Zimbra Cloud Email Settings: IMAP, SMTP and Server Host

Quick answer: Zimbra reaches your mail through one host set by whoever runs it, often zimbra.yourdomain.com or mail.yourdomain.com. IMAP uses port 993 SSL or 143 STARTTLS. POP uses 995. SMTP uses 587 STARTTLS or 465 SSL. Log in with the full email address plus your mailbox password. Only reach for an application passcode if two step verification is on.

Every setting on this page is verified with live IMAP and SMTP connections from Univik email software. We build email backup and converter tools since 2013, so we test against these servers every day. See what changed →

Zimbra has no shared address. Your host is zimbra.yourdomain.com, mail.yourdomain.com or your provider host. One address covers every protocol.

What Changed Recently#

With Zimbra the host is the part that varies between providers, not the login rules. Here is what to settle before you set up a client.

Latest update

Your host depends on your provider. Zimbra runs on hundreds of hosting networks, so there is no shared address. A guide that prints one fixed hostname is guessing. Read yours from webmail or your welcome email.

Earlier change

Two step verification changes the password. If it is on, IMAP, POP and SMTP need an application passcode from Zimbra Web Client, since the code prompt cannot appear in a mail app. Without two step, your mailbox password works everywhere.

Earlier change

One host, split services. The Zimbra Proxy takes IMAP and POP, the Zimbra MTA takes SMTP. Most providers answer both on the same hostname, so you rarely type two.

Current status: once you have the host, IMAP, POP and SMTP all accept your full address and mailbox password over SSL. Turn on two step and each client switches to an application passcode.

Before you start: the host varies by provider. Two step turns the password into an application passcode. One host splits into Proxy and MTA.

Before You Begin#

Settle these two first. Get either wrong and the login fails no matter how correct the ports are.

1. Know your server host

Zimbra has no fixed public host. It is zimbra.yourdomain.com, mail.yourdomain.com or your provider host. Guessing gives a connection error.

Where: Find your server host below →

2. Check for two step verification

If two step is on, your mailbox password will not pass in a mail app. You need an application passcode instead.

Where: Application passcode steps below →

About Zimbra Cloud#

Zimbra Cloud is the hosted, cloud version of Zimbra, an open source email and collaboration platform that powers hundreds of millions of mailboxes across more than 140 countries.

Zimbra first shipped in 2005, took its name from the Talking Heads song I Zimbra, then passed through Yahoo, VMware and Telligent before Synacor bought it in 2015. Known before 2019 as the Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS), it pairs email with shared calendars, contacts, tasks, chat and file sharing in one Zimbra Web Client. Small add ins called Zimlets extend that client with previews and shortcuts. Synacor sells its own cloud native Zimbra Cloud. More than 500 hosting partners also run Zimbra for their own customers. That is the detail that shapes setup. Your mail host is whatever your provider assigned, not a single Zimbra address, so this page centres on finding it.

Service Name	Zimbra Cloud
Platform Owner	Synacor, since 2015
Zimbra First Released	2005
Server Host	zimbra.yourdomain.com or your provider host
Webmail	Zimbra Web Client at your host
Protocols Supported	IMAP, POP, SMTP, CalDAV, CardDAV, ActiveSync
Application Passcode	Only when two step verification is on
Incoming, Outgoing	Zimbra Proxy, Zimbra MTA

One host, sending and receiving: on most Zimbra deployments the same address answers IMAP, POP and SMTP. The port and the encryption are all that shift across the three. Pin down that host once and every value on this page falls into place.

Zimbra bundles email, calendar, contacts and more as an open source suite owned by Synacor, running in the cloud, on premises or hybrid.

Zimbra Cloud Webmail Login#

You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:

Webmail

zimbra.yourdomain.com

Account Security

zimbra.yourdomain.com

Password Recovery

wiki.zimbra.com

Watch out for fake support pages. Many pages ranking for email settings show a phone number and ask you to call for "expert setup help". Zimbra Cloud and Univik never ask you to call a number to enter server settings. Everything you need is free on this page.

Find Your Zimbra Server Host#

Zimbra powers hundreds of millions of mailboxes, but no two run on the same address. Whoever hosts your Zimbra sets the host, so it takes one of these forms. Ports and login stay the same:

A zimbra prefix on your domain is the usual pattern, such as zimbra.yourdomain.com. Many providers ship exactly this.
A plain mail prefix like mail.yourdomain.com works on some setups. Both point at the same mailbox.
Your provider host may carry their brand rather than yours, for example the Zimbra host of your ISP or hosting company. Their welcome email lists it.
Read it from webmail. Open your Zimbra Web Client in a browser. The address you use to reach webmail is almost always the mail host too.

