Email Settings GuideQuick answer: SoftBank email runs on My SoftBank. Every protocol connects to imap.softbank.jp. 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 My SoftBank lets you in. Your exact values also sit under your SoftBank mail settings in My SoftBank. Leaving SoftBank? Keep your address.
What Changed Recently#
A host changes how you sign in more often than it changes the server names. Here is the current status for SoftBank and what it means for your setup.
Worth knowing
Use the full i.softbank.jp address. SoftBank turns down a bare mailbox name. Put you@i.softbank.jp on both incoming and outgoing.
Worth knowing
Two addresses, one for apps. The i.softbank.jp address is the one a mail app wants. The softbank.ne.jp address is the phone message service, so it does not use these servers.
Worth knowing
The mail password is one SoftBank issues. It is a random string, read from the settings info in My SoftBank, not a word you pick.
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 My SoftBank and set its password. That password is the one your apps use.
Where: My SoftBank then your mail settings
2. Open your SoftBank mail settings
Click My SoftBank next to the address, then your SoftBank mail settings to read the server name and secure ports.
Where: Find your settings →
About SoftBank Mail#
SoftBank Mail is the email for a SoftBank line in Japan. The part that confuses people is that a SoftBank phone carries two mail addresses. Only one of them belongs in a desktop mail app.
The @i.softbank.jp address is E-mail (i), the internet mail. That is the one you set up over IMAP in Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird. The @softbank.ne.jp address is the phone message address, which rides on the handset. Incoming mail uses imap.softbank.jp on 993 and outgoing uses smtp.softbank.jp on 465.
| Service Name | SoftBank Mail, E-mail (i) |
| Run By | SoftBank, Japan |
| App Address | i.softbank.jp |
| Phone Address | softbank.ne.jp, not for IMAP |
| Incoming Server | imap.softbank.jp, port 993, SSL |
| Outgoing Server | smtp.softbank.jp, port 465, SSL |
| Username | Full i.softbank.jp address |
| Password | Issued by SoftBank, in My SoftBank |
| Settings Info | My SoftBank |
SoftBank Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:
Find Your Settings#
IMAP is ready the moment a mailbox exists, so nothing needs switching on. To read the exact values for one address, SoftBank lists them inside My SoftBank.
- Log in to My SoftBank from your SoftBank client area.
- Open your mail settings in the Email section.
- Click My SoftBank beside your address, then your SoftBank mail settings.
- Pick your app or read the manual settings for the server name and secure ports.
SoftBank IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming choice SoftBank 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 SoftBank mail settings in My SoftBank.
| IMAP Server | imap.softbank.jp | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @i.softbank.jp | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
SoftBank Mail Uses IMAP#
SoftBank sets up an i.softbank.jp address over IMAP. Its own guides point to imap.softbank.jp on 993 for incoming mail, which keeps your mail on the SoftBank server and shows the same inbox on every device. Enter that rather than a POP server.
SoftBank SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | smtp.softbank.jp | |
| 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. SoftBank also supports 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. Confirm outgoing authentication is on.
Check SoftBank IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check SoftBank IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses SoftBank 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 SoftBank webmail, which confirms your address and password work, then confirm an i.softbank.jp 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 SoftBank. 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 My SoftBank. A standard SoftBank mailbox uses no i.softbank.jp mail password.
Username is the full address
Type you@i.softbank.jp in full, with the part after the at sign. SoftBank 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 My SoftBank, not your SoftBank client area login. Reset it there if an app keeps refusing it.
The two factor prompt in the SoftBank client area guards billing, not the mailbox connection.
Set Up SoftBank 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.softbank.jpon 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, SoftBank address and password, then continue.
- Enter imap.softbank.jp 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.softbank.jp in both server boxes.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since SoftBank 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.softbank.jp on 993 over SSL.
