Setting up and managing email in Microsoft Outlook (Windows & macOS)

Setting up and Managing Email in Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most widely used email clients for Windows and macOS. If you want to use your CURIAWEB email address in Outlook, you can manually set up the account as an IMAP account. This ensures that your emails remain stored on the server and are synchronized with Webmail, smartphones, tablets, and other devices.

This guide shows you how to add your email account to Microsoft Outlook, which server details are required, and how to troubleshoot typical issues with sending, receiving, deleting, or synchronizing messages.

IMAP vs. POP3: Which is Better for Outlook?

Outlook supports both IMAP and POP3. For modern email usage across multiple devices, IMAP is usually the right choice. With IMAP, your emails remain stored on the server. When you read, move, or delete a message in Outlook, this change is also reflected in Webmail or on other devices.

POP3, on the other hand, usually downloads messages locally to your computer. Depending on your settings, emails may then be removed from the server. This can result in messages missing from your smartphone, Webmail, or a second computer. Therefore, POP3 is only suitable for specific single-workstation scenarios.

Required Details Before Setup

Have the following information ready before setting up your email account in Outlook:

• Email Address: Your full email address, for example info@yourdomain.ch
• Password: The password for your email account
• Incoming Mail Server: typically mail.yourdomain.ch
• Outgoing Mail Server: typically mail.yourdomain.ch
• Username: Your full email address

Recommended Server Settings for Outlook

In the following details, replace yourdomain.ch with your actual domain.

If Outlook alternatively offers SMTP port 587 with STARTTLS, this setting may also work. However, for a clear manual setup, port 465 with SSL/TLS is often the easier option.

Setting up an Email Account in Outlook for Windows

The following steps apply to Microsoft Outlook on Windows. Depending on your version of Outlook, the interface may vary slightly, especially between classic Outlook and newer Microsoft 365 versions.

Setting up an Email Account in Outlook for macOS

Outlook for macOS can also manage email accounts with their own domain via IMAP. The terminology differs slightly from the Windows version, but the required server details remain the same.

Entering the Incoming Mail Server in Outlook

The incoming mail server is responsible for receiving your emails. Use the following values for IMAP:

• Server: mail.yourdomain.ch
• Port: 993
• Encryption Method: SSL/TLS
• Username: Your full email address
• Password: Password of your email account

Make sure not to enter any spaces before or after the server name, username, or password. Even minor typos can prevent Outlook from connecting to the account.

Entering the Outgoing Mail Server in Outlook

The outgoing mail server is responsible for sending your messages. Outlook must also authenticate with the SMTP server using a username and password.

• SMTP Server: mail.yourdomain.ch
• Port: 465
• Encryption Method: SSL/TLS
• Authentication: Enabled
• Username: Your full email address
• Password: Password of your email account

Checking Outlook Account Settings Later

If you have already set up your account, you can verify the server data afterwards. On Windows, you typically open:

File > Account Settings > Account Settings > [Your Account] > Change

Depending on your Outlook version, you will find additional configurations under More Settings or Advanced Settings. Check the following specifically:

• Incoming Mail Server: mail.yourdomain.ch
• Outgoing Mail Server: mail.yourdomain.ch
• IMAP Port: 993 with SSL/TLS
• SMTP Port: 465 with SSL/TLS
• Authentication for SMTP: Enabled
• Username: Full email address

On macOS, you can usually find the account settings via Outlook > Settings > Accounts > [Your Account].

Root Folder Path and IMAP Folders in Outlook

If Outlook does not display folders correctly, deleted messages reappear, or sent emails do not match Webmail, the IMAP folder structure may be the cause. In Outlook for Windows, depending on the version, there is a setting called the Root folder path.

You can often find this setting under:

File > Account Settings > Account Settings > [Your IMAP Account] > Change > More Settings > Advanced

Changing the root folder path may cause Outlook to reload or display folders differently. Afterwards, check carefully whether Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Trash, and Spam are displayed correctly.

Setting up a Signature in Outlook

A professional signature ensures that recipients can see your contact details right away. In Outlook, you can create different signatures for different accounts.

On Windows, you can usually find signatures here:

File > Options > Mail > Signatures

On macOS, open:

Outlook > Settings > Signatures

Deleting, Archiving, and Synchronizing Emails

With IMAP, actions like deleting, moving, and archiving are synchronized with the server. When emails are deleted in Outlook, they should also disappear accordingly in Webmail and on other devices or appear in the trash.

If deleted messages keep reappearing, check the IMAP folder mapping, the root folder path, and the settings for deleted items. In some cases, re-synchronizing Outlook or re-configuring the account after making a backup can help.

For business-critical mailboxes, make sure not to delete any local data files or old folders without first checking whether they still contain relevant messages.

Changing or Updating Your Password

If you change the password of your email account in cPanel, you must also update the new password in Outlook. In this case, Outlook will often show a repeated password prompt or a connection error.

After a password change, check both the incoming and outgoing mail servers. It can happen that Outlook receives emails again but still fails to send messages because the SMTP password is outdated or not saved correctly.

Common Problems in Microsoft Outlook

Outlook Syncs Slowly or Incompletely

With large mailboxes, Outlook may take some time to synchronize all emails and folders. Especially after a new setup, changes to the root folder path, or with a very large number of messages, the initial sync can take longer.

If synchronization remains permanently incomplete, check your internet connection, IMAP folders, available storage space, and account settings. In some cases, it may be useful to archive old emails or clean up large mailboxes.

Spam Protection for Outlook

Outlook has its own built-in junk email features. However, these operate locally within the program. Server-side spam protection is more efficient because unwanted messages can be filtered before they are even delivered to Outlook.

Further information about the optional SpamExperts spam filter can be found here: SpamExperts Spamfilter at CURIAWEB.

Summary

Microsoft Outlook can be reliably configured for CURIAWEB email accounts with the correct server data. In most cases, use IMAP so that your emails stay synchronized with Webmail and other devices. Crucial factors are using the full email address as the username, the correct server name, and the appropriate SSL/TLS settings.

If Outlook can receive messages but not send them, check the SMTP configuration first. If folders are missing or deleted emails reappear, the cause is often found in the IMAP folder structure or the root folder path.

Tip: Always test both directions after setup. Send an email to an external address and then check if the reply is correctly received in Outlook.