mailpitcher

Connect any other mailbox (IMAP and SMTP)

Add Yahoo, iCloud, Zoho, your web host's email or any IMAP and SMTP mailbox. Which password to use, where to find server settings, and how to test it.

Updated · 3 min read · 7 steps

Almost any mailbox works with Mailpitcher, as long as the provider offers IMAP (to read mail) and SMTP (to send). Many providers are in the list, with their settings filled in for you.

Before you start

  • A paid Mailpitcher plan, and two-step sign-in on in Mailpitcher. See Two-step sign-in.
  • The right password. Some providers want an app password, not your normal one. Check the table below.
  • Look up your provider on our Connectors page. It lists the exact settings for each one.
Provider Which password
Yahoo Mail, AOL, Fastmail, Yandex An app password from the provider
iCloud Mail An app-specific password from Apple
Zoho, Titan, Hostinger, Namecheap, IONOS, Porkbun, GMX The mailbox’s own password (or an app password if two-factor is on)
Proton Mail Can’t connect yet: Proton needs its Bridge app on your computer

Get an app password, if your provider needs one

Yahoo Mail: create an app password

  1. Sign in to Yahoo and open Account Security.
  2. Under External connections, click Create app password.
  3. Type a name, for example Mailpitcher, and click Generate password.
  4. Copy the password, then click Done.

Yahoo suggests doing this in a browser you have used for Yahoo Mail for several days, not in a private window.

iCloud Mail: create an app-specific password

  1. Go to account.apple.com and sign in. Your Apple Account needs two-factor authentication.
  2. Open Sign-In and Security, then App-Specific Passwords.
  3. Click Generate an app-specific password and follow the prompts.
  4. Copy the password.

Connect the mailbox

Open Add a mailbox

Click Add mailbox at the bottom of the sidebar.

Pick your provider

Open Provider. The most used ones are under Popular, the rest under More providers. If yours isn’t there, choose Other (IMAP and SMTP) under Anything else.

Grey entries can’t connect yet. The reason is written next to them.

The Provider list. Pick your provider by name; choose Other (IMAP and SMTP) if it isn't listed. Greyed-out entries can't connect yet.

Type your address and password

Fill in Email address and Password (the app password, if you made one). Name on sent mail is optional.

For a listed provider, Server settings is filled in. You only need Edit if your provider told you to use something else.

For Other: type the server settings

Choosing Other (IMAP and SMTP) shows two rows to fill in. Your provider’s help pages list them, often under “email client settings”.

  • Incoming (IMAP): the server name, the port (usually 993) and SSL/TLS.
  • Outgoing (SMTP): the server name, the port (usually 465 with SSL/TLS, or 587 with STARTTLS).
The Add a mailbox window for a provider that isn't listed. You type the server settings yourself.
  1. Provider: Other (IMAP and SMTP)
  2. Email address and password
  3. Incoming (IMAP) server, port and security
  4. Outgoing (SMTP) server, port and security

Test, then connect

Click Test connection. Both Reading mail (IMAP) and Sending mail (SMTP) should say works. Then click Connect mailbox.

If a check fails, the message says why:

  • “rejected the sign-in”: wrong password, or the provider wants an app password.
  • “server name could not be found”: a typo in the server name.
  • “A secure connection … failed”: the port doesn’t match the security setting. Try 465 with SSL/TLS or 587 with STARTTLS.
  • “Could not reach the server”: check the server name and port.

Good to know

  • iCloud: use the app-specific password, never your Apple Account password. Settings are on the iCloud connector page.
  • GMX and mail.com: turn on POP3 and IMAP access in the GMX settings first.
  • Yandex: turn on IMAP and “App passwords and OAuth tokens” in Yandex Mail settings first.

Sources