Set Up Business Email on iPhone and Android

Reading business email on your phone is the quickest way to stay responsive, and the setup takes only a few minutes. The details of the menus change between versions of iOS and Android, but the information you have to enter is always the same. This guide lists what you need and how to solve the usual problems.

What you need before you start

• Your full email address, for example [email protected].
• The mailbox password.
• The incoming (IMAP) and outgoing (SMTP) server names from your host. Often both are the same hostname, such as mail.yourcompany.com, but use exactly what your provider states.
• The ports and encryption types, listed below.

Setting	Recommended value
Account type	IMAP
Incoming server port	993 with SSL/TLS
Outgoing server port	587 with STARTTLS, or 465 with SSL/TLS
Username	Full email address
Password	Mailbox password
Outgoing authentication	Yes, same username and password

iPhone and iPad

1. Open Settings, then Mail, then Accounts, and choose Add Account.
2. Pick Other, then Add Mail Account.
3. Enter your name, full email address, password and a description, then continue.
4. Select IMAP. Fill in the incoming and outgoing server hostnames, with your full email address as the user name for both.
5. Save. The phone verifies the settings, and if everything is correct the account appears in the Mail app.

If verification fails, open the account again, choose the outgoing server under SMTP, and check the port and the SSL setting. On iOS you may need to set the port by hand if automatic detection picks the wrong one.

Android

The exact path depends on the phone maker and mail app. In the Gmail app or in the default mail app, the steps are similar:

1. Open the mail app and choose to add an account.
2. Pick Other or Personal (IMAP). Avoid choosing a named public provider, which would try the wrong servers.
3. Enter the email address and choose manual setup.
4. Enter the password, then the incoming server (IMAP, port 993, security type SSL/TLS), then the outgoing server (SMTP, port 587 or 465).
5. Set sync options, such as how often the phone checks, and finish.

Common problems and fixes

"Cannot get mail" or a login error

Check that the username is the whole address, not only the name before the @ sign. Re-type the password rather than pasting it, since pasted passwords sometimes carry a trailing space. Confirm the password works in webmail first.

Sending fails but receiving works

This points to the outgoing server settings. Make sure SMTP authentication is switched on and that you are using port 587 or 465. Port 25 is often blocked by mobile and home networks. Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data to see whether the network is the cause.

Certificate warning

If the phone warns that the server certificate does not match, the hostname you typed may not be the one on the certificate. Use the hostname given by your provider, not your domain name, unless they say otherwise. Never ignore a certificate warning on a network you do not trust.

Mail arrives late

Phones sometimes check for mail on a schedule, not instantly, to save battery. Check the fetch or push settings. Push over IMAP depends on the app and the server supporting it, so a delay does not always mean something is broken.

Protect the phone as well as the mailbox

• Use a screen lock with a passcode or biometrics, because the phone gives access to every message and often to password resets for other services.
• Keep the operating system and mail app updated.
• Only install mail apps from the official app store of your platform.
• Be able to remotely lock or wipe the device if it is lost.
• Remove the account from phones that staff no longer use, and change the mailbox password if a device is lost.

Managing several accounts

Both platforms let you add multiple accounts. Check the default sending account in the settings, so you do not send a business message from a personal address by accident. Use a signature that includes your name, role and a phone number, and note that the default phone signature may add "Sent from my phone" text. Edit it if you prefer something more professional.

Calendar and contacts

IMAP only covers email. If you also want shared calendars and address books on the phone, that needs additional protocols and server support. Check what your mail plan includes before you promise colleagues a shared calendar.

Business email on your phone with Zebra Hosting

Zebra Hosting email plans use standard IMAP and SMTP, so they work with the built-in apps on both major phone platforms. Mailboxes are created in Plesk, and support in 17 languages can help if a setting does not take. Pick an option on the email hosting page, or look up setup guides in the knowledge base.