Email Settings GuideQuick answer: for iRedMail 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 mailbox password, the same one you use for Roundcube webmail. A fresh install carries a self-signed certificate, so set up Let's Encrypt or your app shows a trust warning.
What Changed Recently#
iRedMail is stable, but a couple of its defaults shape how a mail app connects. Here is the current status.
Latest update
A fresh install trusts nothing. iRedMail ships a self-signed certificate, so mail apps warn you until you install a free Let's Encrypt certificate on the server. Do that once and the warning goes away for good.
Earlier change
iRedMail is actively maintained. The 1.7 series ships through 2026 on current Linux and BSD. The client ports on this page are unchanged.
Earlier change
Greylisting is on by default. The first message from a brand new sender is held for a short time, then let through on the automatic retry. This is normal and needs no action.
Before You Begin#
Do these 2 things first. Skip them and the app refuses to connect even with every server value right.
1. Know your mail host
iRedMail runs on your own server, so the mail host is the hostname you set at install, usually mail.yourdomain.com. Your username is always the full email address.
Where: run hostname -f on the server if unsure
2. Expect a certificate warning
A fresh iRedMail carries a self-signed certificate, so mail apps flag it as untrusted. Install a free Let's Encrypt certificate to clear the warning or trust it once for testing.
Where: Certificate steps below →
About iRedMail#
iRedMail is a free, open-source mail server solution that installs a full mail stack on mainstream Linux and BSD systems with a single script, built by the iRedMail team.
iRedMail sets up Postfix, Dovecot, Roundcube webmail and the iRedAdmin panel, with a backend of your choice: OpenLDAP, MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL. Spam and virus filtering come built in through Amavisd, SpamAssassin and ClamAV. The one thing that surprises people at client setup is the certificate: the installer makes a self-signed one, so mail apps warn you until you add a free Let's Encrypt certificate.
| Service Name | iRedMail |
| Made By | iRedMail team, open source (GPLv3) |
| Type | Free full-stack mail server installer |
| Server Host | Your own domain, like mail.yourdomain.com |
| Webmail | Roundcube, SOGo optional |
| Protocols | IMAP, POP3, SMTP (CalDAV, CardDAV via SOGo) |
| App Password | No, uses your mailbox password |
| SSL Certificate | Self-signed by default |
993, 995, 465 and 587. Your host is the hostname the server runs on.
iRedMail Access Login#
iRedMail gives you a browser login for both mail and admin. Here is where each one lives:
Webmail
https://mail.yourdomain.com/mail/
iRedAdmin Panel
https://mail.yourdomain.com/iredadmin/
Change Password
In Roundcube Settings or iRedAdmin
Trust the Certificate#
IMAP, POP and SMTP are on from the first boot, so there is nothing to switch on. The one setup step that trips people up is the certificate. A fresh iRedMail uses a self-signed one, so replace it with a free Let's Encrypt certificate:
- Get a Let's Encrypt certificate on the server using certbot for your mail hostname.
- Point iRedMail at it. Symlink the Let's Encrypt fullchain and key over
iRedMail.crtandiRedMail.key. - Restart the services that use it: Postfix, Dovecot and Nginx.
- Reconnect the client. The trust warning is gone. To test before this, trust the self-signed cert in the app once.
iRedMail IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming protocol most people should use. Your mail stays on the server, so every device opens the same inbox.
| IMAP Server | Your iRedMail 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 mailbox password, same as Roundcube | |
| Authentication | Required |
iRedMail POP3 Settings#
POP3 downloads mail to 1 device. Choose POP only for a single machine that holds its own copy. Not sure? See the comparison below.
| POP3 Server | Your iRedMail host, like mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
iRedMail SMTP Settings#
587 with STARTTLS or 465 with SSL. Both need authentication with your mailbox password. Port 25 carries mail between servers, not from your app. Outgoing mail needs its own login switched on.
SMTP handles outgoing mail. When receiving works but sending will not, the fix is in this section.
| SMTP Server | Your iRedMail host, like mail.yourdomain.com | |
| Port (SSL) | 465 | |
| Port (STARTTLS) | 587 | |
| Encryption | SSL or STARTTLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Same mailbox password as incoming | |
| Authentication | Required. Check "My outgoing server requires authentication" in Outlook. |
Check iRedMail IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check iRedMail IMAP settings. Every port here is verified and copies straight from your browser. Since iRedMail runs on your own domain, the host belongs to you, so the checker below points known consumer domains to their own guides. For your iRedMail 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.
