Email Settings GuideQuick answer: your HostGator servers are mail.yourdomain.com for IMAP on port 993, POP3 on port 995 and SMTP on port 465, all with SSL. Your login is the full email address plus the cPanel mailbox password. To avoid a certificate warning, point your app at the exact server name gatorNNNN.hostgator.com from cPanel.
What Changed Recently#
Email providers change login rules more often than server addresses. Here is the current status for HostGator and what it means for your setup.
Latest update
More email products, same cPanel settings. HostGator now pushes Professional Email and Google Workspace alongside classic cPanel email. Your cPanel mailbox still uses the servers on this page. The other products have their own settings.
Worth knowing
The server name lives in cPanel. HostGator reads out your exact hostname under General Information then Server Information as gatorNNNN.hostgator.com. Use it when mail.yourdomain.com throws a certificate warning.
Worth knowing
Sending uses port 465. When a network blocks the old port 25, HostGator accepts 465 with SSL, along with 26 or 587 as alternatives.
Before You Begin#
Two quick things before your first sign in. If you skip them, your email app will reject the connection even when every server value is correct.
1. Create the mailbox in cPanel
The address and its password have to exist in cPanel Email Accounts before any app can sign in. Your Customer Portal login does not work in a mail app.
Where: Mailbox password below →
2. Know your server name
SSL matches the gatorNNNN.hostgator.com hostname, not mail.yourdomain.com. Read it in cPanel before you set up an app to avoid warnings.
Where: Find your server name →
About HostGator Mail#
HostGator is a web hosting company based in Texas, founded in 2002 and now part of Newfold Digital. Its cPanel plans include email on your own domain.
HostGator runs email through cPanel like many hosts, so the settings look familiar. The one hurdle is the exact server name, which most guides skip. HostGator also sells Professional Email and Google Workspace as separate products with their own settings.
| Service Name | HostGator Email (cPanel) |
| Owned By | Newfold Digital |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Texas, US |
| Email Type | Custom domains, such as you@yourdomain.com |
| Webmail | webmail.yourdomain.com |
| Mail System | cPanel with Roundcube webmail |
| Protocols Supported | IMAP, POP3, SMTP |
| App Password Needed | No, use the mailbox password |
| Other Email Products | Professional Email, Google Workspace |
HostGator Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:
Webmail
Account Security
Password Recovery
cPanel Email or Professional Email?#
HostGator sells two email products that share nothing at the server level. Settle which one you have before you type anything, because the wrong server never connects. The rest of this page covers cPanel email. The Titan settings sit in the second card below.
cPanel Email
The mailbox you make inside cPanel under Email Accounts. This is the classic hosting mailbox on your own domain.
Servers: mail.yourdomain.com for IMAP, POP3 and SMTP.
Sign in: the mailbox password you set in cPanel. No extra step to switch it on.
Professional Email (Titan)
A separate paid inbox HostGator sells on the Titan platform. You manage it from its own dashboard, not from cPanel.
Servers: imap.titan.email 993, pop.titan.email 995 and smtp.titan.email 465, all SSL.
Sign in: your Professional Email password, once third-party access is on.
Find Your Exact Server Name#
HostGator gives you two ways to write the server. Both reach the same mailbox, so pick the one that suits your setup.
mail.yourdomain.com
The friendly name. It works once your domain points at HostGator. Some clients show a certificate warning with this name because the security certificate carries the server hostname instead.
gatorNNNN.hostgator.com
The exact server hostname. It matches the SSL certificate, so it connects with no warning. The number is unique to the server your account sits on.
Where to read the hostname
- Sign in to your Customer Portal at portal.hostgator.com and open cPanel for your hosting package.
- Look at General Information on the right of cPanel, then select Server Information.
- Read the servername, shown as something like
gator1234. Add hostgator.com to it, so the full address becomesgator1234.hostgator.com. - A quicker check: the same name appears in your browser address bar while cPanel is open.
- From the portal: open Hosting on the left of your Customer Portal then Manage to read the same server details.
HostGator IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming protocol most people should use. It leaves your mail on the HostGator server so every device shows the same inbox.
| 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 |
HostGator 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) |
HostGator 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. |
465 with SSL. It also accepts port 26 or 587 as alternatives. Keep outgoing authentication on with the same login as incoming.
Check HostGator IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check HostGator IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses HostGator 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 HostGator webmail, which confirms your address and password work. A working webmail login means the tables above will connect any app.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers HostGator. 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 Mailbox Password#
HostGator has no app passwords for cPanel email. You give each address its own password at the moment you add it in cPanel. That mailbox password is what your email app needs, not your Customer Portal login.
| Where you sign in | Which password |
|---|---|
| Outlook, Apple Mail and other apps | The mailbox password from cPanel |
| Webmail at webmail.yourdomain.com | The same mailbox password |
| HostGator Customer Portal | Your hosting account login, which is separate |
Set or Reset a Mailbox Password
- Open cPanel from your Customer Portal and select Email Accounts.
