Email Settings GuideQuick answer: Zen Internet runs one mail host for everything, mailhost.zen.co.uk. IMAP is on 993, POP3 on 995 and SMTP on 587, each secured with SSL. Sign in with your full Zen address and your Zen email password. There is no app password. Got a myzen.co.uk address? Same settings.
What Changed Recently#
Zen keeps one mail host for every protocol. Here is the current status and what a Zen address needs today.
Worth knowing
One host does everything. Incoming and outgoing both use mailhost.zen.co.uk. Only the port changes with the job.
Worth knowing
Keep SSL on. IMAP is 993 and POP3 is 995 for incoming. Sending is 587, all over SSL.
Worth knowing
Your regular email password signs you in. Zen uses no app password, so the password that opens webmail is the one your apps use.
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
Incoming and outgoing both point at mailhost.zen.co.uk. The ports are 993 for IMAP, 995 for POP3 and 587 for sending.
Where: Any email app
2. Know your Zen password
The login is your full Zen address. The password is your Zen email password.
Where: Find your settings →
About Zen Internet#
Zen Internet is an independent broadband provider in the UK, based in Rochdale. Its email runs on Zen own servers under one host.
Zen has provided internet since 1995 and runs its own mail servers. For email it keeps things simple, since one host answers for every protocol. IMAP, POP3 and sending all connect to mailhost.zen.co.uk. Only the port and the direction change. You sign in with the full address and your Zen password.
| Service Name | Zen Internet Email |
| Email Domains | zen.co.uk, myzen.co.uk |
| Provider | Zen Internet |
| Mail Host | mailhost.zen.co.uk |
| Outgoing Host | mailhost.zen.co.uk |
| Email Type | zen.co.uk, such as you@zen.co.uk |
| Webmail | webmail.zen.co.uk |
| Based In | Rochdale, UK |
| Protocols Supported | IMAP, POP3, SMTP |
| App Password Needed | No, mailbox password |
| Username | Full email address |
Zen Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official Zen pages are:
Find Your Settings#
Zen settings are the same on every device. One host, mailhost.zen.co.uk, handles incoming and outgoing, so only the port changes.
- Open your email app and add a new account.
- Choose IMAP on 993 or POP3 on 995.
- Set incoming to mailhost.zen.co.uk with SSL.
- Set outgoing to mailhost.zen.co.uk on 587 with SSL.
Zen IMAP Settings#
IMAP keeps a Zen mailbox in sync. Mail stays on the server, so a laptop and a phone read one shared inbox. The host is mailhost.zen.co.uk over 993.
| IMAP Server | mailhost.zen.co.uk | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full Zen address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
Zen 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 | mailhost.zen.co.uk | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
Zen SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | mailhost.zen.co.uk | |
| Port (SSL) | 587 | |
| 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. |
587 with SSL. Many home connections block port 25. Port 465 with SSL also works if 587 is blocked. Confirm outgoing authentication is on with your full address.
Check Zen Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check Zen settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address is a Zen one? Type it below to check in a moment.
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 Zen webmail, which confirms your address and password work. If webmail opens, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers Zen Internet. 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 your Zen account. The username is your full Zen address, such as one ending in zen.co.uk or myzen.co.uk. The password is your Zen email password, the same one that opens webmail. There is no separate app password.
Username is the full address
Type your full Zen address in, with the part after the at sign. A bare mailbox name is turned down.
Put that same address on both incoming and outgoing.
Password is the mailbox one
This is your Zen email password, the same one that opens Zen webmail. Reset it from MyAccount at Zen if an app keeps refusing it.
Zen signs you in with your normal email password, so there is no separate app password to manage.
Set Up Zen 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
mailhost.zen.co.ukon 993 with SSL. - Set outgoing to the same host on 587 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, Zen address and password, then continue.
- Enter mailhost.zen.co.uk 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 mailhost.zen.co.uk in both server boxes.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since Zen 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 mailhost.zen.co.uk on 993 over SSL.
- For outgoing use mailhost.zen.co.uk on 587 over SSL.
- Save and swipe down to fetch your mail.
Thunderbird
- In Thunderbird pick Account Actions, then Add Mail Account.
- Type your name, Zen address and password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails, type mailhost.zen.co.uk in yourself.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
Zen Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. These controls decide how the mailbox behaves on the server. They live in Zen webmail, which you reach at webmail.zen.co.uk.
Signature
Add one in the Zen webmail preferences. It rides on mail sent from the browser. A desktop app keeps its own signature.
Vacation Auto Reply
Turn on a holiday reply in Zen webmail. The Zen server sends it, so it goes out even when your computer is off.
Filters and Folders
Build filters in Zen webmail. A server side rule sorts a message before any device downloads it. An in app rule only runs while that app is open.
Spam and Blocked Senders
Zen screens incoming mail for spam. Block unwanted senders in Zen webmail. Flagged mail lands in the junk folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the Zen 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 |
Zen Sending and Storage Limits#
A few details are worth knowing before you move a mailbox or bulk forward. Here is how Zen mail is set up:
| Setup protocol | IMAP or POP3 |
| Login name | Full Zen address |
| Mail host | mailhost.zen.co.uk |
| Outgoing port | 587 with SSL |
| Encryption | SSL both ways |
| Based in | Rochdale, UK |
Troubleshooting Zen 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 your full Zen address with your Zen password. A bare mailbox name is turned down. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Switch outgoing to mailhost.zen.co.uk on 587 with SSL. Confirm outgoing authentication is on. |
| Sending fails away from home | Off-network SMTP needs auth | On another network, use mailhost.zen.co.uk on 587 with SSL and authentication. Port 25 without auth only works on the Zen network. |
| App picks the wrong ports | Auto setup guessed | Set the host to mailhost.zen.co.uk by hand with 993 in, 587 out, both SSL. Auto detection often gets Zen ports wrong. |
| Cannot connect to server | Wrong port or encryption | Set 993 with SSL incoming and 587 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. |
| myzen.co.uk address will not log in | The username is short of the full domain | Enter the whole address including the myzen.co.uk part. A bare mailbox name is turned down. |
| Not sure which servers a myzen mailbox uses | Same as any Zen mailbox | Use mailhost.zen.co.uk with 993 in and 587 out. The personal domain changes the address, not the servers. |
Reader Reported Fixes
One host, watch the port. Everything is mailhost.zen.co.uk. IMAP is 993, POP3 is 995 and sending is 587. Mixing up the ports is the usual cause of a half working setup.
