Set up Small Business Email in Outlook for Mac
Add your Small Business Email mailbox to Outlook for Mac using IMAP and SSL/TLS. Screens and labels vary between current and older Outlook versions.
Example domain only:
Wherever you see clientdomain.co.uk, type the domain after the @ in your own email address.
Your Small Business Email package includes a custom mail hostname and webmail URL. In this guide we will use mail.clientdomain.co.uk as a placeholder.
For example, if your email address is joebloggs@clientdomain.co.uk, your server would be mail.clientdomain.co.uk.
Before you begin
Have your full email address and mailbox password ready. If your account requires an app password for email apps, use it instead. Your Mac login and Client Management Portal passwords may be different. These IMAP instructions synchronise email, not server calendars or contacts.
Add the account
- Open Outlook > Settings > Accounts and choose Add Account. Older versions may use Tools > Accounts, then the + button and New Account.
- Enter your full email address and click Continue. Allow Outlook to look for the settings.
- If manual setup is needed or Outlook selects the wrong account type, use Not [detected provider]?, Choose the provider or the available manual option, then choose IMAP.
- Enter the settings in the table below. If ports are hidden, open Advanced settings or select Override default port where available.
- Enter your mailbox or app password and ensure outgoing authentication uses your full email address and the same password. In older versions this may be under More Options for the outgoing server; select User Name and Password or use the incoming server's credentials.
- Click Add Account, Sign In or Done to save. If a Microsoft Cloud sync notice appears, read it and proceed only if you agree and your organisation permits it.
Connection settings
| Setting | Incoming | Outgoing |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | IMAP | SMTP |
| Server (placeholder; use your own domain) | mail.clientdomain.co.uk |
mail.clientdomain.co.uk |
| Port | 993 | 465 |
| Security | SSL/TLS; enable Use SSL to connect | SSL/TLS; enable Use SSL to connect |
| Username | Your full email address | Your full email address |
| Password | Your mailbox or app password | The same password; authentication required |
If automatic discovery returns a recognised service hostname, it can be correct even if it differs from your custom domain-based hostname. Confirm that the account uses IMAP with SSL/TLS and ports 993 and 465. If your version cannot display or apply the required secure settings, contact support.
Test and troubleshoot
Let your folders synchronise, then send a message to another address you can access and reply to it. If sending fails, check the outgoing password, full email address, SSL setting and port 465. Do not bypass certificate warnings or turn off encryption. Back up local-only messages before removing an existing account.
Contact us through the Client Management Portal with your Outlook and macOS versions and the error message. Never send your password.
