Configure POP3 Email in Windows 10 - Step-by-Step Guide
Integrating Custom POP3 Email with the Windows 10 Mail App
While many pre-installed Windows 10 applications have faced criticism, the Mail and Calendar apps have established themselves as valuable components of the operating system.
We have previously detailed the process of connecting a Gmail account to the Mail app.
However, configuring a POP3 email account, particularly if you manage your own email server or utilize a third-party provider, can present unique challenges compared to typical setups.
Setting Up a POP3 Account in Windows 10 Mail
The following steps outline how to integrate your custom POP3 email service with the Windows 10 Mail application.
This process allows you to centralize your email management within the Windows environment.
- First, open the Mail app.
- Then, navigate to the "Settings" menu.
- Select "Add account".
A list of account types will appear.
Choose "Advanced setup".
From the "Choose an account type" screen, select "Internet email".
Entering Your POP3 Account Details
You will now be prompted to enter your account information.
This includes the following:
- Email address: Your full email address.
- User name: Typically your email address or a specific username provided by your email provider.
- Password: The password associated with your email account.
- Incoming mail server (POP3): The address of your POP3 server.
- Incoming port: The port number used for POP3 connections (commonly 110 or 995 with SSL).
- Outgoing mail server (SMTP): The address of your SMTP server.
- Outgoing port: The port number used for SMTP connections (commonly 25, 587 with TLS, or 465 with SSL).
Ensure you have accurate server addresses and port numbers from your email provider.
Selecting "Done" will initiate the account verification process.
The Mail app will attempt to connect to your servers using the provided credentials.
If successful, your POP3 email account will be added and synchronized with the Windows 10 Mail app.
Obtaining POP3/SMTP Server Addresses
Initially, determining the server addresses requires access to your web server’s configuration settings. This is a necessary step for configuring email clients.
Related: The Start Menu Should Be Sacred (But It's Still a Disaster in Windows 10)
The incoming email server address typically follows a pattern such as "pop.[emailserver].net," without the use of brackets. For instance, with an email service hosted on GoDaddy.com, these addresses are located within the "Server Settings" section of their email management interface.
It’s important to accurately record this information for proper email reception.
To identify the outgoing email server, look for any address containing the abbreviation "SMTP." In the GoDaddy example, "smtpout.secureserver.net" is utilized for processing all outgoing or sent email requests.
Correctly noting the SMTP server address is crucial for successfully sending emails.
These POP3 and SMTP server details are essential for configuring email programs.
Setting Up Your Email Account in Windows 10
Begin by identifying and noting the necessary email addresses. Then, launch the Windows 10 Email application, accessible through either the Start menu or your applications list.
Accessing Account Settings
Upon opening the app, locate the Settings icon. This icon is positioned in the lower-left corner of the Mail application interface.
Clicking this icon will reveal a menu on the right side of the screen. From this menu, select the "Accounts" option.
Adding a New Account
The Accounts menu displays a list of currently connected email accounts. To add a new account, choose the "Add account" option, indicated by a plus sign.
This action will present you with a prompt for account configuration.
Selecting Advanced Setup
For POP3 based accounts, select "Advanced Setup" from the list of available providers.
Choosing Internet Email
After clicking "Advanced Setup", a new window will appear. Within this window, choose the "Internet Email" option.
Related: How to Use Your Google Calendar in the Windows 10 Calendar App
Entering Account Information
You will now need to input the details obtained from your email service provider.
First, assign a name to the account for easy identification within the Windows environment.
Next, enter your username and password. These credentials are essential for accessing your email, calendar data, and any notifications stored within your inbox.
Configuring Server Settings
Subsequently, input the incoming POP server information (ensure POP3 is selected from the dropdown) and the outgoing SMTP address.
Finalizing the Setup
A correctly completed form will display all entered information, including username, password, and SMTP details.
Within this window, you can also adjust settings related to outgoing server authentication, SSL requirements for incoming and outgoing messages, and password usage for outbox messages.
Completing the Process
After reviewing all settings, click "Sign-in" to finalize the configuration.
If successful, the new account will appear in the list of connected accounts on the right-hand side of the screen.
Confirming Email Functionality
Once the Mail application indicates successful account configuration, it’s prudent to validate email delivery. This can be achieved by requesting a test email from a contact or composing one from an alternative email service.
Employing the Gmail web interface, I’m demonstrating a test to ensure my internally configured POP3 setup correctly receives external emails.
Testing with Gmail
The following steps illustrate how to verify the POP3 configuration using Gmail.
The Windows 10 Mail app provides a centralized location for managing numerous email accounts from various services and providers. Its setup process is straightforward, revolving around the POP3 protocol.
Setting up the Mail app is remarkably simple, often described as easy as "one, two, POP3!"
- Centralized Access: The app consolidates emails from diverse sources.
- Simplified Setup: Configuration is streamlined through the POP3 protocol.