Test the login in webmail first. Sign in to Zen webmail with your address and password. If webmail opens, the credentials are right and the issue is in the app settings.
Your zen.co.uk and myzen.co.uk Addresses #
A Zen broadband account can carry two kinds of address. One ends in zen.co.uk. The other is a personal Zen domain, such as yourname@family.myzen.co.uk. Both are yours to create in the Zen portal.
The settings do not change between them. A myzen.co.uk mailbox uses the same mailhost.zen.co.uk on 993 for IMAP, 995 for POP3 and 587 for sending, all over SSL. The one thing to get right is the username.
Sign in with the whole address, the myzen.co.uk part included. A bare mailbox name is turned down, so name@family.myzen.co.uk works while name alone does not. You add or remove these mailboxes in the Zen portal, where a deleted mailbox cannot be recovered.
| Detail | How it works |
|---|---|
| Standard address | Ends in zen.co.uk |
| Personal domain | yourname@name.myzen.co.uk |
| Same servers | mailhost.zen.co.uk for both |
| Username | The full address, myzen.co.uk included |
| Manage them | In the Zen portal |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
Zen mail speaks plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any standard account. Each folder stays on the server until the copy 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 mailhost.zen.co.uk with your Zen 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 Zen 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 Zen from the source list. If Zen is not listed, pick a plain IMAP account.
- 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 mailhost.zen.co.uk on port 993 with SSL. 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 Zen mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from Zen 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 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, 587). STARTTLS upgrades a plain connection (port 587).
Zen Password
The password for your Zen email, the same one that opens Zen webmail. Your apps use it too, since Zen has no separate app password.
mailhost.zen.co.uk
Zen single mail host. IMAP, POP3 and sending all connect to it, so only the port changes.
SMTP on 587
How Zen sends your mail. Outgoing uses mailhost.zen.co.uk on 587 with SSL and authentication.
Independent UK ISP
Zen Internet is a UK broadband provider based in Rochdale, running its own mail servers rather than a third party.
Zen Internet
The provider behind zen.co.uk and myzen.co.uk email. It has run UK internet since 1995.
webmail.zen.co.uk
The Zen webmail address in a browser. Sign in with your full Zen address and your Zen password.
Plain Password
Zen signs you in with your normal email password, not an app password or a sign in pop-up. The same password opens webmail.
myzen.co.uk
A personal Zen domain, such as yourname.myzen.co.uk. It uses the same mailhost.zen.co.uk settings as zen.co.uk.
myzen.co.uk Address
A personal Zen address on a subdomain, such as you@family.myzen.co.uk. It uses the same mailhost.zen.co.uk settings as a zen.co.uk address.
Zen Portal
Where you manage Zen mailboxes at my-portal.zen.co.uk. You add an address, set its password and read its server names there.
Full Address Login
Zen signs you in with the whole email address, the domain part included. A bare mailbox name is refused.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to Zen 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 Zen support 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 Zen 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
Zen uses one host, mailhost.zen.co.uk, for everything. IMAP is on 993, POP3 on 995 and sending on 587, each over SSL. Sign in with your full Zen address and your Zen email password. The IMAP settings section holds the full table.
Check the username first. It must be the complete address rather than the part before the at sign. Use your full Zen address as the username and your Zen email password. Zen has no app password, so the password that opens webmail is the one your app needs.
IMAP keeps mail on the Zen server so every device matches. POP3 downloads it to one device and can lose it if that device fails. Both use mailhost.zen.co.uk, IMAP on 993 and POP3 on 995. Full comparison here.
Yes. The server, ports and encryption match on iPhone, Android and Windows. Only the path to the settings screen shifts by app, which the client setup guides spell out.
Yes. mailhost.zen.co.uk handles IMAP, POP3 and sending. Only the port changes, 993 for IMAP, 995 for POP3 and 587 for sending, all over SSL.
Yes. Keep SSL on the host so your sign in never travels in the open. Your Zen password stays between your app and the Zen server.
An email client with IMAP downloads mail as it syncs, but a dedicated backup tool is faster and saves standard files you can open anywhere. See how to back up your Zen mailbox. If you already exported files in another format, an email converter changes them to PST, PDF or whatever your new app opens.
With Zen the usual cause is a dropped SSL setting or the wrong port. Set the host to mailhost.zen.co.uk with 993 in and 587 out, both over SSL. Off the Zen network, make sure outgoing authentication is on.
A migration tool copies mail across the two accounts on an IMAP link. Give the Zen IMAP settings with your Zen password on this side and the destination details on the other. Each folder lands with its dates 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.
No. Both use mailhost.zen.co.uk on 993 for IMAP, 995 for POP3 and 587 for sending, all over SSL. The only thing to watch is the username, which is the whole address with the myzen.co.uk part included. You create and manage both kinds in the Zen portal.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: Zen Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: mailhost.zen.co.uk, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: mailhost.zen.co.uk, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: mailhost.zen.co.uk, port 587, SSL
- Username is always your full email address
- Independent UK ISP, one host for all
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address