- Find the address you want and choose Manage.
- Enter a new password under Security, then save the change.
- Update that password in every app and device that checks this mailbox.
Set Up HostGator in Email Clients#
The servers and ports are always the same. Only the menus differ. Jump to your app:
Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- Head to File then Add Account in Outlook. The new Outlook holds this under Settings then Accounts then Add account.
- Type your HostGator address and pick the manual setup option, since Outlook will not detect a cPanel mailbox.
- Point IMAP at
mail.yourdomain.comon port993SSL and SMTP at the same host on port465SSL. - Drop in your mailbox password when Outlook prompts. A certificate warning means you should switch to the gatorNNNN.hostgator.com hostname.
- Send yourself a test to confirm both directions work.
Apple Mail (macOS)
- Head to Mail then Settings then Accounts and choose Add Account.
- Pick Other Mail Account, because HostGator is not on the provider list.
- Fill in your name, address and mailbox password, then continue.
- Supply the servers from the tables above if Mail asks for them.
- Tick Mail in the app list to finish.
iPhone and iPad
- Head to Settings then Apps then Mail, open Mail Accounts and tap Add Account.
- Tap Other then Add Mail Account, since iOS has no HostGator entry.
- Fill in your details with the mailbox password, then tap Next.
- Leave IMAP chosen and type both servers by hand when iOS asks.
- Tap Save and let iOS check the mailbox.
Android
- Open your phone mail app such as Gmail or Samsung Email and tap Add account.
- Pick Other or Personal IMAP when HostGator is missing from the list.
- Give your address and mailbox password, then move to Manual setup if it does not configure.
- Set both servers to
mail.yourdomain.com, incoming on 993 SSL and outgoing on 465 SSL. - Wrap up and swipe down once to load your mail.
Thunderbird
- Head to Account Settings in Thunderbird, open Account Actions and choose Add Mail Account.
- Give your name, address and mailbox password, then select Continue.
- Choose Configure manually when the guess looks wrong for a cPanel host.
- Enter each value by hand, keeping IMAP chosen and SSL switched on for both.
- Select Done to finish the setup.
HostGator Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. These controls decide how the mailbox itself behaves. Some sit in Roundcube webmail and some in cPanel.
Signature
Open Roundcube at webmail.yourdomain.com, then Settings and Identities. A signature set here shows in webmail only. Outlook and other apps hold their own.
Vacation Auto Reply
Open cPanel and choose Autoresponders. Set start and stop times so it clears on its own. The reply fires from the server, so your computer can stay off.
Filters and Folders
Open cPanel and choose Email Filters. You can also use Settings then Filters in Roundcube. Server rules sort mail before your phone or Outlook sees it. App rules only run while that app is open.
Spam and Blocked Senders
Open cPanel and choose Spam Filters, which runs Apache SpamAssassin. Add senders or whole domains to the blocklist. Flagged mail moves to a spam folder or is refused, depending on your threshold.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the HostGator 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 |
HostGator Sending and Storage Limits#
HostGator caps sending on shared hosting so one account cannot flood the servers. Know the rough limits before you bulk forward or migrate a mailbox:
| Sending rate | Capped per hour on shared plans |
| Recipients per message | Limited to slow bulk sending |
| Attachment size | Set by your hosting plan |
| Mailbox storage | Set by your cPanel quota |
| Server hostname | gatorNNNN.hostgator.com, from cPanel |
| IMAP connections | Up to 20 per IP address |
| What happens at the limit | Sending pauses until the hourly window resets |
Troubleshooting HostGator 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 | You used mail.yourdomain.com | Swap in the gatorNNNN.hostgator.com hostname from cPanel. It matches the SSL certificate, so the warning clears. |
| Can receive but cannot send | The network blocked the old port 25 | Set outgoing to 465 with SSL. You can also try 26 or 587. Turn outgoing authentication on with the same login as incoming. |
| Cannot connect to server | Wrong port or encryption | Set incoming to 993 with SSL and outgoing to 465. A firewall or VPN can also block these ports. |
| Password keeps being asked | Saved password is wrong or outdated | Remove the saved password and enter the mailbox password from cPanel. Confirm it works at webmail.yourdomain.com. |
| Settings correct but nothing connects | Your inbox is Professional Email, not cPanel email | Switch to the Titan servers such as imap.titan.email. Turn on third-party access in the Titan dashboard first. |
| Titan app login keeps failing | Two-factor authentication blocks outside apps | Turn 2FA off on the Professional Email account, then add it again in your app. |
| Messages stuck in Outbox | SMTP authentication is off | Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Use the gatorNNNN hostname for stubborn certificate errors. Readers cleared repeated warnings by reading the server name in cPanel and typing gatorNNNN.hostgator.com in place of mail.yourdomain.com. The friendly name still works, but only the server name matches the certificate.