Want to test the account before setting up an app? Sign in at your Roundcube webmail to confirm the address and password work. If the sign in works there, any email app connects with the same login and the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers iRedMail. 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.
iRedMail Password and Sign In#
iRedMail keeps it simple. There is no separate app password: the mailbox password you use for Roundcube is the same one every mail app uses.
| Where you sign in | Password to use |
|---|---|
| Roundcube webmail | ✓ Your mailbox password |
| Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird | ✓ Your mailbox password |
| Phone mail apps (IMAP or POP) | ✓ Your mailbox password |
| iRedAdmin panel | ✓ Admin or mailbox password |
How to Change Your Password
- Sign in to Roundcube at your mail host, then open Settings.
- Open the Password panel and enter your current password.
- Set a new password and save. An admin can also do this in iRedAdmin.
- Update every device that signs in, since the one password is used everywhere.
- Reconnect your mail apps with the new password.
Set Up iRedMail in Email Clients#
Point your client at your iRedMail host with IMAP 993 and SMTP 465 or 587, and sign in with your mailbox password. On a fresh server, accept the certificate prompt once or install Let's Encrypt first.
Jump to your app:
Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- Open Outlook → File → Add Account (in new Outlook, Settings → Accounts → Add account).
- Enter your iRedMail address, open Advanced options and check "Let me set up my account manually".
- Choose IMAP and put your host on
993SSL for incoming and the same host on465SSL for outgoing. - Enter your mailbox password. Switch on "outgoing server requires authentication".
- Send a test message to yourself to check sending and receiving.
Apple Mail (macOS)
- Open Mail → Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Other Mail Account.
- Enter your name, iRedMail address and mailbox password, then continue.
- When detection fails, set your iRedMail host as both incoming and outgoing.
- Set IMAP to 993 SSL and SMTP to 465 SSL, using your full address as the username.
- Accept the certificate once if it is still self-signed, then finish.
iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts → Add Account → Other, then Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, iRedMail address and mailbox password, then tap Next.
- Keep IMAP selected and enter your host for both directions,
993and465with SSL. - If iOS refuses a self-signed cert, install Let's Encrypt on the server first.
- Tap Save and wait for iOS to verify the account.
Android
- Open your mail app (Gmail app, Samsung Email or another) → Add account.
- Choose Other or IMAP when iRedMail is not in the list.
- Enter your address and mailbox password, then pick Manual setup if needed.
- Enter the servers: your iRedMail host 993 SSL incoming, the same host 465 SSL outgoing.
- Finish setup and pull down to sync your inbox.
Thunderbird
- Open Thunderbird → Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, iRedMail address and mailbox password, then select Continue.
- Let it probe autoconfig. With the right DNS records, the servers often fill in on their own.
- If detection misses, choose Configure manually and point both servers at your host, 993 SSL and 465 SSL.
- Select Done. Trust the certificate once if you have not installed Let's Encrypt yet.
Roundcube Webmail and Server Features#
The ports connect your apps. These features shape how mail behaves. Most sit in Roundcube under Settings, with spam scoring on the server.
Signature
Roundcube, Settings, Identities. A signature set here shows on webmail. Desktop clients store a separate one, so add it there too if you use both.
Vacation Auto Reply
Roundcube, Settings, Filters. Add a vacation rule with start and end dates. Because the server sends the reply, your own machine can stay off.
Filters and Rules
Roundcube, Settings, Filters. Sieve rules run on the server itself, sorting mail before any app downloads it. App only rules wait for that app to open.
Spam Filtering
SpamAssassin scores every message and Amavisd files the worst into quarantine. Mark anything it misses as junk in Roundcube to train the filter.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the iRedMail 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 |
iRedMail Sending and Storage Limits#
On iRedMail the limits belong to your admin, not a fixed policy. These are the settings that decide what goes through, each set on the server or in iRedAdmin:
| Mailbox quota | Set per user in iRedAdmin |
| Max message size | Set server wide in Postfix |
| Sending throttle | Set per user or domain by iRedAPD |
| Greylisting | On by default, delays new senders briefly |
| Secure ports | 993, 995, 465 and 587, on from install |
| What happens at the limit | Oversized mail is refused, a full mailbox bounces new mail |
Troubleshooting iRedMail Connections#
Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:
| Error you see | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The certificate is not trusted | The server still uses its self-signed certificate | Install a free Let's Encrypt certificate and restart the services. For testing, trust the self-signed one in the app. |
| Authentication failed | Wrong password or the username is not the full email | Use the full email address as the username and your mailbox password. Confirm the account is active in iRedAdmin. |
| Connection timed out | A firewall or a Fail2ban block | Confirm 993 and 465 or 587 are open. If it began after several wrong passwords, Fail2ban banned your IP, so unban it on the server. |
| 550 relaying denied | Outgoing mail is not authenticating | Send on 587 or 465 with "outgoing server requires authentication" on. Port 25 is for server to server mail. |
| 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 iRedMail setups, beyond the error table above.
