This guide walks you through adding your HOSTDOG email account to Microsoft Outlook for Windows, step by step. We recommend IMAP, which keeps your emails synchronised across all devices.
Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure you have:
- An active HOSTDOG hosting account with at least one email address created
- Your email address and password (set when you created the email account)
- Your domain name (e.g.,
yourdomain.com) - Microsoft Outlook for Windows installed (Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021, or Microsoft 365)
Settings reference
Use these values throughout the setup process:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Incoming server (IMAP) | mail.yourdomain.com |
| IMAP port | 993 (SSL/TLS) |
| Outgoing server (SMTP) | mail.yourdomain.com |
| SMTP port | 465 (SSL/TLS) |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS |
| Username | Your full email address (e.g., info@yourdomain.com) |
| Password | Your email password |
| Authentication | Normal password |
For a complete list of all protocols and ports, see HOSTDOG email server settings.
Launch Microsoft Outlook. Go to File → Add Account. If this is your first time opening Outlook, the account setup wizard will appear automatically.
Enter your email address in the field provided. Before clicking Connect, click Advanced options and tick the box labelled Let me set up my account manually.
Click Connect.
Outlook will ask you to choose an account type. Select IMAP.
Enter the following details for the incoming server:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Server | mail.yourdomain.com |
| Port | 993 |
| Encryption method | SSL/TLS |
Enter the following details for the outgoing (SMTP) server:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Server | mail.yourdomain.com |
| Port | 465 |
| Encryption method | SSL/TLS |
yourdomain.com with your actual domain name. The username is always your full email address, not just the part before the @.
Click Next.
Type your email account password and click Connect. Outlook will test the connection to both the incoming and outgoing servers.
If the connection test succeeds, you will see a confirmation message. Click Done to finish.
Your HOSTDOG email account is now configured in Outlook. The inbox will begin synchronising your emails automatically.
Troubleshooting
If Outlook displays a certificate warning, it usually means the SSL certificate is issued for the server hostname rather than your domain. Click Yes to accept — your connection is still encrypted. To avoid this warning in the future, use the server hostname provided in your hosting welcome email as both the incoming and outgoing server address.
- Verify that the username is your full email address (e.g.,
info@yourdomain.com), not just the part before the @ - Confirm your password is correct by logging in via webmail
- If you recently changed your password, restart Outlook and try again
- Check that Caps Lock is not enabled
This typically means the outgoing (SMTP) server settings are incorrect. Double-check the following:
- Outgoing server is
mail.yourdomain.com - Port is
465with SSL/TLS encryption - SMTP authentication is enabled (Outlook should use the same credentials as the incoming server)
- If port 465 is blocked by your network, try port
587with STARTTLS instead
Frequently asked questions
We recommend IMAP. It keeps your emails on the server and synchronises them across all your devices (phone, tablet, other computers). POP3 downloads emails to a single device and removes them from the server, which means they won't be available elsewhere.
Yes. Port 587 with STARTTLS encryption is an alternative for outgoing mail. Some networks block port 465, so switching to 587 can resolve sending issues. Both are equally secure.
Limits depend on your hosting plan:
- Personal Shared Hosting: Up to 1 GB mailbox size, 100 emails per hour
- Business Shared Hosting: Unlimited mailbox size, 1,000 emails per hour
This guide covers classic Outlook for Windows (Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365). The new Outlook app uses a simplified setup flow — enter your email address and password, then add the server settings manually if prompted. The server addresses and ports are the same.