- For outgoing use smtp.softbank.jp 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, SoftBank address and password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails, type imap.softbank.jp in yourself.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
SoftBank Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. The controls here shape how the mailbox acts on its own. They live in a mail app set up with the i.softbank.jp address over IMAP.
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 My SoftBank and give it start and end dates. The SoftBank server delivers it, so it fires even when your machine is off.
Filters and Folders
Create filters from the mail filters in My SoftBank. 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
SoftBank runs SpamAssassin on incoming mail. Set the threshold and block unwanted senders in My SoftBank. Flagged mail lands in the junk folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the SoftBank 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 |
SoftBank Mail at a Glance#
Every value for an i.softbank.jp address in one place:
| App address | i.softbank.jp, the E-mail (i) one |
| Incoming (IMAP) | imap.softbank.jp, port 993, SSL |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | smtp.softbank.jp, port 465, SSL |
| Outgoing alternative | Port 587 for roaming where 465 is blocked |
| Username | Full i.softbank.jp address |
| Password | Issued by SoftBank, from the settings info |
| Not for a mail app | softbank.ne.jp, the phone message address |
| Where to check | My SoftBank, settings info |
Troubleshooting SoftBank 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 My SoftBank, not the client area login. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Switch outgoing to 465 with SSL. SoftBank also accepts 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. |
| My softbank.ne.jp address will not set up over IMAP | That is the phone message address, not the mail one | Use the i.softbank.jp address in a mail app. The softbank.ne.jp address is the handset message service, so it does not connect to imap.softbank.jp. |
| I do not know my i.softbank.jp password | SoftBank issues a random one | Open My SoftBank and read the E-mail (i) settings info. It shows the address and the issued password. Copy that password into your app rather than guessing. |
| 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. |
| My i.softbank.jp mail stopped after I left SoftBank | Portability was not set up in time | The address needs Mail Address Portability, signed up within 31 days of cancelling. If the window has passed, the address cannot be recovered. If it is still open, apply in My SoftBank. |
| Some apps reject my kept address | The address breaks the RFC rules | An address with dots or symbols in odd spots can fail in some apps. SoftBank suggests changing the left side of the address before you cancel the line, while you can still edit it. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Copy from your SoftBank mail settings. When a manual setup will not connect, the your SoftBank mail settings page in My SoftBank 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.softbank.jp with the full address and mailbox password. If webmail works, the credentials are right and the issue sits in the app settings.
Keeping Your i.softbank.jp Address After You Leave #
You can keep a SoftBank mail address after you cancel the line. The service is called Mail Address Portability. For a monthly fee it lets an @i.softbank.jp or @softbank.ne.jp address carry on, even once you have moved to another carrier. The IMAP and SMTP settings stay the same.
The catch is the timing. You have 31 days from the day after you cancel to sign up, through My SoftBank or a shop. Miss the window and the address is gone. Between cancelling and signing up the mailbox does not send or receive, so do it promptly. Payment is by credit card only.
One thing to sort before you leave. If your address breaks the RFC rules, with dots or symbols in odd places, some apps refuse it, so SoftBank suggests changing the left side of the address while you are still a customer. The fee runs about 330 yen a month per address. After signup the mail works over imap.softbank.jp as before, with the password still shown in My SoftBank.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| What carries | The @i.softbank.jp or @softbank.ne.jp address |
| Deadline | Within 31 days of cancelling the line |
| Fee | About 330 yen a month per address, credit card only |
| Where to apply | My SoftBank or a SoftBank shop |
| Servers after | imap.softbank.jp and smtp.softbank.jp, unchanged |
| Before you leave | Change an RFC-breaking address first |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
SoftBank mail speaks plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any My SoftBank. 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 SoftBank 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 SoftBank 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 SoftBank 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.softbank.jp on port 993 with SSL for SoftBank. 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 SoftBank mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from SoftBank 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 SoftBank server, so every device shows the same inbox. Use imap.softbank.jp on port 993 with SSL.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail through smtp.softbank.jp on port 465 with SSL. Port 587 covers roaming where 465 is blocked.