Certificate warning on a new server? That is the self-signed cert. A fresh iRedMail signs its own certificate, which clients distrust. Install a free Let's Encrypt certificate and restart Postfix, Dovecot and Nginx. To test first, trust the self-signed one in the app.
Everything times out after a few wrong passwords? Fail2ban banned you. iRedMail ships Fail2ban, which blocks your IP after repeated failed logins. Every port then times out. Wait for the ban to lift or remove your IP on the server with the fail2ban client.
Moving Mail to or from iRedMail?#
Pulling mail into iRedMail? Point a migration tool at both accounts over IMAP and copy the old mailbox into the new one. Your iRedMail host and mailbox password go on the destination side.
Want a desktop tool or leaving iRedMail? The Univik Email Migration Tool copies every folder over IMAP. Put your iRedMail host and password on one side and the other account on the other.
Leaving for Microsoft 365 or Google? The same tool reads your iRedMail mailbox folder by folder with the settings on this page and writes it into the new account.
Back up before any big change. Back up the mailbox first so a copy is safe whatever the move does.
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 iRedMail mailbox to your computer. Univik Email Backup saves everything as PST, MBOX, EML or PDF files you keep forever, a useful second copy next to your server backups.
- Download Univik Email Backup and run it on Windows.
- Select IMAP from the source list. iRedMail is not named, so IMAP is the option to pick.
- Sign in with your full email address and your app password. Your regular password won't work here either.
- If the tool asks for server details, use your iRedMail host with port
993and SSL from the IMAP table above, and your mailbox password. - Pick a saving format and folder, then start the backup. Large mailboxes download in the background.
Univik Tools That Use These Settings#
Most people arrive here mid migration or while archiving a mailbox. All 3 tools use the same IMAP settings from this page:
Email Backup
Download your complete iRedMail mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before moving servers or rebuilding a host.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from iRedMail 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 format your next app reads.
Email Converter Tool →Prefer to hand the whole migration to experts?
If ports and passwords feel like too much, you do not have to sort them yourself. 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).
App Password
A 16 character code that replaces your real password inside email apps. Safer because you can revoke 1 app without changing your main 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 has shipped email backup, migration and converter tools since 2013. Our tools sign in to self-hosted servers like iRedMail 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 iRedMail documentation, then a test sign in with a real mailbox password. We re verify after any iRedMail release and at least once a quarter.
Found something that no longer matches your iRedMail 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 iRedMail 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 mailbox password. The complete table is in the IMAP settings section.
On a new server the usual cause is the self-signed certificate, which apps distrust. Install Let's Encrypt or trust it once. If the password is refused, use the full email address as the username. Several wrong tries can also make Fail2ban ban your IP until it lifts.
IMAP for almost everyone, since it keeps your phone, computer and Roundcube webmail in step. If your iRedMail also runs SOGo, you can sync calendar and contacts too. POP suits one machine that keeps a local copy. Full comparison here.
It is the hostname you set when you installed iRedMail, usually mail.yourdomain.com. Run hostname -f on the server if you are unsure. That host handles both incoming and outgoing. It is also your Roundcube webmail address.
No. iRedMail has no separate app password. Your mailbox password, the same one you use for Roundcube, works in every mail app. Change it in Roundcube Settings or in iRedAdmin.
Yes. iRedMail installs Roundcube webmail at https://mail.yourdomain.com/mail/. Sign in with your email address and mailbox password. Admins manage accounts in iRedAdmin at /iredadmin/ on the same host.
Because iRedMail generates a self-signed certificate at install, which clients distrust. Install a free Let's Encrypt certificate on the server and restart Postfix, Dovecot and Nginx to clear the warning for good. For a lasting local archive, see how to back up your iRedMail mailbox.
Only if your iRedMail runs SOGo, which is an optional component. With SOGo installed you get calendar and contacts over CalDAV and CardDAV at /SOGo/dav/. A Roundcube only install handles mail, so you would add calendar and contacts through another tool.
An email migration tool moves a mailbox straight between the two accounts over IMAP. You need your iRedMail host and mailbox password, 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: iRedMail Settings at a Glance
- Host: your iRedMail server, 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
- Mailbox password everywhere, no app password
- Self-signed cert by default, add Let's Encrypt
- Roundcube webmail at /mail/, iRedAdmin at /iredadmin/
- Calendar and contacts if SOGo is installed