Email Settings GuideQuick answer: Telkom email runs on Telkom Webmail. Every protocol connects to imap.telkomsa.net. 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 Telkom Webmail lets you in. Your exact values also sit under your Telkom mail settings in Telkom Webmail. Forgot your password? Three ways back in.
What Changed Recently#
A host changes how you sign in more often than it changes the server names. Here is the current status for Telkom and what it means for your setup.
Worth knowing
Use the full telkomsa.net address. Telkom turns down a bare mailbox name. Put you@telkomsa.net on both incoming and outgoing.
Worth knowing
Incoming and outgoing use different servers. Read from imap.telkomsa.net or pop.telkomsa.net. Send through smtp.telkomsa.net.
Worth knowing
Sending needs a sign-in. Turn on outgoing authentication on smtp.telkomsa.net. Without it a message is refused with a 554 relay access denied error.
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 Telkom Webmail and set its password. That password is the one your apps use.
Where: Telkom Webmail then your mail settings
2. Open your Telkom mail settings
Click Telkom Webmail next to the address, then your Telkom mail settings to read the server name and secure ports.
Where: Find your settings →
About Telkom Email#
Telkom is one of South Africa's largest providers. A Telkom internet account comes with a free telkomsa.net address. The mail runs on Zimbra, reached in a browser at webmail.telkomsa.net or in any mail app.
Incoming mail uses imap.telkomsa.net on 993. For POP use pop.telkomsa.net on 995. Outgoing uses smtp.telkomsa.net on 587. The point that trips people up is the outgoing side. The server needs a sign-in with your address and password, so without it a message is refused with a 554 relay access denied error.
| Service Name | Telkom Mail, on Zimbra |
| Run By | Telkom, South Africa |
| Address Domain | telkomsa.net |
| Incoming Server | imap.telkomsa.net 993 (POP pop.telkomsa.net 995) |
| Outgoing Server | smtp.telkomsa.net, port 587 |
| Outgoing sign-in | Required, same address and password |
| Username | Full telkomsa.net address |
| Webmail | webmail.telkomsa.net |
Telkom 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, Telkom lists them inside Telkom Webmail.
- Log in to Telkom Webmail from your Telkom client area.
- Open your mail settings in the Email section.
- Click Telkom Webmail beside your address, then your Telkom mail settings.
- Pick your app or read the manual settings for the server name and secure ports.
Telkom IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming choice Telkom 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 Telkom mail settings in Telkom Webmail.
| IMAP Server | imap.telkomsa.net | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @telkomsa.net | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
Telkom 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.telkomsa.net | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
Telkom SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | smtp.telkomsa.net | |
| 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. Telkom also supports 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. Confirm outgoing authentication is on.
Check Telkom IMAP Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check Telkom IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses Telkom 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 Telkom webmail, which confirms your address and password work, then confirm an telkomsa.net email password exists. If both pass, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers Telkom. 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 Telkom Webmail. A standard Telkom mailbox uses no telkomsa.net email password.
Username is the full address
Type you@telkomsa.net in full, with the part after the at sign. Telkom 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 Telkom Webmail, not your Telkom client area login. Reset it there if an app keeps refusing it.
The two factor prompt in the Telkom client area guards billing, not the mailbox connection.
Set Up Telkom 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.telkomsa.neton 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, Telkom address and password, then continue.
- Enter imap.telkomsa.net 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.telkomsa.net in both server boxes.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since Telkom 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.telkomsa.net on 993 over SSL.
- For outgoing use smtp.telkomsa.net 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, Telkom address and password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails, type imap.telkomsa.net in yourself.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
Telkom Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. The controls here shape how the mailbox acts on its own. They live in Telkom Webmail, the Zimbra view at webmail.telkomsa.net.
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 Telkom Webmail and give it start and end dates. The Telkom server delivers it, so it fires even when your machine is off.
Filters and Folders
Create filters from the Telkom webmail filters in Telkom Webmail. 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
Telkom runs SpamAssassin on incoming mail. Set the threshold and block unwanted senders in Telkom Webmail. Flagged mail lands in the junk folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the Telkom 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 |
Telkom Email at a Glance#
Every value for a telkomsa.net address in one place. The outgoing sign-in is the part to get right:
| Incoming (IMAP) | imap.telkomsa.net, port 993, SSL |
| Incoming (POP3) | pop.telkomsa.net, port 995, SSL |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | smtp.telkomsa.net, port 587, STARTTLS |
| Outgoing alternative | Port 465 with SSL where 587 is blocked |
| Outgoing sign-in | Required, same address and password |
| Username | Full telkomsa.net address |
| Webmail | webmail.telkomsa.net |
Troubleshooting Telkom 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 Telkom Webmail, not the client area login. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Switch outgoing to 465 with SSL. Telkom also accepts 587 and 26 if 465 is blocked. |
| 554 relay access denied when sending | The outgoing server is not signed in | Set the outgoing server to smtp.telkomsa.net and turn on the option that it requires authentication, using your address and password. That sign-in is what clears the 554 error. |
| Sending works at home but not elsewhere | An old line relay was set as the outgoing server | A relay such as smtp.saix.net or smtp.dsl.telkomsa.net sends only on a Telkom line. Switch the outgoing server to smtp.telkomsa.net with a sign-in, so it works on any connection. |
| 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. |
| I forgot my telkomsa.net password | There are three ways to get it back | Text the word Password to 0123210215 for your current password by SMS. Or use the online forgot-password page for a one-time PIN. Or call Telkom on 10210. |
| The SMS password does not work in my app | The retrieved password has trailing spaces or a typo | Copy the password exactly as the SMS shows it, with no extra spaces. If it still fails, use the online forgot-password page to set a fresh one, then enter that. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Copy from your Telkom mail settings. When a manual setup will not connect, the your Telkom mail settings page in Telkom Webmail 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.telkomsa.net with the full address and mailbox password. If webmail works, the credentials are right and the issue sits in the app settings.