Behind the host sit two services. Incoming mail reaches the Zimbra Proxy, which handles IMAP and POP. Outgoing mail reaches the Zimbra MTA over SMTP. Most deployments answer both on one hostname, so a single address usually covers sending and receiving.

Behind your Zimbra host, the Proxy handles incoming IMAP and POP while the MTA handles outgoing SMTP. Usually both share one address.

Zimbra Cloud IMAP Settings#

IMAP is the incoming protocol to pick for Zimbra. Mail stays put on the server, so each device opens the very same inbox. The server is your Zimbra host from the section above.

IMAP Server	Your Zimbra host, such as `zimbra.yourdomain.com`
Port (SSL)	`993` recommended
Port (STARTTLS)	`143` alternative
Encryption	SSL on 993 or STARTTLS on 143
Username	Your full email address, including `@yourdomain.com`
Password	Your Zimbra mailbox password (an application passcode when two step is on)
Authentication	Required

Zimbra Cloud POP3 Settings#

POP downloads mail to one machine. Reach for it only when you want mail to live on one machine. Undecided? The comparison weighs both.

POP Server	Your Zimbra host, such as `zimbra.yourdomain.com`
Port (SSL)	`995` recommended
Port (plain)	`110` if 995 is blocked
Encryption	SSL on 995
Username	Your full email address
Password	Your Zimbra mailbox password (an application passcode when two step is on)

Careful with POP3 delete settings. Some clients remove mail from the server after download. Check "leave a copy on the server" if you still want mail in webmail.

Zimbra Cloud SMTP Settings#

Pick your encryption: Zimbra answers on the direct SSL ports 993, 995 and 465. It also answers STARTTLS on 143 and 587, which upgrades a plain connection to encrypted after the handshake. Either is secure. When a firewall blocks 993, port 143 with STARTTLS is the fallback. A provider can switch off the plain ports, so SSL is the safe default.

SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.

SMTP Server	`zimbra.yourdomain.com`
Port (STARTTLS)	`587` recommended
Port (SSL)	`465` alternative
Encryption	STARTTLS on 587 or SSL on 465
Username	Your full email address
Password	Same as incoming mail
Authentication	Required. Check "My outgoing server requires authentication" in Outlook.

Check Zimbra Cloud IMAP Settings Online#

You don't need to download anything to check Zimbra Cloud IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses Zimbra Cloud 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.

Curious whether the mailbox works before you touch a client? Sign in to your Zimbra Web Client in a browser. That confirms the address and password work and shows the host to use. Armed with that host and the ports here, any client will connect. Two step on? Create an application passcode first.

Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#

This page covers Zimbra Cloud. 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

Check IMAP settings online →

Enter any email address and get the incoming and outgoing server settings for that domain in 1 step:

Incoming server: hostname, port, SSL/TLS and username format

Outgoing server: SMTP hostname, port and encryption

Your address is used only to find the settings for that domain. Nothing is stored or shared.

Zimbra Application Passcode#

Most Zimbra accounts never need this. You only reach for an application passcode when your admin or you turned on two step verification, because an IMAP login cannot show the code prompt. Here is which password works where:

How you connect	Mailbox password	Application passcode
Zimbra Web Client in a browser	✓ Works	✗ Not needed
Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird with two step on	✗ Rejected	✓ Required
Any IMAP or POP client, two step on	✗ Rejected	✓ Required
Any client, two step verification off	✓ Works	Not needed

How to Create an Application Passcode

Sign in to Zimbra Web Client in a browser, then open Preferences.
Go to Accounts, then Applications. This area only appears once two step verification is set up under Account Security.
Select Add Application Code. Give it a label such as Outlook or iPhone Mail.
Copy the generated passcode. Paste it as the password in that one email app.
Repeat per app if you like. Each client can hold its own passcode. You revoke one by its label without touching the others.

Good to know: changing your Zimbra mailbox password revokes every application passcode at once, so you rebuild them after a password change. With two step on you also need a passcode for SMTP, not the mailbox password.

Set Up Zimbra Cloud in Email Clients#

The ports and login are the same in every app. The server is your Zimbra host. With two step on, use an application passcode where the steps say password. Jump to yours:

Outlook Apple Mail iPhone and iPad Android Thunderbird

Skip the manual setup with the official Zimbra app. Synacor publishes a Zimbra Email and Collaboration app on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Install it, enter your server host such as zimbra.yourdomain.com, then your address and password. It carries mail, calendar, contacts, chat and files in one place and needs no port entry. The app talks to Zimbra Collaboration Server 9 and later, usually the Network Edition, so a host on an older or open source build still uses the IMAP steps below.

