Connect Any other provider (custom IMAP)

Connect any email provider that AI Emaily does not list by adding it manually over IMAP and SMTP.

AI Emaily has one-click tabs for Gmail and Outlook. For any other provider — corporate mail, a regional ISP, or a self-hosted server — you connect through the IMAP tab using your provider's server settings and an app password.

Before you start

You connect a custom provider through the IMAP tab, so you need two things: your provider's server settings and an app password.

Find your provider's server settings on its help site. Search for its "IMAP settings" or "email client setup" page. You need the incoming (IMAP) host and port and the outgoing (SMTP) host and port.

Paste an app password, not your login password

Most providers require an app password once two-factor authentication is on. Generate one in your provider's account settings and paste it into AI Emaily. AI Emaily envelope-encrypts every credential at rest and decrypts it only inside an isolated sync worker. It is never logged or sent to your browser.

Create an app password

1
Open your provider's security settings
Sign in to your email account on your provider's website and go to the security or account settings. App passwords usually live near the two-factor authentication options.
2
Turn on two-factor authentication if needed
Most providers only show the app-password option after two-factor authentication is enabled.
3
Generate an app password
Create a new app password for mail. Copy the value it shows. You usually cannot view it again after you close the dialog.

Add it to AI Emaily (IMAP tab)

1
Open Add mailbox
In AI Emaily, open the Add mailbox dialog and select the IMAP tab.
2
Enter your email and app password
Type your full email address. In the password field, paste the app password you generated, not your normal login password.
3
Enter the server settings
Use the incoming server (IMAP) on port 993 with TLS/SSL, and the outgoing server (SMTP) on port 465 (implicit TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS), per your provider's help page.
4
Save
AI Emaily verifies the connection before saving. If the test fails, a hint indicates which setting is likely wrong.

Server settings

Setting	Value
IMAP host	Your provider's incoming server (from its IMAP settings page)
IMAP port	993 (implicit TLS/SSL)
SMTP host	Your provider's outgoing server (from its IMAP settings page)
SMTP port	465 (implicit TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS)
Password type	App password (not your login password)

Troubleshooting

Authentication failed: you likely used your login password. Most providers require an app password once two-factor authentication is on. Generate one and paste it instead.
IMAP not enabled: some providers turn IMAP off by default. Enable IMAP access in your provider's mail settings, then try again.
Connection refused or timed out: double-check the host, port, and TLS mode. Confirm the IMAP port is 993 and the SMTP port matches your provider's documentation.
Sending fails but receiving works: try the alternate SMTP port. If 465 (implicit TLS) does not connect, use 587 (STARTTLS), or the reverse.
Settings look right but still failing: re-copy the host values exactly from your provider's IMAP settings page, with no extra spaces.

Frequently asked

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