the one account password an admin set in the Administrator. If it stops working, an admin resets it there.
Not on its own. hMailServer is a mail server with no built-in webmail. Many admins install a webmail such as Roundcube alongside it. The server itself is managed from the hMailServer Administrator, a Windows desktop app, not a web page.
Because the secure port is almost certainly not there. A fresh hMailServer listens only on 25, 110 and 143. An admin has to add ports 993, 995 and 465 in the Administrator and assign a certificate before any SSL connection works. If the ports are added but still refuse, open them in the server firewall and your router.
Not from hMailServer itself. It handles mail only, with no ActiveSync and no built-in calendar or contacts. To share those, admins pair hMailServer with separate groupware or a webmail that adds them. Your mail still syncs over IMAP as normal.
An email migration tool copies mail directly between the 2 accounts over IMAP. You need your hMailServer host and account password for this side, plus the destination account details. 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: hMailServer Settings at a Glance
- Host: your hMailServer machine, like mail.yourdomain.com
- IMAP port 993, POP3 995, both SSL/TLS
- SMTP port 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS)
- Username is your full email address
- Sign in with your account password, no app passwords
- Secure ports added by an admin with a certificate
- No webmail built in, add Roundcube if wanted
- Mail only, no ActiveSync or calendar sync