Change the sending port when mail sticks in the outbox. Messages that would not leave cleared once the outgoing port moved to 465 with SSL. Port 26 works where a network blocks the usual ports. Keep outgoing authentication switched on.
Coming from Another Host?#
Moving to HostGator keeps your address once the domain points at HostGator and the mailbox exists in cPanel. Set it up with the servers on this page, then carry your old mail over.
Save a copy first. Back up the old mailbox before the switch. Mail sent during a domain change can land on either host, so a backup keeps everything safe.
Bringing your mail across? The Univik Email Migration Tool copies every folder between the two mailboxes. Put the HostGator IMAP settings from this page on one side and your old host on the other.
Prefer to hand it over? Our Email Migration Services team runs the move and checks each folder arrived.
Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#
The same IMAP settings above let you download your complete HostGator 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 HostGator from the source list. If it isn't listed by name, choose IMAP.
- Sign in with your full email address and your mailbox password. Use the password you set in cPanel, not your Customer Portal login.
- If the tool wants server details, feed it
mail.yourdomain.comon port993with SSL as listed in the IMAP table. - 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 HostGator mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from HostGator 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 cPanel and server names 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 you set for each address in cPanel Email Accounts. Your email app signs in with this, not with your Customer Portal login.
cPanel
The control panel for HostGator hosting. You create mailboxes, set passwords and read your server name inside it.
Server Hostname
Your exact mail server, written as gatorNNNN.hostgator.com. It matches the SSL certificate, so it connects without a warning.
Roundcube
The webmail program HostGator serves at webmail.yourdomain.com. Use it to check a password and to set signatures or filters.
SSL Certificate
The file that proves a server is genuine. A name mismatch warning means the address you typed does not match the certificate.
SpamAssassin
The spam filter built into cPanel. It scores incoming mail and moves likely junk aside based on the threshold you set.
Newfold Digital
The company that owns HostGator along with Bluehost and other hosting brands. It runs the shared cPanel platform behind them.
Webmail
Browser email at webmail.yourdomain.com. It reaches the same mailbox as your apps, which makes it a quick way to test a password.
Professional Email
A separate paid inbox HostGator sells on the Titan platform. It uses imap.titan.email and its own dashboard, not cPanel.
Wildcard Certificate
One SSL certificate that covers every name under hostgator.com. It lets the gatorNNNN.hostgator.com hostname connect without a warning.
Third-Party Access
A switch on a Professional Email account that lets outside apps sign in. Titan blocks IMAP and POP until you turn it on.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to HostGator 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 HostGator's official documentation and a mailbox password reset tested through the current cPanel flow. We re verify after any provider announcement and at least once a quarter.
Found something that no longer matches what HostGator 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
Point IMAP at mail.yourdomain.com using port 993 and SSL. The login is your whole email address with the cPanel mailbox password. For a clean SSL connection, use the gatorNNNN.hostgator.com hostname. The full table is in the IMAP settings section.
Two things cause this on HostGator. The saved password is not the mailbox password, so reset it in cPanel and confirm it at webmail.yourdomain.com. Or a certificate warning is blocking the login, which the gatorNNNN.hostgator.com hostname fixes.
IMAP suits almost everyone. It leaves mail on the HostGator server so every device stays in sync. POP pulls mail to one computer and can clear it from the server. Full comparison here.
Yes. The server, ports and encryption match across iPhone, Android and Windows. Only the menu names differ, which the client setup guides cover.
No. HostGator cPanel email has no app passwords. Sign in with the mailbox password you set in cPanel Email Accounts. If it stops working, reset that password in cPanel.
Yes. HostGator email travels over encrypted IMAP and SMTP when SSL is on, so your login and messages stay protected. Keep the mailbox password strong and change it if a device goes missing.
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 HostGator mailbox. If you already exported files in another format, an email converter changes them to PST, PDF or whatever your new app opens.
The usual cause on HostGator is a moved mailbox that changed the gatorNNNN server name. A network that started blocking a sending port does it too. Check what changed recently. Re read the server name in cPanel and confirm the outgoing port.
A migration tool copies mail straight between the two mailboxes over IMAP. You need the HostGator IMAP settings and the mailbox password for one side, plus the destination details for the other. 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.
Sign in at portal.hostgator.com. A mailbox you created under cPanel Email Accounts is cPanel email, which uses mail.yourdomain.com. A mailbox on its own Titan dashboard is Professional Email, which uses imap.titan.email and needs third-party access turned on. The two products never share server settings.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: HostGator 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
- Mailbox password set in cPanel
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Sending is capped per hour
- Username is always the full email address