Email Settings GuideQuick answer: Sohu email runs on Sohu. Every protocol connects to imap.sohu.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 Sohu lets you in. Your exact values also sit under Independent Password in Sohu. On home or mobile networks, turn the IP whitelist off.
What Changed Recently#
A host changes how you sign in more often than it changes the server names. Here is the current status for Sohu and what it means for your setup.
Worth knowing
A client needs an independent password. Sohu will not take your login password in a client. Make an independent password in webmail and paste that instead.
Worth knowing
Turn the service on first. The IMAP and POP3 service is off by default. Switch it on under the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab before a client can connect.
Worth knowing
Free and VIP share the servers. A sohu.com address and a vip.sohu.com address read on imap.sohu.com and send on smtp.sohu.com, set up the same way.
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 Sohu and set its password. That password is the one your apps use.
Where: Sohu then your mail settings
2. Open turning the service on
Click the independent password next to the address, then turning the service on to read the server name and secure ports.
Where: Independent Password
About Sohu Mail#
Sohu Mail is one of the oldest web mail services in China, launched in 1998 alongside Sina and NetEase. A personal address ends in sohu.com and reads in Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird over IMAP or POP3, once you turn the service on in webmail.
Read on imap.sohu.com and send on smtp.sohu.com. The username is your full Sohu address. The password is an independent password you make in webmail, not your login password. Free sohu.com and paid vip.sohu.com use the very same servers.
| Protocol | Server | Port |
|---|---|---|
| IMAP | imap.sohu.com | 993 SSL |
| POP3 | pop3.sohu.com | 995 SSL |
| SMTP | smtp.sohu.com | 465 SSL |
Sohu Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:
Turn the Service On and Use an Independent Password#
Sohu will not take your login password in a mail client. Two steps come first. Sign in to Sohu webmail, open the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab and turn the service on. Then verify by text to make an independent password, which is Sohu’s name for an authorisation code. Use that independent password in the client, never the login password.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | In Sohu webmail, open Options then Settings, then the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab |
| 2 | Turn the IMAP and SMTP service on |
| 3 | Verify by text, then copy the independent password Sohu shows |
| 4 | Paste it into the client password field, in place of your login password |
Sohu IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming choice Sohu 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 turning the service on in Sohu.
| IMAP Server | imap.sohu.com | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @sohu.com | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
Sohu 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 | pop3.sohu.com | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
Sohu SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | smtp.sohu.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. Sohu also supports 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. Confirm outgoing authentication is on.
Check Sohu IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check Sohu IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses Sohu 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 Sohu webmail, which confirms your address and password work, then confirm an independent password exists. If both pass, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers Sohu. 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 Sohu. A standard Sohu mailbox uses no independent password.
Username is the full address
Type you@sohu.com in full, with the part after the at sign. Sohu 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 Sohu, not your Sohu client area login. Reset it there if an app keeps refusing it.
The two factor prompt in the Sohu client area guards billing, not the mailbox connection.
Set Up Sohu 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.sohu.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, Sohu address and password, then continue.
- Enter imap.sohu.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.sohu.com in both server boxes.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since Sohu 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.sohu.com on 993 over SSL.
- For outgoing use smtp.sohu.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, Sohu address and password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails, type imap.sohu.com in yourself.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
Sohu Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. The controls here shape how the mailbox acts on its own. They live in Sohu webmail at mail.sohu.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 Sohu and give it start and end dates. The Sohu server delivers it, so it fires even when your machine is off.
Filters and Folders
Create filters from the Sohu webmail filters in Sohu. 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
Sohu runs SpamAssassin on incoming mail. Set the threshold and block unwanted senders in Sohu. Flagged mail lands in the junk folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the Sohu 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 |
Sohu Mail at a Glance#
Every value in one place. Turn the service on first, then keep SSL on:
| IMAP | imap.sohu.com, 993, SSL |
| POP3 | pop3.sohu.com, 995, SSL |
| SMTP | smtp.sohu.com, 465, SSL, authentication on |
| Password | An independent password, not your login password |
| Enable the service | In webmail, under the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab |
| Username | Your full sohu.com address |
| Free and VIP | sohu.com and vip.sohu.com share the servers |
Troubleshooting Sohu 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 Sohu, not the client area login. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Switch outgoing to 465 with SSL. Sohu also accepts 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. |
| Sign-in fails with error 535 | Login password used in the client | Sohu will not take the login password in a client. Make an independent password under the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab in webmail and paste that instead. |
| Client will not connect at all | Service still switched off | The IMAP and POP3 service is off by default. Sign in to Sohu webmail, open the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab and turn the service on, then add the account. |
| 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. |
| Client drops every few days | IP whitelist on with a changing address | Home and mobile networks reassign the address often, so a whitelist locks the client out. Open the POP3, SMTP and IMAP page and turn the IP whitelist off. |
| Whitelist on but still want it | Address not on the list | Keep the whitelist on only behind a fixed company line. List the address range that reaches the mailbox. Turn the whitelist off if the address moves. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Copy from turning the service on. When a manual setup will not connect, the turning the service on page in Sohu 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.sohu.com with the full address and mailbox password. If webmail works, the credentials are right and the issue sits in the app settings.
