This step-by-step guide takes you through the process of setting up a new email account in Outlook 2016 or Outlook for Microsoft 365.
If the Mail account is already set up, but giving errors – then refer to our troubleshooting guides for email settings.
Replace example.co.za with your domain name.
Prep: You have already received the email settings with password and port settings from your web administrator or host (email service provider).
- Launch Outlook
- Select File on the top left menu bar
- Select the Add Account button in the middle of the screen, then Account Settings
- Insert your email address
- Select Advanced options, then select Let me set up my account manually > Connect
- This temporary screen will display
- This screen will display the various account options – select POP or IMAP
- Server Settings: (Note that some versions of Outlook don’t allow you to adjust server settings at this stage. In these cases, complete the account setup and then check your server settings by going to File > Info > Account Settings dropdown > Server Settings).
- Incoming mail: add mail. before your domain name e.g. mail.example.co.za*
- Port 993 (or 995 for POP)
- Encryption method: SSL/TLS
- Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) is unticked
- Outgoing mail: add smtp. before your domain name e.g.smtp.example.co.za*
- Change Port to 465 (not 25)
- Encryption method: SSL/TLS
Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) is unticked
- Click Connect
- You will now be prompted for the password
- Your setup is complete.
- Send a test mail to check that everything is working.
* Note: In isolated cases mail.domain (e.g. mail.example.com) and smtp.domain won’t work. In these cases you will need to use the server name instead e.g. www14.jnb1.host-x.net (or whatever your host name might be).