Quick checklist (fix most issues fast) #

• Use IMAP (recommended) for sync between webmail and your devices.
• Username must be your full email address (example: user@yourdomain.com).
• SMTP authentication must be enabled (outgoing server requires login).
• Use correct ports + encryption (IMAP 993 SSL/TLS; SMTP 465 SSL/TLS or 587 STARTTLS).
• Test webmail first: https://yourdomain.com/webmail to confirm the mailbox works.
• After a migration, confirm MX records point to the current mail server and allow DNS propagation.

Essential email client settings (IMAP/POP/SMTP) #

Before you start, gather the core settings from cPanel (or your Hosticko welcome email). Use this table as your baseline:

How to find correct settings in cPanel #

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Go to Email → Email Accounts.
3. Find your mailbox and click Set Up Mail Client (or Connect Devices).
4. Copy the IMAP/SMTP server names, ports, and recommended security settings.

If you get SSL certificate warnings when using mail.yourdomain.com, switch the server name to your server’s hostname shown in cPanel
(this often matches the SSL certificate better in shared hosting environments).

Step-by-step: configure your email client #

1. Open your email app (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, iOS Mail, Android Mail).
2. Add a new account and choose Manual Setup if available.
3. Enter your email address + password.
4. Incoming (IMAP recommended):
   • Server: mail.yourdomain.com or server hostname
   • Port: 993
   • Encryption: SSL/TLS
   • Username: user@yourdomain.com
5. Outgoing (SMTP):
   • Server: mail.yourdomain.com or server hostname
   • Port: 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS)
   • SMTP authentication: Enabled
   • Username/password: Same as incoming
6. Save and run the client’s Test Account Settings / Verify.

Common email client configuration errors & fixes #

1) “Authentication failed” / “Incorrect password” #

• Confirm the mailbox password in cPanel (reset it if unsure).
• Make sure the username is the full email address, not just the part before @.
• Remove and re-add the account if the app cached old credentials.

2) “Cannot connect to server” / “Server not responding” #

• Double-check server name (try server hostname if mail.yourdomain.com fails).
• Confirm your domain DNS (MX/A records) points to the correct hosting server.
• Test webmail: https://yourdomain.com/webmail.
• Check local firewall/antivirus isn’t blocking ports 993 / 465 / 587.

3) “Please turn on SMTP Authentication” / “Relaying denied” #

• Enable “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication”.
• Use the same login credentials for SMTP as IMAP.
• Use port 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS), not random ports.

4) SSL certificate warnings / “Server identity cannot be verified” #

• Switch the mail server to your server hostname (shown inside cPanel / welcome email).
• Confirm you’re using the correct encryption + ports.
• If everything matches, you can trust the certificate prompt (only if the hostname is correct and expected).

5) Not receiving mail after migration #

• Verify MX records are updated to the new provider/server.
• Allow propagation time (commonly within hours; sometimes up to 24 hours depending on DNS TTL).
• If some senders still deliver to the old server, DNS is likely not fully updated everywhere yet.

6) Emails missing after migration #

• Make sure all mailboxes exist on the new server before migrating.
• Use an IMAP migration method (tool-based or manual IMAP copy) to pull mail from the old server.
• After migration, remove and re-add the account in the client (especially Outlook) to refresh syncing.

7) “550 Sender Verify Failed” #

• This often points to authentication/identity issues while sending.
• Confirm SMTP auth is enabled and credentials are correct.
• If you send mail using a third-party provider, ensure SPF is updated for that provider.

Troubleshooting migration issues (domain/email moves) #

Emails are still going to the old server #

• MX records may still point to the old host.
• Some DNS resolvers may still cache the old values until TTL expires.
• Validate MX externally using tools in the next section.

Email client still shows only old mail #

• Remove and re-add the account after the move.
• Ensure the account is configured as IMAP (not POP3).
• Confirm the client is not in offline mode (Outlook: “Work Offline”).

Helpful tools to validate email + DNS #

• MXToolbox (quick MX checks + diagnostics):
  https://mxtoolbox.com/
• Google Admin Toolbox – Check MX (useful if you’re moving to Google):
  https://toolbox.googleapps.com/apps/checkmx/
• cPanel: Set Up Mail Client (official guidance):
  https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/set-up-mail-client/

Internal Hosticko guides you can link (update URLs to match your KB structure):
Connecting an Email Client to a Mailbox,
How to Obtain Email Headers,
Understanding SPF Records for Email Deliverability.

FAQs #

What’s the best protocol: IMAP or POP3? #

For most users, IMAP is best because it keeps your email synchronized across devices and webmail.
POP3 can cause missing/sync issues because it often downloads and removes mail from the server.

Why can I receive mail but can’t send mail? #

That’s commonly SMTP authentication being disabled, or the SMTP port/encryption is incorrect.
Enable SMTP authentication and use port 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS).

Why do I get SSL certificate warnings in shared hosting? #

In shared hosting, the SSL certificate may be issued to the server hostname. If you connect using mail.yourdomain.com,
the certificate might not match. Use the server hostname shown in cPanel to reduce mismatch warnings.