SSL/TLS
Encryption for the connection. SoftBank Mail uses it on both servers, port 993 for incoming and port 465 for outgoing.
imap.softbank.jp
The incoming server for an i.softbank.jp address. Set it on port 993 with SSL to read your SoftBank inbox.
smtp.softbank.jp
The outgoing server for an i.softbank.jp address. Set it on port 465 with SSL to send from your SoftBank address.
i.softbank.jp
Your internet mail address, called E-mail (i). This is the one you enter in Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird.
softbank.ne.jp
The phone message address, the MMS style one. It rides on the handset rather than an IMAP mail app, so it is not the address you set up here.
E-mail (i)
SoftBank's name for the i.softbank.jp service. It is the internet mail that works across phones and computers over IMAP.
My SoftBank
The SoftBank account site at my.softbank.jp. It holds your mail settings info, where you check the address and password.
Mail Password
The password for the i.softbank.jp mailbox. SoftBank issues a random one, which you read from the settings info in My SoftBank.
Settings Info
The screen in My SoftBank that shows your E-mail (i) address and password to copy into an app.
Full Email Address
Your username for the server is the whole i.softbank.jp address, not the part before the at sign.
Mail Address Portability
SoftBank's service for keeping a mail address after the line ends. For a monthly fee the i.softbank.jp address carries on.
The 31-Day Window
The time to sign up after cancelling, counted from the next day. Past it, the address cannot be kept.
RFC-Breaking Address
An address with characters that break email standards. Some apps reject it, so change it before you leave SoftBank.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to SoftBank 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 SoftBank 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 SoftBank 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
For incoming mail use imap.softbank.jp on port 993 with SSL. For outgoing use smtp.softbank.jp on port 465 with SSL. The username is your full i.softbank.jp address. The password comes from the settings info in My SoftBank.
SoftBank issues a random password for the mailbox, so the one you remember can be out of date. Open My SoftBank, read the E-mail (i) settings info, then copy that password into the app. The username is the whole i.softbank.jp address.
The i.softbank.jp one. That is E-mail (i), the internet mail that runs over IMAP. The softbank.ne.jp address is the phone message service, so it does not set up against imap.softbank.jp.
Yes. The server names and ports are identical everywhere. You enter imap.softbank.jp for incoming and smtp.softbank.jp for outgoing. Only the menu wording differs between apps.
The i.softbank.jp address is E-mail (i), the internet mail you read on any device over IMAP. The softbank.ne.jp address is the phone message service that rides on the handset. A mail app uses the i.softbank.jp one.
Yes. SoftBank Mail supports IMAP and SMTP over encrypted connections, which is what these apps use. Keep SSL on for incoming and use port 465 for outgoing. Port 587 covers roaming where 465 is blocked.
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. IMAP leaves the originals on the SoftBank server while you copy.
The usual cause is a re-issued password, which turns the old one off. Read the current password from the settings info in My SoftBank and paste it back. Check too that SSL is on and the address is the full i.softbank.jp one.
In My SoftBank, under the E-mail (i) settings info. SoftBank issues the password rather than letting you choose it, so you read it there and copy it into the app. The same screen shows your i.softbank.jp address.
Yes, through SoftBank's Mail Address Portability. For about 330 yen a month you keep the @i.softbank.jp or @softbank.ne.jp address after cancelling the line. You have to sign up in My SoftBank within 31 days of cancelling. Payment is by credit card. The servers stay imap.softbank.jp and smtp.softbank.jp. If your address breaks RFC rules, change it before you leave, since some apps will not accept it. The section above has the detail.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: SoftBank Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: imap.softbank.jp, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: imap.softbank.jp, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: smtp.softbank.jp, port 465 or 587
- Username is always your full email address
- SoftBank mailbox on the SoftBank servers
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address