How to Set Up Your Business Email in Microsoft Outlook

Your settings

Replace yourbusiness.co.ke with your domain and use the mailbox’s own password (not your cPanel password).

Setting	Value
Account type	IMAP
Email / username	Full address, e.g. info@yourbusiness.co.ke
Incoming server	mail.yourbusiness.co.ke · port 993 · SSL/TLS
Outgoing (SMTP) server	mail.yourbusiness.co.ke · port 465 · SSL/TLS (or 587 · STARTTLS)
Outgoing authentication	Required — same username and password

Outlook for Windows (new Outlook / Outlook for Microsoft 365)

1. Open Outlook → Settings (gear icon) → Accounts → Email accounts → Add account.
2. Type your email address → Continue.
3. If Outlook suggests a provider, choose IMAP (or click Choose a different provider → IMAP).
4. Click Show more / Advanced settings and enter the incoming and outgoing details from the table above.
5. Enter the password → Continue. Outlook tests the connection and adds the account.

Outlook for Windows (classic Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021)

1. File → Add Account.
2. Type your email address, click Advanced options, tick Let me set up my account manually → Connect.
3. Choose IMAP.
4. Enter Incoming mail: mail.yourbusiness.co.ke, port 993, encryption SSL/TLS. Outgoing mail: mail.yourbusiness.co.ke, port 465, SSL/TLS → Next.
5. Enter the password → Connect → Done.

Outlook for Mac

1. Outlook → Settings → Accounts → + → New Account.
2. Type the email address → Continue. If it asks for a provider, choose IMAP/POP.
3. Type: IMAP. Enter username (full address), password, incoming mail.yourbusiness.co.ke port 993 Use SSL, outgoing mail.yourbusiness.co.ke port 465 Use SSL.
4. Add Account.

Outlook mobile app (Android / iPhone)

1. Open Outlook → profile picture → Settings (⚙) → Add mail account → Add an email account.
2. Type the email address → Continue → choose IMAP.
3. Turn on Advanced settings and fill in the same servers and ports → ✓.

For the phone’s built-in mail apps see Android and iPhone.

Test it

Send an email from Outlook to your personal Gmail, and reply to it. If both arrive, you are done. Check that Sent items appear in webmail too — that confirms IMAP sync.

Moving from POP or an old provider

If you previously used POP (mail downloaded to one computer only), add the account again as IMAP and drag old folders from the POP account into the IMAP account to upload them, then remove the POP account. Ask us if you need help moving large mailboxes.

Troubleshooting

Outlook says	Cause	Fix
“Log onto incoming mail server (IMAP): The server responded: Authentication failed”	Wrong password or username not the full address	Test the password in webmail; reset it in cPanel
Sending fails: “Your outgoing (SMTP) e-mail server has reported an error — 550 relaying denied”	Outgoing authentication off	Tick My outgoing server requires authentication (same as incoming)
“The server you are connected to is using a security certificate that cannot be verified”	Server name not on the certificate	Use the hostname from Connect Devices, or run AutoSSL for mail.
Stuck in Outbox / timeouts	Port 25 used, or network blocks the port	Use 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS)
Folders missing (Sent, Trash)	Folder mapping	Right-click folders → Subscribe, or set Sent/Trash mapping in account settings
Account keeps asking for password	Password changed in cPanel	Update it in Outlook account settings

Frequently asked questions

IMAP or POP?
IMAP. It keeps mail on the server so it appears on all devices and is included in our backups. POP downloads mail to one device and is easy to lose.

Can I use Microsoft 365 Outlook with AutoHost email?
Yes — the steps above work in Outlook from Microsoft 365. If you want your mailboxes hosted by Microsoft instead, see Connect Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.