Email Settings GuideQuick answer: @nifty email runs on @nifty. Every protocol connects to imap.nifty.com. 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 @nifty lets you in. Your exact values also sit under IPv6 Servers in @nifty. On another provider's line, send on port 587.
What Changed Recently#
A host changes how you sign in more often than it changes the server names. Here is the current status for @nifty and what it means for your setup.
Worth knowing
IPv6 lines use v6 servers. An IPv6 line reads on pop.v6.nifty.com and sends on smtp.v6.nifty.com. A standard line uses the plain hosts instead.
Worth knowing
IMAP is standard-line only. IMAP runs on imap.nifty.com on a standard line. An IPv6 line does not offer IMAP, so it reads over POP.
Worth knowing
Sign in with your @nifty ID. The username is your @nifty ID, such as abc12345, with your mail password. Turn on outgoing authentication as well.
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 @nifty and set its password. That password is the one your apps use.
Where: @nifty then your mail settings
2. Open the IPv6 servers
Click IPv4 or IPv6 next to the address, then the IPv6 servers to read the server name and secure ports.
Where: IPv6 Servers
About @nifty Mail#
@nifty is one of the oldest and largest internet providers in Japan. A personal address ends in nifty.com and reads in Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird. Which mail server you need depends on whether your line is a standard one or an IPv6 one.
A standard line reads over IMAP on imap.nifty.com or POP on pop.nifty.com. It sends on smtp.nifty.com. An IPv6 line reads on pop.v6.nifty.com and sends on smtp.v6.nifty.com, with IMAP not offered. The username is your @nifty ID with your mail password in every case.
| Protocol | Standard server | Port |
|---|---|---|
| IMAP | imap.nifty.com | 993 SSL |
| POP | pop.nifty.com | 995 SSL |
| SMTP | smtp.nifty.com | 465 SSL |
@nifty Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:
IPv6 Lines Use Different Servers#
@nifty runs two sets of mail servers. The one you need depends on your connection. A standard line reads and sends on the plain hosts. An IPv6 line uses hosts with v6 in the name. It does not offer IMAP, so an IPv6 line reads over POP.
| Your line | Incoming | Outgoing |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | imap.nifty.com or pop.nifty.com | smtp.nifty.com |
| IPv6 | pop.v6.nifty.com, POP only | smtp.v6.nifty.com |
@nifty IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming choice @nifty 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 the IPv6 servers in @nifty.
| IMAP Server | imap.nifty.com | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @nifty.com | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
@nifty 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 | pop.nifty.com | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
@nifty SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | smtp.nifty.com | |
| 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. @nifty also supports 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. Confirm outgoing authentication is on.
Check @nifty IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check @nifty IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses @nifty 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 @nifty webmail, which confirms your address and password work, then confirm an mail password exists. If both pass, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers @nifty. 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 @nifty. A standard @nifty mailbox uses no mail password.
Username is the full address
Type you@nifty.com in full, with the part after the at sign. @nifty 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 @nifty, not your @nifty client area login. Reset it there if an app keeps refusing it.
The two factor prompt in the @nifty client area guards billing, not the mailbox connection.
Set Up @nifty 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
imap.nifty.comon 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, @nifty address and password, then continue.
- Enter imap.nifty.com 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 imap.nifty.com in both server boxes.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since @nifty 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 imap.nifty.com on 993 over SSL.
- For outgoing use smtp.nifty.com 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, @nifty address and password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails, type imap.nifty.com in yourself.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
@nifty Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. The controls here shape how the mailbox acts on its own. They live in @nifty webmail at mail.nifty.com, opened 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 @nifty and give it start and end dates. The @nifty server delivers it, so it fires even when your machine is off.
Filters and Folders
Create filters from the @nifty webmail filters in @nifty. 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
@nifty runs SpamAssassin on incoming mail. Set the threshold and block unwanted senders in @nifty. Flagged mail lands in the junk folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the @nifty 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 |
@nifty Mail at a Glance#
Every value in one place. Pick the row that matches your line. Keep SSL on:
| IMAP, standard line | imap.nifty.com, 993, SSL |
| POP, standard line | pop.nifty.com, 995, SSL |
| SMTP, standard line | smtp.nifty.com, 465, SSL |
| POP, IPv6 line | pop.v6.nifty.com, 995, SSL |
| SMTP, IPv6 line | smtp.v6.nifty.com, 465, SSL |
| Username | Your @nifty ID with your mail password |
Troubleshooting @nifty 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 @nifty, not the client area login. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Switch outgoing to 465 with SSL. @nifty also accepts 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. |
| Mail stopped after an IPv6 change | Line moved to the v6 servers | An IPv6 line uses different hosts. Set incoming to pop.v6.nifty.com on 995 and outgoing to smtp.v6.nifty.com on 465, both with SSL. |
| IMAP will not connect | IPv6 line has no IMAP | IMAP runs only on a standard line, on imap.nifty.com. On an IPv6 line read over POP on pop.v6.nifty.com on 995 with SSL instead. |
| 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. |
| Cannot send on another provider's line | Port 25 blocked by that ISP | Change the outgoing port from 25 to the submission port 587 on smtp.nifty.com, with authentication on. @nifty keeps 587 open so sending works on any line. |
| Outgoing server shows mb.infoweb.ne.jp | Old host has no submission port | The old mb.infoweb.ne.jp outgoing server does not answer on 587. Change the outgoing server to smtp.nifty.com, then set the port to 587 with authentication on. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Copy from the IPv6 servers. When a manual setup will not connect, the the IPv6 servers page in @nifty 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 webimap.nifty.com with the full address and mailbox password. If webmail works, the credentials are right and the issue sits in the app settings.
