To configure an IMAP email account in Microsoft Outlook, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Outlook and Add a New Account
- Open Microsoft Outlook.
- Click on File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles.
- Click on Email Accounts… and then New.
Step 2: Choose Account Type
- Select Manual setup or additional server types and click Next.
- Choose POP or IMAP and click Next.
Step 3: Enter IMAP Account Settings
Fill in the following details (provided by your email service provider):
- Your Name: (Your Name)
- Email Address: (Your full email address)
- Account Type: IMAP
- Incoming Mail Server (IMAP): (e.g., imap.example.com)
- Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): (e.g., smtp.example.com)
- User Name: (Your full email address)
- Password: (Your email password)
- Check “Remember password” (Optional)
Step 4: Configure Advanced Settings
- Click More Settings and go to the Outgoing Server tab:
- Check “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication”.
- Select “Use same settings as my incoming mail server”.
- Go to the Advanced tab:
- Incoming Server (IMAP): Usually 993
- Outgoing Server (SMTP): Usually 465 or 587
- Encryption Type: SSL/TLS (for both incoming and outgoing servers)
Step 5: Test and Complete the Setup
- Click OK, then Next, and Outlook will test the settings.
- If the test is successful, click Finish.
- Restart Outlook to begin syncing your emails.
Why Use IMAP Instead of POP3?
✔ Emails remain on the server, accessible from multiple devices.
✔ Syncs across devices, so changes (read, delete, move) appear everywhere.
✔ Ideal for users who check emails from multiple locations (PC, mobile, tablet).
