Requirements
Before you can setup a new e-mail account there are a few things you need to get together.
- POP3 or IMAP address (ex: pop.mailserver.com)
- Outgoing mail server name (ex: smtp.mailserver.com)
- E-mail user name and password provided by your e-mail provider
Create an E-mail Account
- Open Windows Mail. If this is your first time running Windows Mail, skip to step 5.
- Click Tools and then select Accounts.
- Click Add.
- Select E-mail Account and then click Next.
- Type your name in the in the Display Name box. Whatever you put in the Display name box will show up as the name of the person sending e-mail from this account.
Click Next.
- Type the e-mail address in the E-mail address box and then press Next.
- Select POP3 or IMAP as the type of incoming server type. Most use POP3.
- Type the POP3 or IMAP address (example: pop.mailserver.com) under incoming mail server.
- Type the outgoing mail server name (example: smtp.mailserver.com) under outgoing mail server.
- If your mail server requires a user name and password to send mail (most do), check off Outgoing server requires authentication.
- Click Next.
- Fill in your e-mail user name and password given to you by your e-mail provider.
Check off Remember password if you don’t want to have to type your password every time you send or receive e-mail.
- Click Next.
- Click Finish on the next screen and you’ve just created a new POP3 or IMAP e-mail account in Windows Mail.
Troubleshooting
If you’ve created a new POP3 or IMAP e-mail account and you can’t send or receive e-mail through Windows Mail, try these common troubleshooting tips.
Check Your E-mail Username and Password
Before you start changing all kinds of settings, double-check that your e-mail user account and password are correct.
- Click Tools and then select Accounts in Windows Mail.
- Double-click the e-mail account you want to check the user name and password on.
- Select the Servers tab in the Properties box.
- You can retype your e-mail user name and password in this window.
Outgoing Mail Server Authentication
If your outgoing (SMTP) mail server requires a user name and password to send mail make sure Windows Mail is set to give it a user name and password.
- Click Tools and then select Accounts in Windows Mail.
- Double-click the e-mail account you’re having problems with.
- Select the Servers tab in the Properties box.
- Make sure My server requires authentication is checked off.
- If the user name and password used to send mail is different than the user name and password used to receive mail click Settings.
- Select Log on using.
- Fill in your user name and password used to send mail and then click OK.
Port Numbers and SSL
Some e-mail providers use alternative ports and/or SSL certificates. Find out if your provider uses alternate ports or SSL certificates, and if so; do the following.
- Click Tools and then select Accounts in Windows Mail.
- Double-click the e-mail account you’re having trouble with.
- Select the Advanced tab.
- Setup the port number and SSL settings under Server Port Numbers.
You Can Receive But Not Send E-mail
Another common problem I come across is when you can receive but not send e-mail with Windows Mail. Many times this can be fixed by changing the outgoing mail (SMTP) port to 587 instead of 25. This is caused by a firewall or your ISP.
If All Else Fails
Call your e-mail provider and ask for help.
Still need help? Ask Your Computer Question Now.
Further Reading:
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Read more guides about: All • Vista • Windows • Windows Mail | All Categories
One Response to “Create a POP3 or IMAP E-mail Account in Windows Mail”
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March 28th, 2008 at 2:12 am
I am having so many problems..I finally named the server on the account, now everytime I try to send a message, it asks me to Log In- enter user name and password, make sure they are correct for server. So evertime i enter them..it doesnot take the login box just keeps poppong up for me to enter info. No let me get this straight. I’m supposed to be entering my login info for microsoft, live mail, correct? And i did. I went to account properties to make sure everything was correct. i even re-entered user name and password in that field and tried again. no success/. then i tried to change the pasdwork. no success…so how do i do this? please help.