Sending @nifty Mail on Another Line#
Reading @nifty mail from any connection works, but sending can stall when you are on another provider's line. Most providers block outbound port 25 to stop spam, a measure called Outbound Port 25 Blocking. With the send port left at 25, smtp.nifty.com then cannot send.
@nifty keeps the submission port 587 open for exactly this case. In the account settings, change the outgoing port from 25 to 587 and keep authentication on, so the message goes out through smtp.nifty.com whichever line you are on. One more thing to watch: if the outgoing server still reads mb.infoweb.ne.jp, that old host does not answer on 587, so switch the outgoing server to smtp.nifty.com as well.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Outgoing server | smtp.nifty.com |
| Port on another line | 587, the submission port |
| Authentication | On, with your @nifty ID |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
@nifty mail speaks plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any @nifty 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 @nifty 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 @nifty 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 @nifty 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 imap.nifty.com on port 993 with SSL for @nifty. 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 @nifty mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from @nifty 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. Keeps mail on the server so every device stays in sync. On a standard line use imap.nifty.com on 993 with SSL. IPv6 lines do not offer IMAP.
POP
Post Office Protocol. Downloads mail to one device. A standard line uses pop.nifty.com and an IPv6 line uses pop.v6.nifty.com, both on 995 with SSL.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail. A standard line uses smtp.nifty.com and an IPv6 line uses smtp.v6.nifty.com, both on 465 with SSL.
IPv4 Line
The standard @nifty connection. It uses imap.nifty.com, pop.nifty.com and smtp.nifty.com, so IMAP is available on it.
IPv6 Line
An @nifty connection over IPv6. It uses pop.v6.nifty.com and smtp.v6.nifty.com, with the extra v6 in the host. It does not offer IMAP.
v6 in the Host
The mark of an IPv6 mail server. If sending or receiving stopped after an IPv6 change, put v6 into the host, as in pop.v6.nifty.com.
@nifty ID
Your @nifty login name, such as abc12345. It is the username for incoming and outgoing mail, paired with your mail password.
Mail Password
The password for mail, set in your @nifty account. It is separate from other @nifty sign-ins, so reset it from the @nifty account pages if unsure.
SSL
The encryption @nifty needs. Turn SSL on, then set 993 for IMAP, 995 for POP and 465 for SMTP, so each connection stays private.
SMTP Authentication
The outgoing setting that signs you in. Tick it and reuse your @nifty ID and mail password, so @nifty accepts the message you send.
@nifty Webmail
The browser view at mail.nifty.com, where you read mail, sort it into folders and manage filters without a client.
@nifty
One of the oldest and largest internet providers in Japan. Personal addresses end in nifty.com, with older infoweb.ne.jp addresses folded in.
Outbound Port 25 Blocking
A spam measure most providers apply, often shortened to OP25B. It blocks outgoing port 25, so sending @nifty mail on their line needs the submission port instead.
Submission Port 587
The outgoing port @nifty keeps open for sending on another provider's line. Set the SMTP port to 587 with authentication on, in place of port 25.
Another Provider's Line
Any connection that is not an @nifty one. Reading works, but for sending, switch the outgoing port to 587 so OP25B on that line does not stop it.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to @nifty 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 @nifty 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 @nifty 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
On a standard line read over IMAP on imap.nifty.com on 993 or POP on pop.nifty.com on 995. Send on smtp.nifty.com on 465, all with SSL. The username is your @nifty ID with your mail password.
An IPv6 line uses different mail servers. Set incoming to pop.v6.nifty.com on 995 and outgoing to smtp.v6.nifty.com on 465, both with SSL, with the extra v6 in each host.
No. IMAP runs only on a standard line, on imap.nifty.com. An IPv6 line reads over POP on pop.v6.nifty.com on 995 with SSL, so IMAP is not available there.
If mail worked and then stopped after an IPv6 service change, you are on an IPv6 line and need the v6 hosts. If the plain hosts still work, your line is a standard one.
Send on smtp.nifty.com on 465 with SSL on a standard line. An IPv6 line sends on smtp.v6.nifty.com instead. Turn on the setting that says the outgoing server requires authentication.
Your @nifty ID, such as abc12345, with your mail password. The same pair works for incoming and outgoing mail, so set outgoing authentication to reuse it.
The mail password is set in your @nifty account, separate from other sign-ins. If you are unsure of it, reset the mail password from the @nifty account pages.
Older @infoweb.ne.jp and @mb.infoweb.ne.jp addresses move to @nifty.com. Change the address in the client to @nifty.com, then turn off the old infoweb account so it stops syncing.
Open mail.nifty.com and sign in with your @nifty ID and mail password. The webmail reads the full mailbox, so you can sort mail into folders and set filters without a client.
Most providers block outgoing port 25 to cut spam, so smtp.nifty.com cannot send when the port is left at 25. @nifty keeps the submission port 587 open for this. Change the outgoing port to 587 with authentication on. If the server still shows mb.infoweb.ne.jp, switch it to smtp.nifty.com.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: @nifty Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: imap.nifty.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: imap.nifty.com, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: smtp.nifty.com, port 465 or 587
- Username is always your full email address
- @nifty mailbox on the @nifty servers
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address