Turn the IP Whitelist Off#
The Sohu POP3, SMTP and IMAP page carries an IP whitelist. With it on, only the addresses you list can reach the mailbox in a client. Home broadband and mobile networks hand out a new address every so often, so the moment your address shifts the client stops connecting. For most people the fix is to leave the whitelist off.
Off is the default, so the usual advice is to keep it that way. Access then rests on the independent password rather than a list of addresses. Keep the whitelist on only when you sit behind a fixed public address, such as a company line, where you are comfortable listing the address range. On home broadband, mobile data or public Wi-Fi the address moves too often for a list to hold.
| Your network | Whitelist |
|---|---|
| Home broadband | Off, the address changes often |
| Mobile data or public Wi-Fi | Off, the address moves |
| Fixed company line | On is workable, list the range |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
Sohu mail speaks plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any Sohu 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 Sohu 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 Sohu 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 Sohu 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.sohu.com on port 993 with SSL for Sohu. 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 Sohu mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from Sohu 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. Read on imap.sohu.com on 993 with SSL.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail. Send on smtp.sohu.com on 465 with SSL, with authentication on.
POP3
Post Office Protocol. Downloads mail to one device. Read on pop3.sohu.com on 995 with SSL if you want a single-device copy rather than sync.
Independent Password
The password Sohu makes for a mail client. It is not your login password. Turn the service on, verify by text, then Sohu shows the independent password once.
Authorization Code
Another name for the independent password. Tencent, NetEase and Sina call theirs an authorization code, while Sohu calls the same thing an independent password.
Enable the Service
A switch in Sohu webmail. The IMAP and POP3 service is off until you turn it on under the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab, so a client cannot connect before you do.
imap.sohu.com
The Sohu incoming host for IMAP. Use it on 993 with SSL. Free sohu.com and paid vip.sohu.com share the same servers.
IP Whitelist
A Sohu setting that limits access to listed addresses. Most people leave it off, so a changing home or mobile address does not lock the client out.
Full Email Address
Your username is the whole address, such as you@sohu.com. Type it in full on the incoming and the outgoing server.
SSL
The encryption Sohu needs. Turn SSL on, then set 993 for IMAP, 995 for POP3 and 465 for SMTP, so every connection stays private.
Sohu Webmail
The browser view at mail.sohu.com, where you read mail, turn the service on and make an independent password.
Sohu
One of the oldest web mail services in China, from 1998. Personal addresses end in sohu.com, read in a client over IMAP or POP3 once the service is on.
Dynamic Address
A network address that changes on its own. Home broadband and mobile data hand out a new one often, which is why a Sohu IP whitelist locks the client out on those networks.
Whitelist Off
The default state most people keep. Access rests on the independent password, so a changing address does not stop the client from connecting.
Fixed Line Address
A steady public address, such as a company line. Only here does keeping the IP whitelist on make sense, since the address stays put and can be listed.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to Sohu 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 Sohu 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 Sohu 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
Read over IMAP on imap.sohu.com on 993 with SSL. POP3 is on pop3.sohu.com on 995 with SSL. Send on smtp.sohu.com on 465 with SSL. The username is your full sohu.com address and the password is an independent password.
A mail client will not take your Sohu login password. That is what the 535 error means. Turn the service on in webmail, make an independent password under the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab, then paste that password into the client.
Yes. The IMAP and POP3 service is off by default. Sign in to Sohu webmail, open Options then Settings, go to the POP3, SMTP and IMAP tab and switch the service on before a client can connect.
It is the password Sohu makes for a mail client, shown once after you verify by text. Tencent, NetEase and Sina call the same thing an authorisation code. Copy it straight away, since a lost one has to be made again.
Send on smtp.sohu.com on 465 with SSL. Turn on the setting that says the outgoing server requires authentication, then sign in with your full sohu.com address and your independent password.
Your full email address, such as you@sohu.com or you@vip.sohu.com. Type the whole address on both the incoming and the outgoing server.
No. A free sohu.com address and a paid vip.sohu.com address read on imap.sohu.com and send on smtp.sohu.com. The setup is the same, so only the storage and support differ.
Open mail.sohu.com and sign in with your address and login password. The webmail reads the full mailbox, so you can turn the service on, make an independent password and set filters.
Over IMAP, yes. Mail stays on the Sohu server, so a phone and a computer read the same inbox. A message you read or file on one device shows the same on the other.
For most people, no. On home broadband, mobile data or public Wi-Fi the address changes often, so a whitelist keeps locking the client out. Leave it off, which is the default. Let the independent password guard the account. Keep it on only behind a fixed company line where you can list the address range.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: Sohu Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: imap.sohu.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: imap.sohu.com, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: smtp.sohu.com, port 465 or 587
- Username is always your full email address
- Sohu mailbox on the Sohu servers
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address