IMAP and POP3 Ports: 993, 143, 995 and 110 Explained
Use port 993 for IMAP and port 995 for POP3, both with SSL/TLS. Ports 143 and 110 are the old plain-text versions. Pick your email provider below to see its incoming server and port.
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- Based on RFC 8314
- Incoming settings for 45 providers
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Email ports at a glance
Reading email uses IMAP or POP3. Each protocol has one encrypted port, the one to use, and one older port that starts in plain text.
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Use it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| IMAP | 993 | Implicit TLS (SSL/TLS) | Yes, the default for IMAP |
| IMAP | 143 | Plain text, optional STARTTLS | Only if your server has no 993 |
| POP3 | 995 | Implicit TLS (SSL/TLS) | Yes, the default for POP3 |
| POP3 | 110 | Plain text, optional STARTTLS | Only if your server has no 995 |
| SMTP (sending) | 587 or 465 | STARTTLS or implicit TLS | For outgoing mail, see SMTP ports |
Short answer: IMAP on 993 and POP3 on 995, with SSL/TLS turned on and your full email address as the username. Every major provider (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, Zoho) uses these two ports.
Port 993 vs 143, and 995 vs 110
Port 993: IMAP over SSL/TLS
Port 993 encrypts the connection from the first byte. RFC 8314 recommends this implicit TLS mode for IMAP, and it is the only IMAP port most providers accept today.
Port 143: IMAP without TLS at the start
Port 143 starts in plain text. A server can offer STARTTLS to upgrade the session, but if the client does not use it, your password travels unencrypted. Use it only with a server that has no port 993.
Port 995: POP3 over SSL/TLS
Port 995 is the encrypted port for POP3, also recommended by RFC 8314. Gmail, Outlook.com and Yahoo all use 995 for POP.
Port 110: POP3 in plain text
Port 110 is the original POP3 port. Like 143, it starts unencrypted. Avoid it unless your mail server offers nothing else.
IMAP or POP3: which one should you use?
IMAP keeps your mailbox in sync. Messages stay on the server, so reading, moving or deleting an email on your phone shows up on your laptop and in webmail. It is the right choice for almost everyone.
POP3 downloads messages to one device. It suits a single computer that keeps a local archive. With POP3, folders and read status are not synced, and messages may be removed from the server depending on your settings.
Whatever you pick for reading, sending always goes through SMTP on port 587 or 465.
Incoming mail ports by provider
These are the IMAP and POP servers returned by the mailX IMAP Finder and the providers' own help pages. Most providers require IMAP or POP access to be turned on first, and an app password or OAuth instead of your regular password.
| Provider | IMAP server and port | POP3 server and port |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail and Google Workspace | imap.gmail.com, 993 | pop.gmail.com, 995 |
| Outlook.com, Hotmail, Microsoft 365 | outlook.office365.com, 993 | outlook.office365.com, 995 |
| Yahoo Mail | imap.mail.yahoo.com, 993 | pop.mail.yahoo.com, 995 |
| iCloud Mail | imap.mail.me.com, 993 | Not offered |
| AOL Mail | imap.aol.com, 993 | See AOL help |
| Zoho Mail (US) | imap.zoho.com, 993 | See Zoho help |
| GoDaddy Professional Email | imap.secureserver.net, 993 | See GoDaddy help |
Related mailX tools
Find the server, test the login, then fix the outgoing side.
How to test an IMAP or POP3 port
Four checks to find out why your email client cannot connect.
Find your provider's incoming server
Pick your provider in the finder above. It returns the IMAP host, the port and the encryption to use.
Use 993 for IMAP or 995 for POP3
Turn on SSL/TLS, enter your full email address as the username, and use an app password or OAuth where the provider asks for it.
Run the mailX IMAP Checker
Enter the host, port, encryption and login. The test tells you whether the server answers, whether TLS works and whether your login is accepted.
Check from the command line
If the checker works but your app does not, the issue is the app or your network. The commands below show whether the port answers from your machine.
Check an IMAP or POP3 port from the command line
A reply that starts with * OK (IMAP) or +OK (POP3) means the port answers. Replace imap.gmail.com with your provider's server.
IMAP on port 993 (macOS, Linux, WSL):
POP3 on port 995:
Is the port open at all? (Windows PowerShell):
Why your IMAP or POP3 connection fails
The usual causes, from the most to the least common.
IMAP or POP access is turned off
Outlook.com disables POP and IMAP by default, Gmail needs POP turned on, and Microsoft 365 admins can block IMAP per user.
Regular password refused
Gmail, Yahoo, AOL and iCloud need an app password in third-party apps. Outlook.com requires OAuth.
Wrong port and encryption pair
993 and 995 need SSL/TLS on. 143 and 110 start in plain text. A mismatch gives a TLS error or a hang.
Port blocked by a firewall
Some company networks block 993 and 995. Test from another network to confirm.
Too many connections
Opening the same mailbox in many apps can hit the provider's connection limit. Close the clients you no longer use.
Old app without OAuth
Microsoft and Google no longer accept basic username and password logins on their business accounts. Update the app or switch to one that supports OAuth.
IMAP and POP3 guides
Understand and fix your incoming mail setup.
IMAP vs POP3 Explained
Which protocol to choose to read your mail in another client, and why IMAP usually wins.
What Is IMAP and How It Works
How IMAP keeps your mailbox in sync across devices.
How to Fix IMAP Errors
The most common IMAP errors and how to solve them.
Reading works. Is your sending side right?
Check that SPF, DKIM and DMARC are set up for your domain, so your replies land in the inbox. One free test.