Outlook (Windows and Mac)

Open Outlook and go to File, then Add Account. In the new Outlook the same path sits under Settings then Accounts.
Type your address. Open Advanced options and tick let me set up my account manually.
Pick IMAP. Put your host on 993 SSL for receiving, then the same host on 587 STARTTLS for sending.
Use the full address plus your mailbox password. Where two step is active, paste an application passcode in its place.
Finish and send a test email to yourself to confirm both directions work.

Apple Mail (macOS)

Open Mail → Settings → Accounts → Add Account.
Zimbra is not in the list, so choose Other Mail Account.
Give your name, full address and password, then continue. Use a passcode if two step is on.
If asked for servers, enter the IMAP and SMTP values from the tables above.
Enable Mail in the checkbox list and finish.

iPhone and iPad

Open Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts → Add Account.
Tap Other, then Add Mail Account. iOS lists no Zimbra option, so this is the IMAP route. The official Zimbra app is the alternative.
Fill your details with your password or passcode, then tap Next.
Keep IMAP selected and enter your Zimbra host for both incoming and outgoing when iOS asks.
Tap Save and wait for iOS to verify the account.

Android

Open your mail app such as the Gmail app or Samsung Email, then Add account. The official Zimbra app is a manual free alternative.
Choose Other (IMAP) when your provider is not in the list.
Give your address and password. If the app cannot detect the settings, drop to Manual setup.
Enter the servers: your Zimbra host on 993 SSL incoming, the same host on 587 STARTTLS outgoing.
Finish setup and pull down to sync your inbox.

Thunderbird

Open Thunderbird → Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account.
Type your name, address and password, then choose Continue. A passcode replaces the password when two step is on.
Let Thunderbird probe the host, then confirm it settled on IMAP with SSL.
If detection fails, choose Configure manually and enter the table values above.
Select Done. Folders sync on first open.

The same four values set up any client. With two step verification on, the password becomes your application passcode.

On a phone you can install the official Zimbra app and enter only your host. The other route is a manual IMAP setup in any mail app. Both sign in with your address and password.

Zimbra Cloud Webmail Settings#

Those values wire up a client. The controls here govern how the mailbox itself behaves. You set them in the Zimbra Web Client under Preferences.

Signature

Set under Preferences then Signatures in the Zimbra Web Client. A signature saved there shows on mail sent from the browser. Each client keeps its own, so the one that appears depends on where the message left from.

Vacation Auto Reply

Under Preferences then Out of Office you set a start and a finish date. The reply then switches off by itself. Zimbra runs it on the server, so it keeps answering while your devices are off.

Filters and Folders

A filter built under Preferences then Filters runs on the server, sorting mail before any device fetches it. A rule built inside a mail app runs only while that app is open, which is why the same message can land in different folders on different devices.

Spam and Blocked Senders

Under Preferences then Trusted Addresses you allow senders, while the Junk folder holds what the server flagged. When a message goes missing, look in Junk first, since a client rule cannot reverse a server decision.

POP3 vs IMAP#

Feature	IMAP	POP3
Where mail lives	On the Zimbra 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

Our verdict: IMAP suits almost every Zimbra user, keeping all devices on one inbox. For a lasting offline copy, a backup tool writes portable files and beats POP at that job.

IMAP keeps every device in sync. POP pulls mail down to one machine. IMAP suits nearly everyone.

Zimbra Settings Worth Knowing#

These are the connection points that decide a Zimbra client setup:

Server host	zimbra.yourdomain.com or your provider host
IMAP	993 SSL or 143 STARTTLS
POP	995 SSL or 110
SMTP	587 STARTTLS or 465 SSL
Username	Full you@yourdomain.com address
Password	Mailbox password (passcode with two step)

Troubleshooting Zimbra Cloud Connections#

Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:

Error you see	What it means	Fix
Cannot find the mail server	Wrong host or a guessed zimbra.com style name	There is no shared Zimbra host. Use your own server host, such as zimbra.yourdomain.com or your provider host.
Login denied after enabling two step	The mail app is still sending your old password	Create an application passcode in Zimbra Web Client and paste it as the password in the app.
Cannot connect to server	Port or encryption does not match	Confirm IMAP 993 SSL and SMTP 587 or 465. A firewall or VPN can block these too. Where 993 is closed, fall back to 143 over STARTTLS.
Password keeps being asked	Username is not the full address	Zimbra signs in by the whole email address. Type the whole thing, for example you@yourdomain.com, rather than the name before the at sign.
Messages stuck in Outbox	SMTP authentication is off	Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail.

Reader Reported Fixes

A client kept guessing zimbra.com and failing. There is no shared Zimbra host. Once the reader read the real host from their Web Client address bar and typed it by hand, the account connected right away.

Mail stopped the day two step went on. The saved mailbox password no longer passed. Generating an application passcode in Preferences then Accounts then Applications, then pasting it into the client, fixed sending and receiving at once.