Getting Back Into Your Telkom Mailbox #
Telkom has an unusual way to get your mailbox password back. You send the word Password in a text message to 0123210215. Telkom then texts your telkomsa.net password straight back to you. It sends the current password rather than a reset link, so you are back in without setting a new one.
There is also an online route. On the Telkom webmail forgot-password page you enter your username and receive a one-time PIN. That PIN lets you set a new password on screen. Use this one when you would rather change the password than keep the old one.
If neither works, Telkom's support line is 10210, free from a Telkom landline or mobile. It helps to sort the password before you touch the mail app, since a wrong password is the most common reason both reading and sending fail. Once the password is right, the server settings do the rest.
| Route | What to do |
|---|---|
| Text your password | Send the word Password to 0123210215 |
| What you get | Your current telkomsa.net password by SMS |
| Online reset | The forgot-password page with a one-time PIN |
| Phone | Call 10210, free from a Telkom line |
| Support email | support@telkomsa.net |
| After | Use the password in the app or at webmail.telkomsa.net |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
Telkom mail speaks plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any Telkom 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 Telkom 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 Telkom 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 Telkom 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.telkomsa.net on port 993 with SSL for Telkom. 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 Telkom mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from Telkom 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 Telkom server, so every device shows the same inbox. Use imap.telkomsa.net on port 993 with SSL.
POP3
Post Office Protocol version 3. Downloads mail to one device and can clear the server. Use pop.telkomsa.net on port 995 with SSL if you prefer POP.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail through smtp.telkomsa.net on port 587 with STARTTLS. It needs a sign-in with your address and password.
SSL and STARTTLS
Two ways to encrypt the link. SSL is on from the first byte, on 993 and 995. STARTTLS upgrades a plain link, on 587 for outgoing mail.
imap.telkomsa.net
The incoming server for a Telkom address. Set it on port 993 with SSL to read your telkomsa.net inbox.
smtp.telkomsa.net
The outgoing server for a Telkom address. Set it on port 587 with a sign-in so it sends from any connection, not only a Telkom line.
SMTP Authentication
The sign-in on the outgoing server. Telkom needs it to send, so without it the server refuses the message.
Relay Access Denied
The 554 error you see when the outgoing server rejects a message. It points to a missing sign-in or an off-network line relay.
SAIX Relay
The older line relays such as smtp.saix.net and smtp.dsl.telkomsa.net. They send only while you are on a Telkom connection.
Telkom Webmail
The browser view of your mail at webmail.telkomsa.net, built on Zimbra. Handy for a quick check or when an app will not connect.
Full Email Address
Your username for the servers is the whole telkomsa.net address. The same value works for incoming and outgoing.
telkomsa.net
The Telkom mail domain. A Telkom internet account comes with a free address like you@telkomsa.net.
Password by SMS
Telkom's text-back service. Send the word Password to 0123210215 and it returns your telkomsa.net password.
One-Time PIN
A short code the forgot-password page sends you. It lets you set a new telkomsa.net password on screen.
10210
Telkom's technical support line. It is free from a Telkom landline or mobile and can reset a mailbox password.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to Telkom 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 Telkom 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 Telkom 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.telkomsa.net on port 993 with SSL. For POP use pop.telkomsa.net on 995. For outgoing use smtp.telkomsa.net on port 587 and turn on the sign-in. The username is your full telkomsa.net address.
The outgoing server is not signed in. Set the outgoing server to smtp.telkomsa.net and turn on the option that it requires authentication, with your address and password. A missing sign-in is what causes the 554 relay access denied error.
IMAP suits most people. It keeps mail on the Telkom server, so every device shows the same inbox, on imap.telkomsa.net over 993. POP3 on pop.telkomsa.net downloads to one device and can clear the server.
Yes. The server names and ports are identical everywhere. You enter imap.telkomsa.net for incoming and smtp.telkomsa.net for outgoing. Only the menu wording differs between apps.
The outgoing server is set to an old line relay such as smtp.saix.net or smtp.dsl.telkomsa.net. Those send only while you are on a Telkom line. Switch to smtp.telkomsa.net with a sign-in, so it sends from any connection.
Yes. Telkom supports IMAP, POP3 and SMTP over encrypted connections, which is what these apps use. Keep SSL on for incoming and use STARTTLS on 587 for outgoing. Port 465 with SSL is the outgoing alternative.
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. POP3 with a copy left on the server pulls everything down too.
A security update on the device often resets the outgoing server to a plain path. Point it back at smtp.telkomsa.net on 587 and turn the sign-in on. The 554 relay access denied error then clears. Incoming on imap.telkomsa.net is unchanged.
At webmail.telkomsa.net, the Zimbra view of your mail. Sign in with your full address and password to check mail in a browser. It is a quick way to confirm a password before fixing an app.
Three ways. Text the word Password to 0123210215 and Telkom sends your current telkomsa.net password back by SMS. Or open the webmail forgot-password page, enter your username and use the one-time PIN to set a new one. Or call Telkom support on 10210, which is free from a Telkom line. Once the password is right, your imap.telkomsa.net and smtp.telkomsa.net settings work as normal. The section above has the detail.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: Telkom Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: imap.telkomsa.net, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: pop.telkomsa.net, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: smtp.telkomsa.net, port 465 or 587
- Username is always your full email address
- Telkom mailbox on the Telkom servers
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address