Most Zimbra failures trace to the host, a two step passcode or the username. Check those three first.

Keeping a Copy of Your Zimbra Mail#

A Zimbra mailbox lives on a server your provider controls. If you change host or leave the provider, the mail can go with it. A local copy is the safe answer.

Switching from one Zimbra provider to another? The host changes between them, so read the new host from webmail before you reconfigure a client.

Planning to leave or switch providers? Back up the mailbox first. A hosted mailbox can be wiped once a plan ends, with no recovery afterward.

Taking your mail to a new account? The Univik Email Migration Tool copies every folder from the old account to the new one. Enter the IMAP settings from this page for the Zimbra side and your new provider's settings for the other.

Rather not do it yourself? Our Email Migration Services team plans and runs the whole transfer for you and verifies every folder arrived.

Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#

The same IMAP settings above let you download your complete Zimbra Cloud 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 Zimbra from the source list. If it is not listed by name, choose IMAP.
Sign in with your full email address and your mailbox password. With two step on, use an application passcode instead.
If the tool asks for server details, use your Zimbra host on port 993 with SSL from the IMAP table above.
Pick a saving format and folder, then start the backup. Large mailboxes download in the background.

Why back up before switching providers: POP3 only grabs the inbox and vacation replies to a closed account bounce. A full IMAP backup keeps every folder, attachment and date stamp in files any email app can open later. Moving to a new account instead of archiving? Use the email migration tool to copy mail directly between accounts.

Univik Email Backup pulls your Zimbra mailbox over IMAP into portable files that outlast any host change.

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, 465). STARTTLS upgrades a plain connection (port 587).

Application passcode

A code Zimbra generates for one mail app when two step verification is on, since an IMAP login cannot show the two step prompt. Revoke it by its label anytime.

Zimbra Proxy and MTA

The Zimbra Proxy answers incoming IMAP and POP. The Zimbra MTA handles outgoing SMTP. Most hosts run both on one address, so you type a single server host.

ZCS

Zimbra Collaboration Server, the software behind your mailbox. The name your provider runs, plus its version, decides which features and login methods you get.

Zimlets

Add ins for the Zimbra Web Client. They surface previews, maps or third party tools inside a message. An admin controls which ones appear.

Zimbra app

Synacor's official mobile app for Android and iOS. You enter your server host and sign in. It then handles mail, calendar and chat without manual IMAP ports.

How We Verify These Settings#

Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to Zimbra Cloud 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 Zimbra documentation and provider setup guides, plus a two step account test that confirms the application passcode path. We re verify after any Zimbra release and at least once a quarter.

Found something that no longer matches what Zimbra Cloud 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

Use your Zimbra host, usually zimbra.yourdomain.com or your provider host, on port 993 with SSL. Log in using the full email address together with your mailbox password. The server host section walks you to yours.

Two things cause this. Zimbra matches you on the complete address, so a bare user name before the at sign fails. If two step verification is on, a mail app needs an application passcode, not your mailbox password. Fix whichever applies.

IMAP for almost everyone. It keeps your phone, computer and webmail in sync. POP fits the narrow case of one computer holding the only copy. Full comparison here.

Yes. Host, ports and encryption carry over unchanged from one device to the next. Only the menus differ, which is what the client setup guides cover.

Open your Zimbra Web Client in a browser and read the address. That host is almost always your mail host too. A welcome email from your provider usually states it as well. When in doubt, ask whoever runs the mailbox. The server host section walks through it.

Yes. Zimbra uses SSL on 993 and 995 and STARTTLS on 143 and 587, so your login and mail travel encrypted. Keep the client patched and pick a strong mailbox password. Two step verification adds another layer.

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 Zimbra Cloud mailbox. If you already exported files in another format, an email converter changes them to PST, PDF or whatever your new app opens.

The common causes are a server move or a new two step setting. If your provider moved the mailbox to a different Zimbra host, the old host stops answering. If two step was turned on, the client now needs an application passcode. Check the host and your security settings.

An email migration tool copies mail directly between the 2 accounts over IMAP. You need the Zimbra Cloud IMAP settings and your mailbox password for this side (a passcode if two step is on), plus the same details for the destination account. Every folder, label and date stays 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.

Other Email Provider Settings

Gmail Settings Outlook.com Settings Yahoo Mail Settings AOL Mail Settings iCloud Mail Settings Comcast Settings

Summary: Zimbra Cloud Settings at a Glance

IMAP: zimbra.yourdomain.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
POP3: zimbra.yourdomain.com, port 995, SSL/TLS
SMTP: zimbra.yourdomain.com, port 465 or 587
Username is always your full email address

Host varies, usually zimbra.yourdomain.com
Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
Application passcode only when two step is on
Username is always the full email address